Bethel Park to Receive OSHA’s Highest Award

Post Office earns prestigious Voluntary Protection Program “Star Award” Special flag raising ceremony to take place

PITTSBURGH PA — Postal employees and top officials from the U.S. Postal Service, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and OSHA will join together to raise the Voluntary Protection Program’s Star Award flag at the Bethel Park Post Office on Friday, May 2. The Bethel Park Post Office has earned membership in the prestigious "Star" Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Following a breakfast for the employees, the recognition and flag raising ceremony will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, May 2 at the Bethel Park Post Office, 2765 South Park Road.

“A lot of hard work and cooperation by all of the employees went into the Bethel Park Post Office facility achieving this recognition,” said Bethel Park Postmaster Curtis Williams. “I am very proud of everyone involved.” The facility employs approximately 60 workers consisting of letter carriers, retail window personnel, and management who collect, sort, and deliver U.S. and foreign mail. In 2007, the Bethel Park Post Office delivered 28 million letters, magazines, advertisements and packages to over 13,000 residential and business addresses. Companies that have been accepted into the VPP program represent more than 200 industries.

WHO:
Deputy Postmaster General/COO Patrick Donahoe, Pittsburgh District Manager Keith Beppler, Bethel Park Postmaster Curtis Williams, U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA Area Director Robert Szymankski, and representatives from the National Association of Letter Carriers and American Postal Workers Union

WHAT:
OSHA presentation of Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Award and flag raising

WHERE:
Bethel Park Post Office
2765 South Park Road
Bethel Park, PA 15102

WHEN:
Friday, May 2, 2008
8 a.m.

WHY:
All Postal facilities strive to achieve the highest degree of safety through strict compliance with OSHA regulations. The Postal Service has participated in the Voluntary Protection Program since 2001. Bethel Park represents the 18th VPP Star approved facility in the Eastern Area and the 149th nationwide.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.