Indiana Post Office to Receive OSHA’s Highest Award

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

INDIANA, PA —Postal employees and officials from the U.S. Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), and OSHA will join together to raise the Voluntary Protection Program’s Star Award flag at the Indiana Post Office on Friday, October 24. The Indiana 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). The “VPP Star” flag raising ceremony will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, October 24, at the Indiana Post Office, 47 S. 7th Street.

“A lot of hard work and cooperation by all of the employees went into the Indiana Post Office achieving this recognition,” said Indiana Postmaster Terri Roddy. “I am very proud of everyone involved.” The facility employs approximately 63 workers consisting of letter carriers, retail window personnel, and management who collect, sort, and deliver U.S. and foreign mail. In 2007, the Indiana Post Office delivered 14 million letters, magazines, advertisements and packages to over 37,000 residential and business addresses. Companies that have been accepted into the VPP program represent more than 200 industries. Through enhanced attention to safety, the Indiana Post Office reduced injuries by 33% in one year.

WHO:
Erie District Manager Rick Sekinger; Indiana Postmaster Terri Roddy; U.S. Dept. of Labor – Deputy Regional Administrator Edward Selker; 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:
Indiana Post Office
47 S. 7th Street
Indiana, PA 15701

WHEN:
Friday, October 24, 2008
11 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. Indiana, PA represents the 20th VPP Star approved facility in the Eastern Area and the 168th 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.