International Paper Royal Blue Receives Second Volunteer STAR Safety Award

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner James Neeley announced that International Paper Royal Blue was chosen to receive the Volunteer STAR (Safety Through Accountability and Recognition) award.

“Today’s award is the second Volunteer STAR certification for International Paper Royal Blue,” said John Winkler, TOSHA Administrator for the TDLWD, who presented the STAR award to International Paper today at the company’s facility in Pioneer. “With eight employees, this site is the smallest Volunteer STAR site in the state. International Paper has achieved a remarkable safety record and has more VPP sites nationwide than any other corporation.”

The Volunteer STAR award is the state’s highest honor for workplace safety and health and a nationally recognized program. The Volunteer STAR is patterned after the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and recognizes the best of the best in the area of safety and health programming and performance.

International Paper Royal Blue is a chip mill. The company’s safety record includes earning a three-year Total Case Incidence Rate (TCIR) of 0.0.

A certificate of recognition is awarded to the STAR recipient, as is a flag that can be flown at the site. The company is also permitted to use the Volunteer STAR logo on its correspondence and company documents.

The standard for participation in the STAR program is the confirmation of a company’s safety and health program, which helps reduce accidents and injuries. The program also allows employers to be removed from programmed compliance inspection lists for a period of three years.

For more information on the Volunteer STAR award program, contact TOSHA’s Consultative Services office at 800.325.9901.