Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration bestowed Delta Air Lines' airport customer service station at Albany International Airport in New York with its highest workplace rating as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Star site.

Delta — the first major airline participant in OSHA’s VPP — now carries an industry-leading 19 locations across the United States with the Star site designation.

To meet OSHA VPP requirements, the Albany station successfully completed a multipoint safety and health analysis as well as an intensive on-site inspection by OSHA staff, which included proactive measures to prevent fatalities, injuries and illnesses through a system focused on management commitment and employee involvement, hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis and safety and health training.

Employees participate in driving safety through many facets: conducting facility inspections and observations, creating visual safety communications, participation in the safety team, and leading “stretch and flex” exercises during briefings to prevent ergonomic injuries.  They are also actively engaged in the facility self-inspections and hazard identification.  

"Safety supersedes every operational move at Delta,” said Bill Lentsch, Delta’s Senior Vice President, Airport Customer Service and Cargo Operations. “The Albany team has embraced Delta’s safety culture to the highest level and their stringent dedication to achieving VPP Star status is a model for our airline and our industry.” 

Delta began participating in the VPP program in 2001 when its 2.7 million-square-foot Atlanta Technical Operations facility became the first aircraft maintenance base in the industry to earn Star site status. Other locations with Star status include additional facilities in Atlanta; Augusta, Ga.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Cincinnati; Columbus, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Melbourne, Fla.; Memphis, Tenn.; Minneapolis;  Jacksonville, Fla.; Dayton, Ohio; Denver; St. Louis and Savannah, Ga. Additionally, Delta's wholly owned subsidiary DGS maintains Star status at Colorado Springs, Colo. and Jacksonville, Fla.

OSHA's VPP is an initiative designed to recognize workplaces with outstanding occupational safety management systems and performance. Less than one percent of the 10 million work sites in the United States share this distinction.