ProVia is leading the way in workplace safety as its glass manufacturing facility is the first of 917 companies in its category to be awarded Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star status from the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). The facility, located in Baltic, is the third ProVia plant to earn OSHA’s highest award for safety, which recognizes the outstanding efforts of the company and its employees in creating a safe and healthy work environment. ProVia is part of a select group of 107 companies in Ohio to have received the VPP award.

“In my 21 years with OSHA, I have worked with many companies and ProVia’s employee participation at all levels of the business to ensure workplace safety is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” said Deborah J. Zubaty, area director, OSHA. “A glass plant is an inherently dangerous place to work and the company has done an excellent job preventing injuries and creating a safe place for employees to work every day.”

ProVia has continually been recognized as a safety leader within their industry. In 2007, the company’s Walnut Creek facility was the first metal window and door manufacturer nationally to receive the VPP award. Its Sugarcreek location earned the award in 2010. This most recent VPP award at its Baltic location marks the end of a five-year process by the company to ensure its facilities met the highest safety standards. ProVia is now working with OSHA toward earning VPP status at its newly acquired plants for Heartland Siding in Booneville, Miss. and Heritage Stone in Zanesville.

“It has always been our commitment at ProVia to do all we can to ensure that men and women return to their families at the end of the day better than when they left in the morning. This includes being healthy and uninjured,” said Brian Miller, president, ProVia. “This passion for safety is what has brought us to the point of having all of our ProVia Door facilities qualifying for the VPP Star Status with OSHA.”