GE Transportation Systems’ Erie,

Pennsylvania, facility has marked a major employee safety and health

milestone, becoming the largest manufacturing site in Pennsylvania and one of

the ten largest worksites in the country to be inducted into the federal

Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program

(VPP). The company has been awarded the highest honor, “STAR” status.

Of the six million worksites in the United States, just over 600 have

achieved the VPP STAR designation. GE Transportation Systems’ environmental

health and safety record, which includes an injury rate reduction of more than

80% at the Erie plant over eight years, was compiled even as production rates

at the facility quadrupled, according to William Yuskovic, Manager of GE’s

Environment Health and Safety program.

The VPP program was designed by OSHA in 1982 for worksites with

comprehensive, successful safety and health programs. The VPP program is open

to any industry and to companies with injury incidences and lost workday

injury rates at or below the industry’s national average.

“Admission of GETS to OSHA’s prestigious STAR program recognizes the

outstanding achievement of those who have successfully incorporated

comprehensive, proactive safety and health programs into their management

system,” said Richard D. Soltan, regional administrator of OSHA in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “The benefits of the program lead to OSHA’s

ultimate goal-the safety and health of workers.”

John Stranahan, area director of the Erie OSHA office, said, “The VPP

program is designed to establish a relationship between employers, employees

and OSHA that is based on cooperation and partnership rather than

confrontation. Everybody wins!”

Representatives from the Philadelphia Region III Office of OSHA, including

Erie area director Stranahan, traveled to Erie today for an employee

commemoration. They presented a flag that will be flown at the facility to

show participation in the VPP program.

“VPP recognition by OSHA is an outstanding accomplishment for the entire

team in Erie, Pennsylvania,” GE’s Yuskovic said. “We’re very excited about

our partnership with OSHA. Every one of the more than 5,300 Erie-based

employees deserves credit for this achievement. Now the challenge lies ahead

to continually work safely every day and increase safety awareness.”

GE Transportation Systems began pursuit of VPP STAR status in 1994 with

the initial written application for OSHA’s VPP program detailing the plant’s

safety and health programs, policies and practices. Then, a team of OSHA

employees spent a week on-site conducting a detailed evaluation and

interviewing more than 300 employees. Following the inspection, the team

recommended that the Erie site be accepted into the VPP program at the highest

level, STAR status. STAR participants meet all of the program’s requirements,

including on-site review, an annual evaluation and continuous improvement

plan.

“At GE Transportation Systems, a key ingredient in VPP success is

involving employees in the process … tremendous employee involvement,”

Yuskovic said. “There is significant employee ownership of and contribution

to the safety program. It is no longer a health and safety departmental

endeavor. Teamwork pays.”

GE Transportation Systems, a world-leading surface transportation company,

is one of the major businesses of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and

provides freight and passenger locomotives; global services such as remote

monitoring and diagnostics, maintenance, performance upgrades and parts;

railway control and communications systems; motorized wheels for mining

vehicles, and e-business solutions such as http://www.TranShopNet.com, a global

online marketplace.