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Seward Unit Second Telalaska, Inc. Site Honored For Worker Safety Record

Oct. 30, 2003
No. 04-14

SEWARD – TelAlaska, Inc., a telephone and Internet service firm previously recognized for achieving an outstanding worker safety record in its Unalaska division, has earned a second employee safety honor from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

TelAlaska’s nine-member staff in Seward became the company’s second unit recognized for its safety achievements in the Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Merit Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) administered by the department’s Division of Labor Standards and Safety. The latest award was presented to TelAlaska executives in an October 23, 2003 ceremony in Seward.

TelAlaska’s Unalaska division previously earned the VPP award in 2002. The company has 100 employees handling telephone and Internet services in Moose Pass and Cooper Landing as well as Seward and Unalaska.

TelAlaska shares VPP honors with BP Exploration Alaska’s central power facility at Prudhoe Bay; Air Logistics of Alaska, Fairbanks; UniSea, Dutch Harbor, and Insulfoam, Inc. of Anchorage.

Labor Commissioner Greg O’Claray congratulated TelAlaska, commenting, “This award is not easily earned or casually awarded. Winning it reflects outstanding individual commitment on the part of every TelAlaska employee in Seward, as well as ongoing corporate diligence to win the award a second time.”

Cliff Hustead, Department of Labor and Workforce Development VPP manager, said the occupational safety team reviews a company’s safety and health management practices, employee training and application, and utilization of safety resources. In TelAlaska’s case, Hustead said, “We recognize the participation of top-level management and their systems for protecting employees.”

Hustead said VPP participation requires management, labor, and state occupational safety officials to establish a cooperative relationship at worksites to implement a strong safety and health management system. He noted that VPP sites experience fewer employee injuries and illnesses, reduced workers’ compensation costs, improved productivity and improved employee morale. Safety and health management systems are continually improved over time through both internal and external reviews required in the program.

Hustead said the state does not target VPP-approved worksites for enforcement inspections. However, they must continue to comply with all regulations and the department continues to investigate worker complaints and accidents at VPP sites.

Information kits about the VPP application and approval process are available from VPP Coordinator Krystyna Markiewicz, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety Division, 3301 Eagle Street, Suite 305, Anchorage, AK 99503; by telephone at 907.269.4958 or email at krystyna_markiewicz@labor.state.ak.us.

TelAlaska employee holding VPP banner
Back row, l. to r., Steve Shelton, Area Supervisor Travis Stubblefield, Clinton Paul, Dan Sieminski
Front row, l. to r., Chris Schilling, Peggy Ventura, Paula Johanson, Stephen Johnson

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