Torcon employee wearing safety gear at construction site

Safety

Safety is a cornerstone principle at Torcon. Our projects have earned an industry-leading 22 VPP Stars—the highest possible VPP rating.

Safety

Safety is a cornerstone principle at Torcon. Our projects have earned an industry-leading 22 VPP Stars—the highest possible VPP rating.

Torcon is one of the construction industry’s safest firms and has taken a leadership role in jobsite safety over the past 30 years through the implementation of innovative safety initiatives. 

At the forefront of our safety efforts is Torcon’s alignment with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)— OSHA’s most demanding program. VPP creates a partnership between OSHA and Torcon to promote the safest and most healthy workplaces.

Torcon is a nationally recognized partner in VPP and has been a member of the VPP Participants Association for almost three decades. We have been approved by OSHA to participate in its Star VPP Mobile Workforce program on projects in Region 2 (New York and New Jersey) and Region 3 (Philadelphia and Allentown Designated Geographic Area). Torcon’s most recent recertification by OSHA occurred in the summer of 2021.

Torcon’s VPP record demonstrates true leadership

  • The first construction industry firm in the nation to be recognized for multiple Star sites.
  • The first VPP Star construction site to ever be recertified (The Valley Hospital)
  • The first VPP Star pharmaceutical plant site to ever be recertified (Bristol-Myers Squibb)
  • The first VPP Guanin ever awarded to a construction site in Puerto Rico. (Guanin is equivalent to Star).

OSHA VPP comprises four basic principles:

  • Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
  • Worksite Analysis
  • Hazard Prevention and Control
  • Safety and Health Training

OSHA VPP Mobile Workforce Program

Torcon is approved by OSHA to participate in its Star VPP Mobile Workforce program on projects in Region 2 (New York and New Jersey) and the Region 3 (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania).

OSHA’s evaluation process is conducted by a team of OSHA safety professionals over several days, at Torcon’s headquarters and at multiple jobsites. The team interviews Torcon staff and randomly selected clients and trades workers; inspects field conditions; observes work in the field; attends project safety meetings; and reviews Torcon’s written safety program and our safety record.

OSHA’s report to Torcon included the following commentary—

“Please accept my congratulations on this noteworthy achievement. You have joined an elite group of organizations that provide exemplary occupational safety and health protection and serve as models for others. Your qualifications for OSHA’s premier recognition program is a testament to the efforts you and your employees have made to develop and implement VPP-quality safety and health management programs. …this approach can save lives, reduce injuries and illnesses, and promote cooperation and communication in the workplace.”

Torcon’s commitment to safety

All Torcon projects operate within VPP guidelines (regardless of Star designation). This commitment to VPP has helped create a culture at Torcon that results in safer, cleaner, more organized sites. Contractors and workers at our job sites understand Torcon’s unique safety approach and recognize they will be held to a higher standard. These types of behavioral changes are exactly what Torcon is seeking to achieve through VPP.

Are you a trade worker?

Your personal safety is the first thing we consider in every operation and activity. But it’s a two-way street. We need you to be safe and not take any short cuts. Wear appropriate PPE at all times, including hard hat, safety glasses and task-appropriate gloves.

We need you to watch out for yourself and for your neighbor. Address safety hazards you observe and/or report them to Torcon’s staff. Know that we have your back and you will never be expected to do your job in an unsafe environment or without effective safety controls.

We say it all the time, but we mean it. We want you to go home to your family every night in the same condition you arrived. Ignoring even minor safety issues would suggest we don’t value you or care about our well-being. There’s a Reason We Work Safely.

Are you a subcontractor? 

We welcome you as a member of our team. Torcon values performance and commitment. We can’t get our job done without you, but we need your help to ensure safety is also your team’s priority. Safety is a broad term that typically means demerit-based controls.

On a Torcon project it means you’ll be actively engaged in planning for safety every day. Our jobsite safety program is based on OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) and emphasizes communication, planning and collaboration. You’ll participate in our jobsite safety committees to help us identify areas for improvement throughout the project and participate in safety inspections.