Simmons Manufacturing Co. in Sumner has been accepted as a participant in the Voluntary Protection Program, which recognizes companies demonstrating a commitment to workplace safety and health.

VPP is a program of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration but in Washington it is administered by The Department of Labor and Industries and its Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

Simmons will be designated as a STAR site, signifying it has achieved the highest VPP level.

To participate in VPP, companies must already have an excellent safety record. Before granting the VPP status, L&I safety and health consultants toured the Simmons plant, reviewed its safety programs and interviewed nearly half of the employees.

Simmons Manufacturing is the third Washington business this year to earn first-time VPP status. The others include the Hampton Lumber Mill in Darrington and Burlington Environmental in Tacoma.

Click here to learn more about VPP.