Frito-Lay Chattanooga Distribution Center Receives Volunteer STAR Safety Award

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner James Neeley announced that Frito-Lay Chattanooga Distribution Center was chosen to receive the Volunteer STAR (Safety Through Accountability and Recognition) award.

“Frito-Lay has met the evaluation standards required to receive this award by proving their ability to uphold an excellent safety record,” said Neeley, who presented the Volunteer STAR award to the company today at the company’s facility located at 6181 Enterprise Drive in Chattanooga. “It is evident that Frito-Lay Chattanooga is extremely dedicated to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.”

The Volunteer STAR award is the state’s highest honor for workplace safety and health and a nationally recognized program. The Volunteer STAR is patterned after the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and recognizes the best of the best in the area of safety and health programming and performance.

Frito-Lay in Chattanooga is one of 189 distribution centers in North America. The Chattanooga Distribution Center employs 110 people and they distribute 295 Frito-Lay line items. The site originally became a Volunteer STAR site in 2005. This is the Chattanooga sites first recertification. This is also the first Sales and Ops Combined TOSHA Volunteer Star award in the history of Frito Lay.

For the three-year period 2005-2007, the site’s Three-year Total Case Incidence Rate (TCIR) is 0.0 or 100% below the current BLS industry average. The site’s Three-year Days Away from Work and Restricted Activity and/or Transfer Incidence Rate (DART) rate is also 0.0 or 100% below the current BLS industry average. A certificate of recognition is awarded to the STAR recipient, as is a flag that can be flown at the site. The company is also permitted to use the Volunteer STAR logo on its correspondence and company documents.

The standard for participation in the STAR program is the confirmation of a company’s safety and health program, which helps reduce accidents and injuries. The program also allows employers to be removed from programmed compliance inspection lists for a period of three years.

For more information on the Volunteer STAR award program and other TOSHA award programs contact TOSHA’s Consultative Services office at (800) 325-9901.