Conoco’s Kuparuk field renewed for VPP

ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Kuparuk field has been approved for Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Voluntary Protection Program renewal based on employee safety and health programs.

“Being recertified in the AKOSH VPP program is another significant milestone for the workforce in the Greater Kuparuk Area,” Bill Arnold, interim vice president of ConocoPhillips North Slope operations and development, said in a statement.

“This achievement requires the entire organization to pursue and demonstrate a relentless commitment to health and safety on a daily basis,” Arnold said.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development said that fewer than 2,500 U.S. worksites have achieved VPP status, about one for every 8 million worksites. Twelve sites in Alaska have the AKOSH VPP designation.

In addition to Kuparuk facilities with those are: Air Logistics of Alaska; Alaska Clean Seas; Arctic Slope Regional Corp. Energy Services grind and inject plant and oily water injection facility; BP Exploration (Alaska) central power station; BP Exploration (Alaska) gas plants — central compressor plant and gas facility; ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Alpine field operations; ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Anchorage office tower; ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Beluga River unit; Fairbanks Memorial Hospital; Insulfoam Inc.; and UniSea Inc.

VPP is a voluntary program which recognizes and promotes effective workplace safety and health management through a cooperative program between the company’s management, employees and AKOSH.

As a VPP Star recipient, ConocoPhillips’ Kuparuk operations won’t be subject to random enforcement inspections for two years, the department said. Enforcement regulations remain in effect, however, and if there are employee complaints, accident investigations or other significant incidents, those would trigger enforcement inspections.

—Petroleum News