"The Special Government Employee (SGE) Program was established to allow industry employees to work alongside OSHA, particularly during Voluntary Protection Programs' (VPP) onsite evaluations. Not only does this innovative program benefit OSHA by supplementing its on-site evaluation teams, but it gives industry and government an opportunity to work together and share views and ideas. From time to time, SGEs may also have the opportunity to participate in other OSHA outreach and compliance assistance activities.

Qualified volunteers from VPP sites are eligible to participate in the SGE program. These volunteers must be approved by OSHA and funded by their companies to participate. After submitting an application and completing the required training, these volunteers are sworn in as SGEs and are approved to assist OSHA.

As VPP grows, the support of SGEs will continue to be a critical component of the programs. The SGE Program encompasses the spirit of VPP - industry, labor, and government cooperation. This cooperation embodies the idea of continuous improvement, which allows SGEs to bring a unique perspective to the team effort and take back to their sites ideas and best practices to further improve worker protections."

 

Source: OSHA