GRB’s United Airlines team honored with safety award

Heather Graves

Staff

October 21, 2024

GREEN BAY – United Airlines flies to eight airports in Wisconsin through its United Ground Express (UGE) partner – Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Appleton, Green Bay, La Crosse, Rhinelander and Wausau.

Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) is the only one amongst them that has been recognized by United Airlines with the Silver Safety Award for excellence.

The award, Don Morgan – regional line safety manager with United Airlines – said, recognizes UGE-focused efforts on exceptional performance centered on employee safety and health.

Morgan said the program – which United started with its domestic partner locations, “the ones that do the ground handling for us under the United emblem,” in 2019 – is mirrored off of Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

“There are 167 business partner locations domestically for United Airlines,” he said. “Green Bay is just the 14th to achieve the silver level – which is the entry-level and the most difficult level to achieve. It’s about building a safety culture and sustaining that safety culture through operational, standard operating procedures, facility inspections and OSHA-required site assessments.”

As part of United Airlines judging process, an on-site review took place at GRB that focused on it’s safety culture, as well as measuring where it fit into four key areas:

• Leadership commitment and employee involvement in safety
• Worksite analysis
• Hazard prevention and control
• Safety promotion and training

“It’s about injury and damage reduction and putting those safe protocols into play to protect your product – your passengers and obviously, the aircraft,” he said.

Morgan said United had three safety levels for its partner locations:

• Silver – the initial level
• Gold – which is achieved through sustainment of silver-level items
• Platinum – which is achieved through two years of sustainment, as well as some additional support throughout the region, some additional trainings (OSHA 10) and safety management systems

Once a UGE partner achieves a platinum level, Morgan said they are eligible to apply for OSHA’s VPP, which recognizes and partners with worksites that showcase excellence in occupational safety and health.

“VPP is the highest level of achievement,” he said. 

Becoming a VPP site, Morgan said, means they are committed to effective employee protection that goes beyond the OSHA standards.

First and foremost, Morgan said it’s about keeping passengers and frontline workers protected from the inner workings in and around the aircraft and airport.

“(Regardless of the industry), everybody should strive for a safety operation – you want to ensure that your staff is protected,” he said.

Bragging rights

Receiving the Silver Safety Award from United, Morgan said, comes with a level of notoriety – not just in Wisconsin, but worldwide.

“United will be sending out communications about this recognition,” he said. “More than 100,000 United employees are going to be aware of the Green Bay airport, the team, their achievements and the facilities. The award highlights GRB and its dedication to safety.”

In the aviation industry, Morgan said many items can present themselves as potential hazards.

“We want to make sure our working family is protected,” he said. “And Green Bay really stepped forward.”

Morgan said GRB was recommended for the award program by both the UGE and United regional managers that oversee the location.

“They said, ‘Hey, Don you need to come out here. You need to check out this airport. The things they’re doing, the investment they have into the operation and the location really speaks volumes. We think they would be ideal to go down the path for this recognition program,’” he said. 

As Morgan mentioned earlier, GRB is the first and only airport in the Badger State that has been awarded the award.

“I’ve had other locations that have wanted to participate, but they just weren’t quite at the degree and level that Green Bay has been in,” he said. “I oversee all the Wisconsin airports.”

Green Bay’s UGE team, Morgan said, is comprised of safety-oriented employees.

“Green Bay has a very solidified team,” he said. “We have some retired law enforcement officers. We have some retired firefighters. Very proud of Green Bay.”

UGE General Manager Kandance Degreef said Green Bay is what is called a cross-utilization team.

“So the agents work the ticket counter; they work the gates boarding passengers; they work outside on the ramp, loading, unloading bags, flagging down planes in,” she said.

Being awarded the Silver Safety Award, Degreef said, recognizes the work the UGE team at GRB does every single day to keep themselves safe, their coworkers safe and the passengers safe.

“It’s a pride thing, too – being recognized for all the hard work they’ve done,” she said. “We’re proud of the safety culture we’ve built and thankful to be recognized for the team’s commitment to each other and to the travelers we serve.”

Degreef said not only does the recognition highlight what the team has done, but “it inspires you to do better, do more and achieve more.”

“It makes you more aware of safety in general,” she said.

GRB Airport Director Marty Piette said UGE has created an “excellent culture of workplace safety” – which is not only reflected internally among the team but also translates into a better experience for passengers.

“We are proud to have such a dedicated team operating at GRB,” he said.

Program timeline varies

Morgan said the timeline for how long it takes an airport to reach the silver level varies depending on airport effort.

“It could take a year to go through the process,” he said. “When we do assessments at the location, it’s based on a retention period of six months of continued inspections and whatnot for that silver level, but I’ve had locations that have worked for several years to get to that point.”

Morgan said there are a lot of different variables that come into play regarding the timeline.

“Sometimes it’s a working relationship with the airport,” he said. “Sometimes it’s some of the challenges with the operation or the staffing.”

United Airlines’ Corporate Safety leadership was at an awards reception earlier this month to officially present the UGE team at GRB with the award.