"This is a significant milestone for Wyeth and OSHA as the Pearl River site becomes the 2,000th VPP worksite," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "The VPP is a merit-based program that recognizes those exemplary worksites where employees and management work together continuously and effectively to minimize hazards, reduce injuries and illnesses, and enhance safety and health."

"This achievement is the result of a two-and-a-half year effort to make workplace safety the responsibility of every employee on site," said Mike McDermott, vice president, site operations for Wyeth in Pearl River.

The Pearl River facility, with more than 3,200 employees, is the eighth Wyeth worksite to achieve VPP star status. Wyeth received this recognition after OSHA conducted a thorough onsite review of the facility, and determined its safety and health systems to be exemplary. Additionally, its injury and illness rates were well below the industry average.