L.L.Bean has become the 15th Maine employer to enroll in a program that
lets companies develop and maintain employee protections beyond federal
safety regulations. A ceremony on Tuesday marked the entry of L.L.
Bean's Brunswick manufacturing facility into the Voluntary Protection
Program.

Its acceptance comes after a thorough examination by the Occupational
Safety Health Administriation that included a weeklong onsite review of
its application and safety and health management programs. Other Maine
companies enrolled in the program include Bangor Hydro-Electric Co.,
Verso Paper in Jay, Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, Louisiana
Pacific in Houlton, UNUM in Portland and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Nationally, 1,869 other worksites are in the Voluntary Protection
Program.