There's a new star in the galaxy, or at least a new flag on the flagpole. The American Fork Post Office has received Star Status, the first post office in Utah and only the sixth business in the state to have the designation. It was given by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in recognition of the department's voluntary efforts to improve safety conditions. OSHA presented a flag to commemorate the effort, which is now flown at the post office.

"OSHA is on the brink of recognizing the 2,000th site in the nation," said Dean Lillquist, Voluntary Protection Program representative for OSHA. "You are only the sixth site in Utah. You are demonstrating to the state how successful this effort can be."

The safety effort has involved things like moving a fire extinguisher because it kept getting blocked by items put in front of it. Another change involved putting up a mirror so employees could see others coming around a corner in time to avoid a collision.

Paul Strong was the VPP coordinator for the American Fork Post Office. He said the decision to improve safety conditions and go for the honor was a group effort.

"We all discussed amongst ourselves whether we wanted to try for VPP star status," he said. "It would have to be an effort on all of our parts."

When the group agreed to try for the honor, they started the safety search program. In that program, the employees look for things that could become safety problems. When they started becoming more aware, the numbers increased dramatically.

"All last year we had only one suggestion of something to be fixed," Strong said. "Then we came up with the safety search and as of today we have about 41."

Gov. Jon Huntsman and U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, sent congratulatory letters and representatives of U.S. Senators Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch also congratulated the American Fork Post Office.

Postmaster Brent Littlewood told about one interesting change that came about because of the safety search program.

"Two years ago when I came to American Fork, the wall was full with plaques, representing the excellence you had achieved in operations," he said. Those plaques have since been removed, not because Littlewood did not appreciate them, but because they could cause a safety problem. The employees are planning on replacing the plaques in a safe manner.

Strong said the group is now facing another challenge.

"Now we have to keep looking and trying to improve every year," he said.