Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program << Back to Abbott

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    September 10, 2003

    Date Renewed

    November 15, 2005

    November 29, 2007

    Evaluation Period

    September 9, 2007 – September 8, 2008

    Overview

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and Abbott are committed to providing the health care industry and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety. Through the Alliance, the groups are particularly addressing emergency preparedness and the business value of safety in the workplace.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:  
       
    Mike Connors Regional Director, Region V
    Sandra Khan Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Rob Swick* OOSA
       
    Abbott:  
       
    Jim Murphy Director, Global Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning

    * Rob Swick served as the Alliance Coordinator until July 1, 2008.
     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    December 10, 2007 Implementation Team Conference Call
    March 12, 2008 Implementation Team Conference Call
    July 16, 2008 Case Study Workgroup Conference Call

    In addition to these conference calls, Jim Murphy and Mike Connors were in regular contact to discuss participating in speeches and presentations about the case studies developed through the OSHA and Abbott Alliance and Alliance Program issues.

    1. Events and Products

      Outreach and Communication Goals
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and Abbott's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
      Products

      OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site

      OSHA maintains an OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and Abbott Alliance agreement and renewal agreements, news releases, annual reports, and milestones and successes. The OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page also contains links to the eight Alliance developed case studies and a slide presentation, "The Business Case for Safety and Health," developed through the Alliance. For information on the number of visits to the OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page, please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

      Motor Vehicle Safety, Safety and Health Topics Page

      The following representative from Abbott serves on the editorial board of the OSHA Motor Vehicle Safety, Safety and Health Topics Page, providing expertise and technical review:
      • Joe McKillips, Manager of Global Fleet Safety
      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles about the OSHA and Abbott Alliance have appeared in a number of printed and online publications, including OSHA news release, Safety on Line and Thomas Net -Industrial Newsroom. For more information on the articles, please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
      • Speak, exhibit or appear at OSHA's or Abbott's national or local meetings or other events such and health care industry conferences.
      During the evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on safety and health issues that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
      Events

      2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008

      Abbott joined with more than 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week. NAOSH Week, sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, focuses on increasing the understanding of the positive benefits of investing in occupational safety, health and environmental programs among employers, employees and the public; raising awareness of the role and contribution of safety, health and environmental professionals; and reducing workplace injuries and illness by encouraging new safety and health activities at all companies and organizations.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals
      • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
      Case Studies

      The OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site features eight Abbott-developed case studies and a related slide presentation, "The Business Case for Safety and Health," that communicate the business value and competitive advantage of having an effective safety and health program in the workplace. The Alliance Implementation Team members are updating the case studies with new safety and health information and revising the slide presentation. The following is a list OSHA and Abbott Alliance-developed case studies:
      • Auto Parts Manufacturing: "Auto Parts Manufacturing Corporation"
      • Ergonomics in Manufacturing: "Ergonomic Improvements in Manufacturing"
      • Ergonomics in Nursing Homes: "Countryside Care Nursing Home"
      • Ergonomics in an Office Setting: "Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island"
      • Fleet Safety: "Fleet Safety at Abbott"
      • Global Safety and Health: "Abbott of Costa Rica"
      • Occupational Exposure Limits: "Procuring R-Active at Abbott"
      • Stadium Construction: "The Great American Ballpark"
         
      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ergonomics, health care or small-business issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or provide input on safety and health issues.

        During the evaluation period, no activities were undertaken to meet this Alliance goal.
    2. Executive Summary

      During the reporting period, OSHA and Abbott renewed its Alliance agreement for another two years. The organizations will continue to work together to provide the healthcare industry and others including small businesses, with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them improve employees' workplace safety and health particularly addressing emergency preparedness and the business value of safety in the workplace. For example:
      • Abbott is updating the OSHA and Abbott Alliance-developed case studies and revising the related slide presentation, "The Business Case for Safety and Health."
      • An Abbott representative serves as a member of the editorial board of the OSHA Safety and Health Topics page for Motor Vehicle Safety.
      • Abbott joined with more than 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week.
        Finally, OSHA will continue to maintain and update the OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page on the Agency Web page.
    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and Abbott Alliance Web page on the OSHA Website 2,755
      Motor Vehicle Safety and Health Topics page 145,615
      The Business Case for Safety: Adding Value and Competitive Advantage a companion slide presentation for the "Abbott" case studies on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Auto Parts Manufacturing: "Auto Parts Manufacturing Corporation" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Ergonomics in Manufacturing: "Ergonomic Improvements in Manufacturing" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Ergonomics in Nursing Homes: "Countryside Care Nursing Home" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Ergonomics in an Office Setting: "Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Fleet Safety: "Fleet Safety at Abbott" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Global Safety and Health: "Abbott of Costa Rica" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Occupational Exposure Limits: "Procuring R-Active at Abbott" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      Stadium Construction: "The Great American Ballpark" case study on the OSHA Web site 2,388
      12/13/07: "OSHA Renews Alliance with Abbott"
      Thomas Net Industrial News Room      		 Data Not Available
      12/13/07: "OSHA Renews Alliance with Abbott"
      Safety News      		 Data Not Available
      January 2008: The Value of Safety Programs
      Occupational Safety and Health Magazine      		 Data Not Available
      February 2008: ASSE: Safety Programs Make Good Business Sense
      Occupational Hazards      		 Data Not Available
      February 2008: OSHA Alliances
      OSHA Up To Date      		 62 News Services
      TOTAL 167,474
  3. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, the OSHA and Abbott Alliance Implementation Team members will continue to provide the health care industry and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly addressing emergency preparedness and the business value of safety in the workplace. For example, OSHA and Abbott Alliance Implementation Team members will update the Alliance-developed case studies and revise the related slide presentation, "The Business Case for Safety: Adding Value and Competitive Advantage," so the information in the studies remains current. In addition, OSHA and Abbott representatives will identify forums where they can make presentations about how the case studies are effective tools for illustrating the business value of safety and health programs.

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and Abbott will work with the OSHA and American Red Cross Alliance and the OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Alliance to develop resources that address emergency preparedness and business continuity planning, including pandemic influenza concerns.

    The OSHA and Abbott Alliance has also agreed to develop additional case studies. For example, the Alliance plans to develop a case study with input from the OSHA Foundry Ergonomics Strategic Partnership, which includes six foundries in the OSHA Region V's Area Office in Appleton, Wisconsin. The foundries are members of the American Foundry Society, an Alliance Program participant. The case study will highlight the foundries' substantial reductions in workplace injury and illness rates and increased awareness of ergonomics risks associated with foundry processes among employees and management. The foundries involved have also experienced significant savings from increased productivity and reduced workers' compensation costs.

    Abbott will also support and promote the 2008 Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26, 2008. The Drug-Free Work Week is sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program, the Week focused on educating employers, employees and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.

    Finally, OSHA will continue to maintain and update the OSHA and ABSA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site and an Abbott representative will continue to serve on the editorial board of the OSHA Motor Vehicle Safety and Health Topics page.

    Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, October 29, 2008.