Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program<< Back to American Heart Association

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    November 20, 2003

    Date Renewed

    September 8, 2006
    February 2, 2008

    Overview

    The OSHA and AHA Alliance focuses on advancing a culture of awareness, prevention and action while sharing best practices and technical knowledge to reduce death and disability from heart disease and stroke in the workplace and addressing employee wellness programs in the workplace. These efforts include a focus on providing information for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:
     
    Sally Grady* Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management (DTSEM)
    Sandra Khan Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Kay Dellinger DTSEM

    AHA:

    Karen Orso Director, National Accounts and Commercial Markets
    Robin Crawford Marketing Manager

    *Sally Grady was a member of the OSHA and AHA Alliance Implementation Team until July 2009.

    Evaluation Period

    November 20, 2008 – November 19, 2009
     

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    • January 8, 2009                Implementation Team Meeting
    • June 16, 2009                   Implementation Team Meeting
    • October 15, 2009             Implementation Team Meeting
    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.
     

  3. Results

    1. Events and Products
       
      Outreach and Communication Goals
       
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition of medical emergencies and implementation of AED programs, CPR and first aid training programs, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and AHA's Web sites) to employers and employees.
      Products

      OSHA and AHA Alliance Web Page

      OSHA continues to update the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and AHA Alliance agreement, renewal agreement, products and resources and milestones and successes.

      AHA and OSHA Alliance-Related Web Page

      AHA created and maintains an AHA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the organization's Web site. The Web page includes a number of links to OSHA's Web site, including the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page, milestones and successes and OSHA Safety and Health Topic pages such as AEDs and Medical and First Aid.

      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages

      AHA representative, Karen Orso, serves on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages: Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Medical and First Aid.
       
      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or AHA's conferences, local meetings, or other Alliance partner events such as the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update.
      Events

      AHA Exhibits

      AHA representatives promoted the OSHA and AHA Alliance and distributed the OSHA and AHA Alliance Activities Summary from the AHA exhibit booth at several conferences throughout the United States including, the 2009 American Occupational Health Conference, April 26-29, 2009, in San Diego, California. In addition, AHA also exhibited at other Alliance Program participants' conferences such as National Safety Congress and Expo, October 26-28, 2009, in Orlando, Florida; American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Symposium and Expo, April 21-22, 2009, in Orlando, Florida; and the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare's Annual National Conference, September 16-19, 2009, in Portland, Oregon.
       
      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AHA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by the AHA and through OSHA's or AHA's developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
      Products

      OSHA On-site Consultation Training Conference, April 27-30, 2009, San Diego, California

      On April 29, 2009, Louis Gonzales, Medical Doctor, American Heart Association, presented, "Workplace Preparedness" at the 2009 OSHA On-site Consultation Training Conference in San Diego, California.

      AHA Start! Walking Program in the Workplace

      AHA representatives are providing information on the Start! Walking Program in the Workplace to OSHA Regional and Area Offices, including the Region X, Seattle, Washington Regional Office; Region III, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Area Office, and Region VI, Dallas, Texas Area Office. The Start! Walking Program in the Workplace encourages employers to create a wellness work environment and to promote employee physical activity.
       
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on AED, CPR and first aid training programs that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
      Events

      North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009

      AHA and more than 55 other Alliance Program participants supported 2009 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers, an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for 2009 NAOSH Week was "Safety Means Always Coming Home." To help support the week AHA distributed information about 2009 NAOSH Week to its membership and posted a link to the Week on the AHA Web site.

      On May 4, 2009: Karen Orso, Director, ECC Commercial Markets, Emergency Cardiovascular Care Programs, AHA, attended the NAOSH Week Kick-off event at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC. Acting Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab, USDOL-OSHA; Warren Brown, President, ASSE; and Andrew Cooper, Secretary, CSSE; provided brief remarks. The Kick-off also featured an Alliance Program participant panel with a presentation by Ms. Orso, and presentations from Alliance Program Participants ASSE, Independent Electrical Contractors, and National Safety Council focusing on workplace safety and health issues. In addition,
      Ms. Orso attended the OSHA-led afternoon seminar. Barnett Lawrence, Compliance Assistance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP), USDOL-OSHA presented "Navigating the OSHA Web Site." Amanda Edens, Deputy Director, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA; Michael Walterschied, Area Director, Region III, Baltimore/Washington DC Area Office, USDOL-OSHA; John Ferris, Director, Office of Emergency Management, Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management, USDOL-OSHA; and Doug Goodell, then-Acting Deputy Director, DCSP, USDOL-OSHA participated on the "OSHA Update" panel discussion. Elizabeth Way, Director, OOSA, DCSP, USDOL-OSHA presented "OSHA Top 10 Violations and Compliance Assistance Resources."

      2009 Drug-Free Work Week, October 19-25, 2009

      The American Heart Association (AHA) and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2009 Drug-Free Work Week. 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.

      • Encourage AHA chapters to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including AED Program implementation, CPR and first aid training.
      Products

      AHA Relationship Building

      AHA incorporated relationship building with OSHA's Regional, Area and State Plan offices into its Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) field staff's performance objectives. The ECC field staff holds a monthly conference call to share information, ideas and strategies including opportunities to work with the local OSHA Offices.

      Promoting the National Dialogue Goals

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on AED Programs, CPR and first aid training issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
      Products

      First Aid Advisory Task Force

      Kay Dellinger, Medical Officer, Office of Occupational Medicine, DTSEM, USDOL-OSHA, serves on the AHA and American Red Cross First Aid Advisory Taskforce. The Taskforce identifies and reviews international science and knowledge relevant to first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC) and to generate consensus on treatment recommendations every five years.

    2. Executive Summary

      Through the OSHA and AHA Alliance, the organizations are continuing to work together to develop products and resources to reduce death and disability from heart disease and stroke in the workplace and addressing employee wellness programs in the workplace. During the reporting period, the Alliance's Implementation Team worked on several programs and projects and shared information on OSHA's compliance assistance activities and cooperative programs. For example:
       
      • On April 29, 2009, Louis Gonzales, Medical Doctor, American Heart Association, gave a presentation entitled, "Workplace Preparedness" at the 2009 OSHA On-site Consultation Training Conference in San Diego, California.

      • An AHA representative serves on the editorial boards of OSHA's AEDs and Medical and First Aid Safety and Health Topics pages.

      • AHA joined OSHA and other Alliance Program participants in supporting and promoting the 2009 NAOSH Week, May 3-9, 2009. In addition, Karen Orso participated in a panel presentation during the Kick-off event and attended OSHA-led afternoon seminar.

      • AHA incorporated relationship building with OSHA's Regional, Area and State Plan Offices into its ECC field staff's performance objectives. The ECC field staff holds monthly meetings and discusses opportunities to work with the local OSHA Offices.

      • Kay Dellinger, Medical Officer, Office of Occupational Medicine, DTSEM, USDOL-OSHA serves on the AHA and American Red Cross First Aid Advisory Taskforce.

      • OSHA continues to update the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. In addition, AHA created and maintains an AHA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AHA Web site with links to the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page, OSHA's resources and other safety and health information on OSHA's Web site.

      • AHA promoted the OSHA and AHA Alliance and distributed the OSHA and AHA Alliance Activities Summary from the AHA exhibit booth at several healthcare-related conferences throughout the United States including the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Symposium and Expo, American Occupational Health Conference, and the American Occupational Health Conference.

    3. Alliance Program Reach
       
      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals
      Reached or Trained
      OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page 3,296
      AHA and OSHA Alliance Web page Data Not Available
      Medical and First Aid Safety and Health Topics page 22,983
      Automated External Defibrillators (AED) Safety and Health Topics page 21,635
      AED's in the Workplace Safety and Health Topics page 25,659
      April 26-29, 2009
      American Occupational Health Conference
      San Diego, California

      Exhibit       		600
      April 29, 2009
      OSHA On-Site Consultation Conference
      San Diego, California

      Speaker      		 65
      April 21-22, 2009
      AAOHN 2008 Symposium & Expo
      Orlando, Florida

      Exhibit      		 660
      September 16-19, 2009
      AOHP Annual National Conference
      Portland, Oregon

      Exhibit       		320
      Total  75,218

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, OSHA and AHA Implementation Team will collaborate on a number of projects to support the goals of the Alliance agreement. For example, OSHA and AHA will continue to update the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site and the AHA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AHA Web site with safety and health resources. AHA representative, Karen Orso, will continue to serve on the editorial boards of OSHA's Medical and First Aid and Automated External Safety and Health Topics pages.

    OSHA and AHA are also developing plans to promote the Alliance through a number of speaking and exhibiting opportunities including, the 2010 Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update International Educational Conference and Expo. AHA will also promote the OSHA and AHA Alliance and distribute information about the Alliance at several healthcare-related conferences, including the American Occupational Health Conference, and the Society of Critical Care Nursing Conference.
     
    Through the Alliance, AHA will develop wellness informational products and OSHA will review and provide feedback on them to AHA. The products will be posted on the AHA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the AHA Web site and OSHA will link to the informational products from the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page as well as the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page on the Agency Web site. In addition, AHA is working with the American Red Cross, another Alliance Program participant, to develop a fact sheet on CPR.

    Finally, AHA is planning to support and promote 2010 NAOSH Week, May 2-8, 2010 and will exhibit at the Department of Labor's 2010 Safety Day.

Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, December 22, 2009.