<<< Back to American Heart Association Alliance Logo
Link to Printing InstructionsPrinting Instructions
 
ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and
The American Heart Association (AHA)
January 22, 2007

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

November 20, 2003

Date Renewed

September 8, 2006

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
Sandra Khan
Darla Royal
Don Wright		 Directorate of Science Technology and Medicine (DSTM)
Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
DSTM
DSTM
   
AHA:  
Robin McCune Director, National Accounts and Commercial Market, Emergency Cardiovascular Care Programs

Evaluation Period

November 20, 2005 – November 19, 2006

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 
December 2, 2005
June 2, 2006
September 12, 2006		 Implementation Team Meeting, OSHA, Washington, D.C
Implementation Team Meeting, OSHA, Washington, D.C.
Implementation Team Meeting, OSHA, Washington, D.C.

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.

III. 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 automated external defibrillator (AED) programs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (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

    Print and Electronic Media

    Articles on the OSHA and AHA Alliance renewal appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: Meat Processing News, and OSHA’s news releases and QuickTakes. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.

    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, news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, activities and events, products and resources, and milestones and successes. During the reporting period, an Areas of Emphasis box was added to the page, reflecting that the OSHA and AHA Alliance focus includes immigrant employers and workers. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.

    AHA and OSHA Alliance Web Page

    AHA continues to update the AHA and OSHA Alliance 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 Web page and OSHA Safety and Health Topic pages such as AEDs and Medical and First Aid.

    OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics Pages

    Through the Alliance, an AHA representative continues to provide expertise to review, maintain and update three of OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics pages. Robin McCune, National Director, Commercial and Healthcare Markets, Emergency Cardiovascular Care Programs, represents the AHA on the editorial boards of the following Topics pages:

      • Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
      • AED’s in the Workplace
      • 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

    American Occupational Health Conference 2006, Los Angeles, California, May 7, 2006

    On May 7 2006, Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA and AHA representatives, William W. Hammill, MD, Associate Professor, University of Virginia, Director, Cardiac and Vascular Services, Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia and Michael R. Sayre, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, gave a presentation, "New Guidelines for First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and AEDs and OSHA Regulations," during the 2006 American Occupational Health Conference in Los Angeles, California.

    American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) 2006 Symposium and Expo, Albuquerque, New Mexico, May10, 2006

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and AHA worked with AAOHN, another Alliance Program participant to develop and give a joint presentation during the AAOHN 2006 Symposium and Expo in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Elise Handelman, Director, Office of Occupational Health Nursing, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA and Diana Fendya, AHA National Science volunteer, gave the presentation, "CPR/AED and OSHA Compliance: What the new guidelines mean to you," on May 10, 2006 to over 65 attendees. Topics discussed during the presentation included a review of OSHA requirements to protect workers providing CPR, using AEDs and first aid, the rationale for the changes to the AHA’s CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Guidelines and training changes that impact the occupational health nursing practice.

    • 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).
    Events

    OSHA Journal Club, Web cast, Arlington Heights, Illinois, January 26, 2006

    Through the Alliance, Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA and AHA representatives, Dr. Michael R. Sayre, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ohio State University, and Dr. Tom Zoch, Staff Physician, Theda Clark Medical Center, gave the presentation, "American Heart Association New CPR and ECC Updated Guidelines," and included CPR and AED training changes and information on the OSHA and AHA Alliance at the January 26, 2006 OSHA Journal Club.

    • 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

    OSHA, Joint Commission Resources (JCR) and AHA Web cast, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, January 25, 2006

    On January 25, 2006, representatives from OSHA, JCR, an Alliance Program participant, and AHA worked together to produce the Web cast, "2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR, AEDs and Emergency Cardiovascular Care," to healthcare employers and employees around the United States. Dr. Don Wright and AHA science volunteers discussed the guidelines as well as science-based changes in CPR for lay responders and healthcare providers and addressed topics such as; AED use, first aid, acute coronary syndrome, advanced cardiovascular life support, stroke and pediatric advanced life support. The Web cast was broadcast for hospital personnel employed at Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) accredited hospitals throughout the United States.

    2006 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, April 30-May 6, 2006

    AHA joined with other Alliance Program participants to support and promote the 2006 NAOSH Week, which was April 30-May 6, 2006. NAOSH Week is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), another Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE).

    • 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 with OSHA Offices

    AHA incorporated relationship building with OSHA Regional, Area and State Plan State Offices into AHA’s field staff performance objectives. AHA field staff holds monthly conference calls where they 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

    AHA and American Red Cross First Aid Advisory Taskforce

    Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and medicine, USDOL-OSHA serves on the AHA and American Red Cross First Aid Advisory Taskforce. During the reporting period, he reviewed and provided feedback on AHA’s 2005 CPR/AED and ECC Guidelines.

  2. Executive Summary

    Through the OSHA and AHA Alliance the organizations are continuing to work together 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 implementation team worked on several programs and projects and shared information on OSHA’s compliance assistance activities and cooperative programs. For example:

    • An AHA representative serves on the editorial board of OSHA’s AEDs, AEDs in the Workplace and Medical and First Aid Safety and Health Topics pages.

    • On January 25, 2006 representatives from OSHA, JCR, an Alliance Program participant, and AHA worked together to produce a Web cast on the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR, AEDs and Emergency Cardiovascular Care to healthcare employers and employees around the United States.

    • On May 7, 2006, Dr. Don Wright and AHA representatives, William W. Hammill and Michael R. Sayre gave the presentation, "AHA Guidelines for First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and AEDs and OSHA Regulations," to over 60 attendees during the 2006 American Occupational Health Conference.

    • On May 10, 2006, Elise Handelman and AHA representative, Diana Fendya gave the joint presentation, "CPR/AED and OSHA Compliance: What the new guidelines mean to you," to 65 attendees at the AAOHN 2006 Symposium & Expo.

    • On January 25, 2006, AHA representatives Dr. Michael R. Sayre and Dr. Tom Zoch gave the presentation, "American Heart Association New CPR and ECC Updated Guidelines," during OSHA’s January Journal Club to OSHA staff around the United States.

    • Dr. Don Wright serves on the AHA and American Red Cross First Aid Advisory Taskforce that updates CPR/AED and ECC Guidelines annually.
    Finally, AHA supported and promoted the 2006 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, April 30-May 6, 2006. As a result of the successes the organizations realized through the Alliance Program, OSHA and AHA signed an Alliance renewal agreement on September 8, 2006.

  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 4,313
AHA and OSHA Alliance Web page 8,200
An AHA representative serves on the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages
  • Automated External Defibrillators (AED)
  • AED’s in the Workplace
  • Medical and First Aid
52,596
October 27, 2006, OSHA, "American Heart Association Continue Alliance," OSHA News Release 69 News Services; 1,700 news papers; and 5,000 radio and television stations
November 2, 2006, "OSHA And AHA Work For Safer Workplaces," Meat Processing News Data not available
November 1, 2006, "Alliance News," OSHA QuickTakes 55,000
January 25, 2006, OSHA, Joint Commission Resources (JCR) and AHA Web cast
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
Speaker:
Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA		 Data not available
January 26, 2006, OSHA Journal Club, Web cast
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Speaker:
Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA		 Data not available
May 7, 2006, American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) 2006
Los Angeles, California
Speaker:
Dr. Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA		 60
May 10, 2006, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 2006 Symposium and Expo
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Speaker:
Elise Handelman, Director, Office of Occupational Health Nursing, Directorate of Science Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA		 65
TOTAL 120,236

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the coming year, OSHA and AHA implementation team will continue to advance its excellent working relationship by collaborating on projects and activities to achieve the goals of the Alliance. For example, OSHA and AHA will continue to update and promote the Alliance’s Web pages, such as the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page and the AHA and OSHA Alliance Web page with safety and health and wellness resources. In addition, AHA will continue to serve on the editorial boards of OSHA’s Medical and First Aid, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and AEDs in the Workplace Safety and Health Topics pages.

Through the Alliance, AHA will develop wellness fact and tip sheets and OSHA will review and provide feedback to AHA. The products will be posted on the AHA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization’s Web site and OSHA will link to the documents from the OSHA and AHA Alliance Web page on OSHA’s Web site.

OSHA and AHA are also developing plans to promote the Alliance through a number of speaking and exhibiting opportunities including, the 2008 Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update International Educational Conference and Expo, June 12-15, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, AHA will continue to promote the Alliance and its activities at conferences of key stakeholders that influence and impact the work place, including the National Facilities Management and Technologies, National Loss Prevention Conference, Total Facility Management Show, National Association of Child Care Professionals, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, American society of Safety Engineers, and the AAOHN.

Finally, AHA will continue to support and promote the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) 2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. AHA representatives will also attend the 2007 NAOSH Week Kick-off May 7 at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC.


Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, Januray17, 2007.