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ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
January 12, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

October 10, 2002

Date Renewed

April 23, 2004

Evaluation Period

October 10, 2003 – October 9, 2004

Overview

The OSHA-AIHA Alliance focuses on reducing and preventing employee exposure to ergonomic hazards in the workplace by providing AIHA members with information and specific guidance for developing, implementing, and/or improving ergonomic programs. When the Alliance was renewed for an additional two years on April 23, 2004, AIHA expanded the scope of the Alliance to address Hazard Communication issues.

Implementation Team Members
 
AIHA  
Tom Grumbles
Peter O'Neil
Amy Schlosser
Aaron Tripler		 President
Assistant Executive Director
Marketing Manager
Director, Government Affairs
   
Contributor  
Carol Tobin Director of Education
   
OSHA  
Brett Besser
Cathy Cronin
Bob Curtis
Lisa Ramber
Elizabeth Sherfy
Tony Towey		 Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)
Office of Training and Education (OTE)
SLTC
Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)*
OOSA†
OTE
   
Contributor  
Leighton Hill SLTC‡
 
*Lisa Ramber served as Alliance Implementation Team Coordinator until March 2004.
†Elizabeth Sherfy is the Alliance Implementation Team Coordinator.
‡Leighton Hill served on the Alliance Implementation Team until September 2004

II. Implementation Team Meetings

January 8, 2004  Implementation Team Meeting, Washington, DC
April 12, 2004     Implementation Team Meeting, Washington, DC
May 28, 2004     Education and Training Meeting, Teleconference

III. Results
  1. Events and Products

    Outreach and Communication Goals

    • Seeking opportunities to jointly develop and disseminate information at conferences, events, or through print and electronic media, including links from OSHA's and AIHA web sites.

      Products

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

      Representatives of the OSHA-AIHA Alliance serve on the editorial boards of the following 10 of OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

      • Confined Space
        • Warren K. Brown, CSP, ARM, CSHM, Dmax, Ltd.; Moraine, OH
        • George Hutcheson, MS, CIH, John Deere Waterloo Works; Cedar Falls, IA
      • Emergency Preparedness and Response
        • Scott Phillips, MD, FACP, FACMT, Associate Clinical Professor, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO
      • Indoor Air Quality
        • Ellen Gunderson, Advanced Micro Devices; Sunnyvale, CA
      • Ionizing Radiation
        • Norris D. Johnson, CIH, Westinghouse Savannah River Co.; Aiken, SC
        • Irene F. Patrek, Beckman Coulter; Chaska, MN
      • Laboratories
        • Mike Austin, University of Minnesota, Dept. of Environmental Health and Safety; Minneapolis, MN
        • David Lumby, Abbott Laboratories; Abbott Park, IL
        • Joseph Passante, Vice Chair, University of Pennsylvania, Environmental Health and Radiation Office, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA
      • Motor Vehicle Safety
        • Dan Napier, CIH, CSP, DNA Industrial Hygiene; Lawndale, CA
      • Noise and Hearing Conservation
        • Elliott Berger, Senior Scientist, Auditory Research, E-A-R/Aearo Company; Indianapolis, IN
        • John Earshen, Angevine Acoustical Consultants, Inc.; East Aurora, NY
        • Edward Hermann, CE, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois; Chicago, IL
      • Occupational Epidemiology
        • Phillip R. Hunt, CIH, Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health; Boston, MA
      • Personal Protective Equipment
        • Allen W. Lilly, CIH, Protective Clothing and Equipment Committee, Fluor Hanford; Richland, WA
        • Wendy McDowell, Protective Clothing and Equipment Committee, Occidental Chemical Corp.; Dallas, TX
        • Andry Nowosiwsky, CIH, Protective Clothing and Equipment Committee, ExxonMobil Corp.; Baton Rouge, LA
        • Ron Zanoni, CIH, CSP, Protective Clothing and Equipment Committee, ATOFINA Chemicals Inc.; Philadelphia, PA
        • John G. Zvetan, CIH, CSP, Protective Clothing and Equipment Committee, New Paradigms; Marietta, GA
      • Sampling and Analysis
        • W.H. (Billy) Bullock, Arizona Chemical; Jacksonville, FL
        • Allen Iske Jr., PhD, CIH, CSP, Quintiles Transnational; Kansas City, MO
        • Pam Kostle, CIH, University Hygienic Laboratory; Iowa City, IA
      OSHA and AIHA's Web pages

      The AIHA Website features a page devoted to ergonomics with links to the OSHA-AIHA Alliance page, other OSHA materials, NIOSH and other ergonomics resources. The OSHA and AIHA Alliance Webpage on OSHA's Website includes links to the related documents, activities and events and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of hits to the AIHA and OSHA Web pages, please see the Alliance Program Reach table on page 7.

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and AIHA Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: AIHA's The Synergist, Facility Safety Management, ICS Cleaning Specialist online magazine, and OSHA's QuickTakes. Over 62,000 individuals were reached through the publications. In addition, both OSHA and AIHA issued news releases announcing the signing of the Alliance renewal agreement on April 23, 2004. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table on page 7.

      Events

      AIHA Ergonomics Committee

      Three OSHA staffers, Brett Besser, Kim Lazor and Elizabeth Sherfy are participating as ad hoc members on AIHA's Ergonomics Committee to facilitate communication between the two organizations and to address and jointly resolve any issues that arise. OSHA staff participated in the May and September 2004 meetings of this committee.

      OSHA 2004 Compliance Assistance Training Sessions

      Heather Haney staffed an AIHA exhibit at OSHA Compliance Assistance Training Sessions, June 14-18, 2004, in Falls Church, Virginia.

    • Promoting and encouraging AIHA members' worksite participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation, and SHARP. In addition, they will act as facilitators to members that aspire to excellence in health and safety for their worksites.

      • No products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
    • Continuing to facilitate dialog between occupational and environmental health and safety organizations and associations to maintain visibility and presence with federal and state policymakers.

      • No products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
    • Establishing avenues and processes for AIHA members to mentor and assist OSHA personnel as OSHA personnel proceed with professional certification.

      Professional Certification

      Representatives from the Alliance, including Cathy Cronin and Carol Tobin, had a conference call on May 28, 2004, to discuss how AIHA could support OSHA's efforts to encourage OSHA staff to attain professional certification. AIHA noted that it is available to review any course materials that OSHA develops to assist Agency staff with obtaining professional certification.
    Training and Education

    • Assisting AIHA members with developing and delivering training and education programs on ergonomics hazard reduction and elimination in the workplace.

      AIHA Chapter List

      AIHA put together and provided OSHA with a contact list of its Chapters that are in the same geographical areas as OSHA's Ed Centers. The Ed Centers can use the list to contact AIHA chapters if they are looking for training information or instructors in a specific safety and health topic area.
    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    • Developing, promoting and sharing information on best worksite practices of AIHA members with others in the occupational health and safety profession through outreach by AIHA and OSHA's various programs.

      • No products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
    • Sharing data developed by AIHA members and others that support solutions to ergonomic hazards, as well as providing examples of hazard recognition strategies and analytical tools with OSHA and others in the occupational health and safety profession. The hope is that these steps will encourage wide implementation.

      Definition of Upper-Extremity Work Relatedness

      AIHA is working with two other Alliance participants, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) and the American Academy of Occupational Surgeons (AAOS), to form a work group to develop a definition for upper-extremity work relatedness for use during the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders. ACOEM and AAOS are engaged in raising funds to pay for the research effort. When they have secured sufficient funding they will begin work on the project, which will involve AIHA as an expert reviewer.

    • Convening or participating in forums and roundtable discussions on ergonomic problems to help forge innovative solutions to ergonomic issues in the workplace.

      2004 AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence"

      Representatives from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance helped to identify speakers to make the following presentations at the 2004: AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence," which was held May 8-13, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia. The presentations covered ergonomics and other occupational safety and health issues.

      • May 12, 2004, John Henshaw. OSHA's Assistant Secretary, participated in a questions and answer session.

      • Kim Lazor, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary, gave an ergonomics update on May 11, 2004.

      • Jennifer Silk, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Standards and Guidance gave two presentations. She spoke on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals on May 11, 2004. The following day, she made a presentation on Material Safety Data Sheets, "Creation and Evolution of Material Safety Data Sheets: Cradle-to-Cradle -- Birth of the New GHS SDS Era! -- Government Perspective."

      • May 10, 2004, Ruth McCully, the Director of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine; Richard Fairfax, the Director of Directorate of Enforcement Programs; Steven Witt, the Director of the Directorate of Standards and Guidance, and Paula White, the Director of the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs served on a panel that provided an OSHA Update.

      • Additionally, OSHA representatives staffed an Agency exhibit booth throughout the conference.
  2. Executive Summary

    Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and AIHA are working to reduce and prevent employee exposure to ergonomic hazards in the workplace. In addition, the Alliance is also addressing Hazard Communication and other occupational safety and health issues.

    The OSHA-AIHA Alliance have developed several resources with information about the Alliance, ergonomics and other safety and health resources. The OSHA-AIHA Alliance Webpage features links to related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes. The AIHA Website features an ergonomics page that was launched in 2003 and update with information about the Alliance in 2004. The ergonomics Webpage provides AIHA members and other visitors to the site with resources for addressing ergonomics hazards, including links to the OSHA and AIHA Website, OSHA's Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics page and compliance assistance materials. Additionally, members of the implementation team helped to review and revise many of OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages covering such issues as confined space, motor vehicle safety and respiratory protection by serving on the editorial boards.

    As part of the Alliance, AIHA worked collaboratively with other Alliance Program participants on issues related to ergonomics and Hazard Communication. The Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, another Alliance Program participant, is developing an MSDS checklist to be adopted by OSHA for use by OSHA CSHOs and members of the public. As part of the development process, SCHC asked AIHA to review the draft checklist before SCHC submits the checklist to OSHA for approval and posting on the Agency's Website. AIHA continues to work with two other Alliance participants, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Academy of Occupational Surgeons, to develop a definition for upper-extremity work relatedness for use during the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders.

    Members of the Alliance implementation team helped to identify speakers to share information on ergonomics and Hazard Communication. For example, members of the OSHA-AIHA Alliance, along with other representatives from OSHA, made presentations and exhibited at the 2004 AIHce: “Promoting OEHS Excellence.” On May 12, 2004, John Henshaw, OSHA's Assistant Secretary, participated in a questions and answer session at the conference. Also, Kim Lazor, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary, gave an ergonomics update on May 11, 2004. Other OSHA representatives spoke on Hazard Communication issues. Additionally, representatives from AIHA staffed an exhibit booth at the 2004 OSHA Compliance Assistance Training Sessions, which was held June 14, 18, 2004, in Falls Church, Virginia.

  3. Alliance Program Reach
Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print
and Electronic Distribution, etc.)		 Number of Individuals
Reached or Trained
2004 AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence," May 8-13, 2004, in Atlanta, GA
  • Question and Answer Session on May 12, 2004, with John Henshaw, OSHA's Assistant Secretary.
350
2004 AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence," May 8-13, 2004, in Atlanta, GA
  • Presentation on May 12, 2004, by Jennifer Silk, Deputy Director, DSG, USDOL-OSHA, and Michele Sullivan, Chair, Board of Directors, SCHC, on "Creation and Evolution of Material Safety Data Sheets: Cradle-to-Cradle – Birth of the New GHS SDS Era!"
180
2004 AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence," May 8-13, 2004, in Atlanta, GA
  • Presentation on May 11, 2004, by Jennifer Silk, Deputy Director, DSG, USDOL-OSHA, on "The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals."
150
2004 AIHce: "Promoting OEHS Excellence," May 8-13, 2004, in Atlanta, GA
  • Ergonomics Update on May 11, 2004, in Atlanta, GA, by Kim Lazor, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary.
Data Not Available
2004 OSHA Compliance Assistance Training Sessions, June 14-18, 2004, in Falls Church, VA
  • AIHA Exhibit
230
OSHA-AIHA Alliance Webpage on the OSHA Website 4,649
AIHA Ergonomics Resource Webpage 3,000
Representatives from AIHA serve on the editorial boards of 11 OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:
  • Confined Space
  • Emergency Preparedness and Response
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Ionizing Radiation
  • Noise and Hearing Conservation
  • Occupational Epidemiology
  • Motor Vehicle Safety
  • Laboratories
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Sampling and Analysis
Data Not Available
Three OSHA staffers, Brett Besser, Kim Lazor and Beth Sherfy are participating as ad hoc members on AIHA's Ergonomics Committee to facilitate communication between the two organizations and to address and jointly resolve any issues that arise. OSHA staff participated in the May 2003 meeting of this committee. 75
October 2003 – "AIHA-OSHA Alliance Moves Forward," The Synergist 12,000
April 22, 2004 - OSHA distributed a press release announcing the Alliance renewal 25 News Services
April 29, 2004 – AIHA distributed a news release announcing the Alliance renewal Data Not Available
May 1, 2004 – OSHA includes information on the OSHA-Abbott Laboratories Alliance in its bi-weekly e-newsletter; QuickTakes 50,000
April 2004 – "OSHA and AIHA Publish Annual Alliance Report," The The Synergist 12,000
May 2004 – "AIHA and OSHA Renew Alliance for Workplace Injury Prevention," Facility Safety Management (www.fsmmag.com) Data Not Available
June 15, 2004 – "AIHA, OSHA Renew Alliance," ICS Cleaning Specialist (www.icsmag.com) Data Not Available
August 2004 – "AIHA Comments on OSHA Hazard Communication Guidance," The Synergist 12,000
TOTAL 108,239

IV. Upcoming Milestones

OSHA and AIHA are continuing to provide information, guidance, and access to training resources that to protect employees' health and safety, particularly in the areas associated with ergonomics and Hazard Communication.

A focus of the Alliance will continue to be providing resources for the public on ergonomics through the OSHA-AIHA Alliance Webpage and AIHA's ergonomic Webpage. Additionally, representatives from AIHA will continue to serve on the editorial boards of numerous OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, providing expert input on a number of occupational safety and health issues.

Representatives from the Alliance will look for opportunities to work with other Alliance Program participants on projects related to a number of occupational safety and health issues, including ergonomics, Hazard Communication and mold in the workplace. OSHA and AIHA Alliance implementation team members will participate in the Alliance Hazard Communication Roundtable scheduled for February 15, 2005, which will give Alliance Program participants an excellent opportunity to learn about the status of OSHA's Hazard Communication Initiative; share information about their own Alliances, including any activities related to Hazard Communication; and learn about what other Alliances are doing to address Hazard Communication issues. Representatives from AIHA also plan to participate in an Alliance Ergonomics Roundtable that is expected to be held in the Spring of 2005. The roundtables will enable Alliance Program participants to establish workgroups and identify projects they can work on together to develop compliance assistance resources. In addition to participating in the planned roundtables, AIHA will discuss working on joint project with individual Alliance Program participants. For example, representatives from AIHA are scheduled meet with members of the OSHA-Belfor Alliance to discuss working together to address mold issues in the workplace.


Report prepared by: Elizabeth Sherfy, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, January 12, 2005.