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ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
November 7, 2008
  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    October 10, 2002

    Dates Renewed

    April 23, 2004
    July 6, 2006

    Evaluation Period

    October 10, 2007 – October 9, 2008

    Overview

    The OSHA and AIHA Alliance focuses on providing AIHA members and others with information, guidance and access to training resources to help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in addressing ergonomic and hazard communication issues.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA
    Brett Besser Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)
    Todd Briggs Office of Outreach Services and Alliances

    AIHA

    Kermit Davis Chair, AIHA Ergonomics Committee
    Peter O’Neil Assistant Executive Director

     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    January 9, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting

    In addition to this formal meeting, the Alliance coordinators from each organization, Todd Briggs and Peter O’Neil, spoke regularly to discuss and plan the activities and programs listed under events and products, including AIHA’s support for 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week.

     
  3. Results
     
    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 the AIHA’s Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
      Products

      For Job Health and Safety on Confined Space Entry QuickTips

      Through the Alliance, AIHA developed “For Job Health and Safety on Confined Space Entry QuickTips,” which was finalized and posted to AIHA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page on the Agency’s Web site in September 2008.

      For Job Health and Safety on Electron Microscopes QuickTips

      Through the Alliance, AIHA developed “For Job Health and Safety on Electron Microscopes QuickTips,” which was finalized and posted to AIHA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page on the Agency’s Web site in September 2008.

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

      AIHA representatives serve on the editorial boards for the following Safety and Health Topics pages on the OSHA Web site: Brownfields; Confined Space; Control of Hazardous Energy; Emergency Preparedness and Response; Extremely Low Frequency Radiation; Hazardous Waste; Indoor Air Quality; Ionizing Radiation; Laboratories; Laser Hazards; Laser/Electrosurgery Plume; Machine Guarding; Making the Business Case for Safety and Health; Motor Vehicle Safety; Noise and Hearing Conservation; Non-Ionizing Radiation; Occupational Epidemiology; Personal Protective Equipment; Radiation; Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD) Dirty Bombs; Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation; Safety and Health Programs; and Sampling and Analysis.

      OSHA eTools

      AIHA representatives serve on the editorial board of OSHA’s Noise and Conservation Hearing eTool.

      OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web Page

      The OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page on the Agency’s Web site continues to be updated and includes links to the OSHA and AIHA Alliance agreement, renewal agreements, related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page, please see the “Alliance Program Reach Table.”

      AIHA’s Web Site

      AIHA continues to update the AIHA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization’s Web site with information about the Alliance and links to OSHA’s compliance assistance resources, including the OSHA Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics page, and other ergonomic-related resources.

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and AIHA Alliance appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: Virginia Ship Repair News. For more information on the articles, please see the “Alliance Program Reach” table.
       
      • Speak, exhibit or appear at OSHA’s or AIHA’s conferences, local meetings or other events.
      Events

      AIHA Carolinas Section Fall Conference and Professional Development Seminar (PDC), October 19, 2007, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

      Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., then-Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, delivered a presentation, including an OSHA safety and health update, at the AIHA Carolinas Section Fall Conference and PDC, October 19, 2007, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

      Potomac Section of AIHA and National Capital Chapter of ASSE Meeting, DOL Auditorium, March 27, 2008, Washington, DC.

      Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., then-Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, delivered a welcome address and provided an overview of current OSHA programs and initiatives to over 100 safety and health professionals at the Potomac Section of AIHA and National Capital Chapter of ASSE Meeting at DOL on March 27, 2008, in Washington, DC.

      AIHce 2008 Expo, May 31-June 5, 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

      During the 2008 AIHce Expo in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a number of OSHA representatives from the Agency’s National and Regional/Area Offices spoke to the attendees during the following plenary and workshop sessions:

      - Mike Marshall, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, Office of General Industry Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP), USDOL-OSHA; Michael Sprinker, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, OSHA Training Institute, Directorate of Training and Education, USDOL-OSHA; and Dean Wingo, Assistant Regional Administrator, Region VI, Dallas, Texas Regional Office, USDOL-OSHA; presented "Process Safety Management – OSHA Emphasis Programs and Related Activities" to 75 people on June 2, 2008.

      - Minda Nieblas, M.D., then-Occupational Medicine Physician, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA; Christine Petitti, Industrial Hygienist, Region V, Des Plains, Illinois Area Office; and Joseph Czaicki, Industrial Hygienist, Region VII, St. Louis, Missouri Area Office, USDOL-OSHA; presented "Interesting Cases Evaluated by the OSHA Office of Occupational Medicine" to 125 people on June 4, 2008.

      - Maureen O'Donnell, Industrial Hygienist, Directorate of Standards and Guidance (DSG), USDOL-OSHA, presented "Implementation of GHS Around the World: Moving Toward the Same Plane" to 100 people on June 4, 2008.

      - Additionally, OSHA representatives staffed an exhibit booth at the 2008 AIHce.
       
      • Promote and encourage AIHA members’ or worksites’ participation in OSHA’s cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Recognition Program.

        During this reporting period, OSHA and AIHA did not work on projects to address this goal.
         
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on ergonomics and hazard communication that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
      Products

      Safety Alert: Electrocution and Shock Hazards in Shipyard Employment

      AIHA representatives, along with other Alliance Program participants, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA), and the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) developed “Safety Alert: Electrocution and Shock Hazards in Shipyard Employment.” The alert was finalized and posted to the SCA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Program Web page in February 2008.

      Safety Alert: Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures in Shipyard Employment

      AIHA representatives, along with other Alliance Program participants, ASSE, SCA, ASA, and NSRP developed “Safety Alert: Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout Procedures in Shipyard Employment.” The alert was finalized and posted to the SCA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Program Web page in September 2008.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
       
      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions or stakeholder meetings on ergonomics and hazard communication issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on health and safety issues.
      OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Joint DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting, April 22, 2008, Washington, DC.

      On April 22, 2008, an AIHA representative participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Joint DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Alliance Program participants discussed products developed through the Roundtable and identified potential projects and compliance assistance resources to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry.

      OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Joint DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting, September 18, 2008, Washington, DC.

      On September 18, 2008, an AIHA representative participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Joint DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting, in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Alliance Program participants discussed products developed through the Roundtable and identified potential projects and compliance assistance resources to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry.

      Events

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

      On May 5, 2008, Donald G. Shalhoub, Deputy Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, spoke to OSHA staff, Alliance Program participants and other safety and health professionals during the 2008 NAOSH Week kick-off event at DOL in Washington, D.C. Sponsored annually by ASSE, an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. Representatives from AIHA, including Peter O’Neil, Assistant Executive Director, attended the event, which, along with a number of other Alliance Program participants, supported the Week. The theme for the 2008 NAOSH Week was "Safety is Good Business."
       
    2. Executive Summary

      OSHA and AIHA are continuing to work to reduce and prevent employee exposure to ergonomic hazards and hazard communication issues in the workplace. Through the Alliance agreement, the organizations have pursued a number of projects and activities addressing occupational safety and health issues, including:
       
      • AIHA developed two QuickTips documents focusing on confined space and electron microscopes, which include hazard descriptions, methods of control, and resources for additional information.
         
      • AIHA worked with other Alliance Program participants, ASSE, ASA, NSRP, and SCA to develop safety alerts focusing on electrocution and shock hazards and control of hazardous energy (Lockout/Tagout) in shipyard employment.
         
      • AIHA representatives are helping to address safety and health hazards in the construction industry by participating in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Joint DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup meetings.
         
      • OSHA representatives delivered safety and health presentations and exhibited at the AIHce 2008, May 31 – June 5, 2008, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. OSHA representatives also delivered presentations at the AIHA Carolinas Section Fall Conference and PDC, October 19, 2007, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the Potomac Section of AIHA and National Capital Chapter of ASSE meeting, on March 27, 2008, in Washington, DC.
         
      • AIHA members continue to serve on editorial boards of numerous OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages and eTool covering such issues as motor vehicle safety, machine guarding, and making the business case for safety and health.
         
      • AIHA worked with other Alliance Program participants to promote workplace safety and health issues. AIHA supported and participated in the 2008 NAOSH Week, which was sponsored by ASSE and CSSE. The 2008 event was held May 4-10, 2007, and representatives from AIHA attended the Kick-off event on May 5, 2008, at DOL, in Washington, DC.
         
    3. Alliance Program Reach

       
      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      October 19, 2007: Carolinas Section Fall Conference and PDC, “OSHA Update”
      Speaker:
      Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., former-Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA
      		 75
      February 7, 2008: “OSHA Maritime Alliance Participants Complete Safety Alert for Electrocution and Shock Hazards in Shipyard Employment”

      SCA News Release      		 Data not available
      March 27, 2008: Potomac Section of AIHA and National Capital Chapter of ASSE Meeting, DOL Auditorium, Washington, DC “OSHA Update”
      Speaker:
      Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., former-Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA      		 100
      June 2, 2008: AIHce 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota, “Process Safety Management – OSHA Emphasis Programs and Related Activities”

      Speakers:

      Mike Marshall, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, Office of General Industry Enforcement, DEP, USDOL-OSHA; Michael Sprinker, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, OSHA Training Institute, Directorate of Training and Education, USDOL-OSHA; and Dean Wingo, Assistant Regional Administrator, Region VI, Dallas, Texas Regional Office, USDOL-OSHA.      		 75
      June 4, 2008: AIHce 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota, “Interesting Cases Evaluated by the OSHA Office of Occupational Medicine”

      Speakers:

      Minda Nieblas, M.D., then-Occupational Medicine Physician, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA; Christine Petitti, Industrial Hygienist, Region V, Des Plains, Illinois Area Office; and Joseph Czaicki, Industrial Hygienist, Region VII, St. Louis, Missouri Area Office, USDOL-OSHA.      		 125
      June 4, 2008: AIHce 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota, “Implementation of GHS Around the World: Moving Toward the Same Plane”

      Speakers:

      Maureen O'Donnell, Industrial Hygienist, DSG, USDOL-OSHA      		 100
      September 10, 2008: “Lockout/Tagout Safety Alert Published”

      Virginia Ship Repair News      		 Data not available
      OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site 8,114
      AIHA Ergonomics Resource Web page on the Association’s Web site 9,000
      Brownfields Safety and Health Topics page 19, 234
      Confined Space Safety and Health Topics page 21,555
      Conservation Safety and Health Topics page 45,879
      Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics page 84,456
      ELF Radiation Safety and Health Topics page 21,287
      Emergency Preparedness and Response Safety and Health Topics page 129,734
      Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics page 264,689
      Fire Safety, Safety and Health Topics page 85,487
      Hazardous Waste Safety and Health Topics page 33,524
      Indoor Air Quality Safety and Health Topics page 21,421
      Ionizing Radiation Safety and Health Topics page 22,735
      Laboratories Safety and Health Topics page 26,387
      Laser Hazards Safety and Health Topics page 28,609
      Laser/Electrosurgery Plume Safety and Health Topics page 19,109
      Machine Guarding Safety and Health Topics page 32,856
      Making the Business Case for Safety and Health, Safety and Health Topics page 43,598
      Motor Vehicle Safety, Safety and Health Topics page 20,980
      Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety and Health Topics page 46,685
      Non-Ionizing Radiation Safety and Health Topics page 22,106
      Occupational Epidemiology Safety and Health Topics page 21,406
      Personal Protective Equipment Safety and Health Topics page 119,318
      Radiation Safety and Health Topics page 33,305
      Radiation: Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD) Dirty Bombs Safety and Health Topics page 22,419
      Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation Safety and Health Topics page 29,704
      Safety and Health Programs Safety and Health Topics page 46,152
      Sampling and Analysis Safety and Health Topics page 20,017
      Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool 29,206
      TOTAL 1,329,272


       
  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, OSHA and AIHA will work to renew the Alliance agreement in October 2008. OSHA and AIHA will also undertake a number of activities and develop a number of products.
    For example, during the 2009 AIHce Expo, May 30 - June 4, 2009, Toronto, Canada, OSHA will staff an exhibit booth and a number of Agency personnel from the Agency’s National and Regional/Area Offices will speak to the attendees during the plenary and workshop sessions.

    AIHA representatives will participate in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable and its DFS and Fall Protection Workgroups to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry.

    AIHA will support and promote 2009 NAOSH Week, May 3-9, 2009, with ASSE and numerous other Alliance Program participants. AIHA representatives will attend the 2009 NAOSH Week Kick-off event on May 4, 2009, at DOL in Washington, DC. AIHA will also work collaboratively with the ASSE, ASA, NSRP, and SCA to develop a Safety Alert for employers and employees focusing on electrical hazards in shipyards.

    AIHA will continue to promote the activities and products of the Alliance through the AIHA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization’s Web site, which is linked to from the OSHA and AIHA Alliance Web page on the Agency’s Web site.

    AIHA will promote OSHA compliance assistance safety and health materials and cooperative programs and the OSHA and AIHA Alliance through various sources such as the AIHA Web site and publications.

    AIHA members will continue to serve on the editorial board of OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics page’s, including Confined Space, Control of Hazardous Energy, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Making the Business Case for Safety and Health, and Safety and Health Programs.


    Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances,
    November 7, 2008