Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program << Back to National Alliances

(signed December 15, 2006; renewed April 1, 2009)

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Alliance Program

Other Cooperative Programs

Compliance Assistance


The OSHA and AORN Alliance will provide AORN’s members and others, including perioperative healthcare providers and small businesses (e.g., ambulatory surgery centers), with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees’ health and safety. In particular, the Alliance will address preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, and exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers, and laser safety. Goals of the agreement include:

Outreach and Communication:

  • 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 AORN's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
  • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or AORN's conferences, local meetings, such as the annual AORN Congress or other AORN sponsored events.
  • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AORN’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by AORN and through OSHA or AORN’s developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
  • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects, including bloodborne diseases, exposure to surgical plume, and laser safety that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
  • Encourage AORN local chapters to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including bloodborne pathogen hazards, exposure to surgical smoke from electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers, and laser safety.

Milestones and Successes


Related Documents

Alliance Agreements

Alliance Annual Reports

Alliance News Releases


Activities and Events

(Archive)

  • March 24-29, 2012: AORN 59th Annual Congress, New Orleans, Louisiana.
      • March 26-28, 2012: OSHA personnel from Region VI at Alliance exhibit booth.
  • May 1-7, 2011: 2011 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported 2011 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 2011 was "Celebrating a Century of Safety."
  • March 19-24, 2011: AORN 58th Annual Congress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • March 19-24, 2011: Representatives from OSHA Region III staffed an Alliance exhibition booth.
  • May 2-8, 2010: 2010 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2010 NAOSH Week, "Mission NAOSH 2010: Safe Workplaces." 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.
  • March 13-18, 2010: AORN 57th Annual Congress, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado.
    • March 13-18, 2010: Representatives from OSHA Region VIII staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth.
    • March 13-14, 2010: Through the OSHA and Laser Institute of America (LIA) Alliance and the OSHA and AORN Alliance, LIA instructors, Kay Ball, RN, BSN, MSA, PhD, CNOR, FAAN, and Evangeline Dennis, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, conducted the Medical Laser Safety Officer Course for 60 attendees.
  • October 19-25, 2009: 2009 Drug-Free Work Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses 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 focuses on educating employers, employees and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.
  • May 3-9, 2009: 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and more than 55 other Alliance Program participants supported 2009 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers (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. The theme for 2009 NAOSH Week was "Safety Means Always Coming Home."
    • May 4, 2009: Patricia C. Seifert, RN, MSN, CNOR, CRNFA, FAAN, Director, Editor-in-Chief, AORN Journal, Education Coordinator, CVOR, Inova Fairfax Hospital represented AORN and attended the NAOSH Week Kick-off event at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC. Then-Acting Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab, USDOL-OSHA; Warren Brown, then-President, ASSE; and Andrew Cooper, Secretary, CSSE; provided brief remarks. The Kick-off also featured an Alliance Program participant panel with presentations from Alliance Program participants American Heart Association, ASSE, Independent Electrical Contractors, and National Safety Council focusing on workplace safety and health issues.
  • March 16-19, 2009: Association of periOperative Registered Nurses 56th Annual Congress, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois.
    • March 14-15, 2009: Through the OSHA and Laser Institute of America (LIA) Alliance and the OSHA and AORN Alliance, LIA instructors, Kay Ball, RN, BSN, MSA, PhD, CNOR, FAAN, and Vangie Dennis, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, Clinical Manager, Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia, conducted the Medical Laser Safety Officer Course for 70 attendees.
    • March 16-19, 2009: An OSHA representative staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth.
  • October 20-26, 2008: 2008 Drug-Free Work Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2008 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.
  • October 6-7, 2008: Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Multi-Specialty Conference, Hyatt Regency, St. Louis, Missouri.
    • Through the OSHA and Laser Institute of America (LIA) Alliance and the OSHA and AORN Alliance, LIA instructor, Vangie Dennis, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, Clinical Manager, Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia, conducted the Medical Laser Safety Officer Course.
  • May 4-10, 2008: 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported 2008 NAOSH Week, "Safety is Good Business." Sponsored annually by American Society of Safety Engineers and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
    • May 5, 2008: Representatives of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses attended the NAOSH Week Kick-off event at the U.S. Department of Labor. Deputy Assistant Secretary Donald Shalhoub, USDOL-OSHA; and ASSE President, Michael Thompson; were the keynote speakers. Mr. Shalhoub presented "Safety is Good Business" to OSHA and Alliance Program participants and other safety and health representatives.
  • March 30-April 3, 2008: AORN 55th Annual Congress, Orange County Convention Center, Anaheim, California.
    • April 1, 2008: Peter Wilsey, MS, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region IX, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation "Hot Topic: What To Expect When OSHA Visits Your OR" about what to do if an OSHA inspector comes to your facility.
    • OSHA representatives staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth during the conference.

Products and Resources

Alliance Program Participant Developed Products

  • Laser Safety Checklist [PDF* - 57 KB]. Through the OSHA and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Alliance, AORN developed a checklist providing guidance for perioperative personnel to ensure a safe environment for patients and health care workers during the use of laser technology. (2011, June)
  • Blunt-Tip Suture Needles to Decrease Percutaneous Injuries [PPT* - 585 KB]. Through the OSHA and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Alliance, AORN developed a slide presentation describing the hazards of using sharp-tip suture needles and the effectiveness of using blunt-tip suture needles and emphasizing OSHA requirements. (2009, December)
  • Sharps Safety in the Operating Room; Creating an Injury Prevention Program [PPT* - 2 MB]. Through the OSHA and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Alliance, AORN developed a slide presentation that provides healthcare workers with a reference tool for developing and implementing an Operating Room Sharps Safety Program. (2009, October)

OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

OSHA eTools

Publications and Newsletters

Additional Resources

**Alliance Implementation Team members serve on the editorial board.
+Alliance Implementation Team members participated in the development of this resource.


Areas of Emphasis

Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs at 202-693-2200 for assistance accessing PDF and PPT materials.

*These files are provided for downloading.