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ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
Safe Tank Alliance
April 28, 2009

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    March 29, 2004

    Dates Renewed

    October 2, 2006; May 29, 2008

    Evaluation Period

    March 29, 2008 – March 28, 2009

    Overview

    Through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, OSHA, API, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI/SPFA) are promoting safe tank entry, cleaning, maintenance, and rescue operations and work within and around petroleum and petrochemical liquid storage tanks. The workers include, but are not limited to, tank owners, and operators, tank maintenance and repair workers, tank contractors, and rescue personnel.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Russell Jones Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)
    Eric Lahaie Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), DCSP
    Tony Mapes OOSA, DCSP
    Lisa Ramber* OOSA, DCSP

    API:

    Phil Meyers ChevronTexaco Technology Center
    William J. Erny Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security Issues
    Karen Haase Senior Regulatory Analyst

    NFPA:

    Guy R. Colonna Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering

    STI/SPFA:

    Wayne Geyer Executive Vice President


    * Lisa Ramber is no longer with OSHA as of August 2008.

     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings
    • May 29, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
    • September 30, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
    • March 3, 2009 Implementation Team Meeting
    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from the 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
       
      • 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, API’s, NFPA’s and STI’s Web sites) to employees and employers in the industry.

        Products

        OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages and eTool

        Representatives from API, NFPA, and STI/SPFA serve on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages and eTool, providing OSHA with their expertise and technical review:
         
        • Confined Spaces
          • Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications & Chemical Engineering, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts
          • Brian S. Hope, CSP, Corporate Safety Manager, Caldwell Tanks, Newnan, Georgia
        • Emergency Preparedness and Response
          • Jim Clark, Distinguished Engineering Associate, ExxonMobil, Fairfax, VA
          • David Fritz, Crisis Management Coordinator, BP America, Inc., Naperville, Illinois
        • Fall Protection
          • Brian S. Hope, CSP, Corporate Safety Manager, Caldwell Tanks, Newnan, Georgia
        • Fire Safety
          • Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts
        • Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage
          • Ray Cook, Marathon Oil, Houston, Texas
          • William J. Erny, Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security Issues, API, Washington, DC
          • Lane Smith, ChevronTexaco, Houston, Texas
        • Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage, Storage Tanks Module
          • David Breitigam, HES Professional, Marathon Petroleum Corp., Findley, Ohio
          • Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts
          • William J. Erny, Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security Issues, API, Washington, DC
          • Wayne Geyer, Executive Vice-President, STI/SPFA, Lake Zurich, Illinois
          • Karen M. Haase, Senior Regulatory Analyst, API, Washington, DC
          • Michael J. Kotrick, Senior Safety Engineer, Chevron, Richmond, California
          • Phillip E. Myers, Standards Specialist, ChevronTexaco, San Ramon, California
          • Jason Underhill, HES Professional, Marathon Pipe Line Company, Martinsville, Illinois
        • Scaffolding
          • Brian S. Hope, CSP, Corporate Safety Manager, Caldwell Tanks, Newnan, Georgia
        • Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing eTool
          • Ray Cook, Marathon Oil, Houston, Texas
          • Charlie Curlee, Marathon Oil, Houston, Texas
          • William J. Erny, Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security Issues, API; Washington, DC
          • Joe Sologub, Marathon Oil, Houston, Texas
          • Lane Smith, ChevronTexaco, Houston, Texas
        OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Web page
        OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Web page that is posted on the OSHA Web site. It includes the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance agreement, renewal agreement, news releases, products and resources, activities and events and milestones and successes of the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance.

        API and OSHA Alliance Web page

        The API and OSHA Alliance Web page has information on the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance. In addition, the link to the "Fall Protection for Aboveground Storage Tanks Fact Sheet," is posted on the Web page; the fact sheet was developed through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance.

        STI/SPFA Web site

        The STI/SPFA Web site has information on the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance along with links to OSHA’s compliance assistance resources.

        Publications and Newsletters

        Information on the activities of the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications such as BNA’s Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, and the National Safety Council’s OSHA Up to Date newsletter. For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
         
      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA or industry conferences such as the API/NFPA Safe Tank Entry Workshop.

        Events

        API/NFPA Storage Tank Conference, October 8-9, 2008, Fort Worth, Texas

        On October 8, 2008, Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering, NFPA; William J. Erny, Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security Issues, API; and Wayne Geyer, Executive Vice President, STI/SPFA, presented a OSHA and Safe Take Alliance update to 180 conference attendees. In addition, October 8-9, 2008, Yvonne Amy, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region VI, Fort Worth, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, and Sandra Boudloche, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region VI, Fort Worth, Texas Area Office, staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth to answer conference attendee’s questions and to distribute OSHA compliance assistance materials.

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

        NFPA and STI/SPFA joined with more than 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week. NAOSH Week, sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers, an Alliance Program participant, focuses on increasing the understanding of the positive benefits of investing in occupational safety, health and environmental programs among employers, employees and the public; raising awareness of the role and contribution of safety, health and environmental professionals; and reducing workplace injuries and illness by encouraging new safety and health activities at all companies and organizations. NFPA undertook the following activities to support 2008 NAOSH Week:
         
        • Linked the NFPA "Members Only" section of their Industrial Section Web site to the 2008 NAOSH Week Web page on ASSE’s Web site.
        • Posted a 2008 NAOSH Week e-notice on the NFPA intranet.
        • Distributed copies of the 2008 NAOSH Week promotional poster at NFPA’s headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts.
        In addition, STI/SPFA emailed the link to the 2008 NAOSH Week Web page to the safety committees of their member companies.
         
      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry and safety and health professionals regarding API’s, NFPA’s, and STI’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by API, NFPA, and STI, and through OSHA- or API, NFPA and STI – developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

        Events

        STI/SPFA Pressure Vessel Conference, October 22, 2008, Uniontown, Pennsylvania

        Through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, STI/SPFA invited two OSHA staff to attend STI/SPFA’s Pressure Vessel Conference, October 22, 2008, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. As a result of STI/SPFA’s invitation, Vance Delsignore, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region III, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area Office, USDOL-OSHA; and Jan Oleszewski, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region III, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, attended the conference. The conference provided attendees with information on welding stainless steel and metal cladding.

        API/NFPA Safe Tank Entry Workshop, October 6-7, 2008, Fort Worth, Texas

        Through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, API and NFPA invited two OSHA staff to attend API/NFPA’s "Safe Tank Entry Workshop," October 6-7, 2008, in Fort Worth, Texas. As a result of API/NFPA’s invitation, Yvonne Amy, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region VI, Fort Worth, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA; and Sandra Boudloche, Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Region VI, Fort Worth, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, attended the workshop. The workshop provided attendees with information on safe tank entry best practices in the petroleum industry.

        STI/SPFA Aboveground Tank System Inspector Training Course, September 22-26, 2008, Owings Mill, Maryland

        Through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, STI/SPFA invited one OSHA staff person to attend STI/SPFA’s "Aboveground Tank System Inspector Training Course," September 22-26, 2008, in Owings Mill, Maryland. As a result of STI/SPFA’s invitation, Josh Price, Compliance and Enforcement Officer, Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration, attended the course. The course provided attendees with information on the procedures for inspecting shop-fabricated aboveground storage tanks, portable containers, and small field-erected tanks.
         
      • Promote and encourage the petroleum and petrochemical industry’s participation in OSHA cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and Consultation, and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
        The OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
         
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

        Events

        Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Associations’ (SOCMA) "Combustible Dust 2" Webinar, November 20, 2008

        On November 20, 2008, Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President, Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering, NFPA, gave a presentation on NFPA standards that deal with dust collection methods, explosion issues, and controlling dust build-up, and Dr. Vahid Ebadat, Chilworth Laboratories, gave a presentation on combustible dust assessment, conditions in which dust explosions can occur and ventilation methods to prevent dust build-up to 51 attendees during the Webinar. SOCMA is a signatory of the OSHA and Process Safety Alliance.

        Products

        "Safe Tank Entry: When Entering Above Ground Storage Tanks" Brochure

        Through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, API, NFPA, and STI/SPFA worked with the OSHA and Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) Alliance to develop the "Safe Tank Entry: When Entering Above Ground Storage Tanks" brochure. The brochure provides information on how to prevent confined space entry-related injuries when working in aboveground storage tanks. ILMA promoted the brochure by placing a link to it on the ILMA and OSHA Alliance Web page. In addition, a link to the brochure was added to the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Web page, the OSHA and ILMA Alliance Web page, and the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page on the Agency’s Web site.
         
    2. Executive Summary

      As a result of the Alliance’s successes in its first four years, the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance participants signed a Alliance renewal agreement on May 29, 2008. OSHA, API, NFPA, and STI/SPFA will continue to work together to increase employer and employee access to safety and health information and training resources on workplace issues including tank entry, cleaning, maintenance, rescue operations and work within and around petroleum and petrochemical liquid storage tanks. The positive and collaborative relationship has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Implementation Team has produced. For example, through the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance, API, NFPA, and STI/SPFA worked with the OSHA and ILMA Alliance to develop the "Safe Tank Entry: When Entering Above Ground Storage Tanks" brochure. The brochure provides information on how to prevent confined space entry-related injuries when working in aboveground storage tanks. In addition, Safe Tank representatives are sharing their expertise and technical review by serving on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages and eTool:
       
      • Confined Spaces
      • Emergency Preparedness and Response
      • Fall Protection
      • Fire Safety
      • Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage
      • Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage, Storage Tanks Module
      • Scaffolding
      • Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing eTool
      Finally, as part of their outreach efforts, NFPA and STI/SPFA joined with 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week, May 4-10, 2008.
       
    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and
      Electronic Distribution, etc.)      		 Number of Individuals
      Reached or Trained
      OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site 3,948
      API and OSHA Alliance Web page on the API Web site Data not available
      OSHA Confined Spaces Safety and Health Topics Page 69,495
      OSHA Emergency Preparedness and Response Safety and Health Topics Page 73,304
      OSHA Fall Protection Safety and Health Topics Page 65,005
      OSHA Fire Safety, Safety and Health Topics Page 53,420
      OSHA Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage Safety and Health Topics Page 13,452
      OSHA Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing and Storage, Storage Tanks Module Safety and Health Topics Page 7,950
      OSHA Scaffolding Safety and Health Topics Page 46,134
      OSHA Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing eTool 29,053
      June 13, 2008 – "The OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance agreement is renewed to increase safety and health in the petroleum industry," OSHA News Release 69 News Services
      June 19, 2008 – "OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Agreement Is Renewed," Safety Online Data not available
      June 19, 2008 – "OSHA, Tank, Fire, Oil Groups Renew Alliance," BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter Data not available
      August 2008 – "Industry Members API, STI, and NFPA Renew Safe Tank Alliance with OSHA," Aboveground Storage Tank Guide Data not available
      October 8, 2008 – API/NFPA Storage Tank Conference, October 8-9, 2008, Fort Worth, Texas

      Speakers: Guy R. Colonna, P.E., Assistant Vice President,
      Fire Protection Applications and Chemical Engineering,
      NFPA; Bill Erny, Senior Policy Advisor, Safety and Security
      Issues, API; and Wayne Geyer, Executive Vice President,
      STI/SPFA; presented an OSHA and Safe Take Alliance
      update to conference attendees.      		 180
      November 2008 – "OSHA Alliances," OSHA Up to Date 5,500
      TOTAL 401,740

       
  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, the OSHA and Safe Tank Alliance Implementation Team will continue to work together to develop safety and health information and training resources for the petroleum and petrochemical liquid storage tank industries. For example, during the next reporting period, the Implementation Team will develop and finalize two best practices tri-folds, one on confined space tank entry and one on hot work in petroleum storage tanks.

    As part of the Alliance’s outreach efforts, the Safe Tank Alliance participants will conduct a Safe Tank Entry Seminar, June 10-12, 2009, in Houston, Texas. The seminar will free of charge to the attendees. In addition, the Safe Tank Alliance invited 12 OSHA staff from Region VI to attend the training. API, NFPA, and STI/SPFA also will be joining with other Alliance Program participants to support 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 3-9, 2009.

    Report prepared by: Tony Mapes, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, April 28, 2009.