Alliance Logo<< Back to Industrial Truck Association


ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
Industrial Truck Association (ITA)
January 25, 2008
I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

January 15, 2004

Date Renewed

April 24, 2006

Evaluation Period

January 15, 2007 – January 14, 2008

Overview

Through the Alliance, OSHA and ITA are promoting the safe operation and use of powered industrial trucks by providing information, guidance, and access to training resources to assist employers and employees in reducing and preventing exposure to potential hazards associated with the use of powered industrial trucks in general, and in warehouses in particular.

Implementation Team Members
 
OSHA:  
   
Lee Anne Jillings
Jess McCluer*
Rob Swick**		 Office of Outreach services and Alliances (OOSA)
OOSA
OOSA
   
ITA:  
   
Gary Cross
Mac Dunaway
Chris Merther
Bill Montwieler		 Counsel, Dunaway & Cross
Counsel, Dunaway & Cross,
Manager, Technical Programs, ITA
Executive Director, ITA

* Jess McCluer served as the Alliance Coordinator until May 25, 2007
** Rob Swick serves as the Alliance Coordinator since May 25, 2007

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 
February 13, 2007
February 28, 2007
June 7, 2007
June 20, 2007
October 26, 2007
November 27, 2007
December 13, 2008		 OSHA Powered Industrial Truck eTool Workgroup
Powered Industrial Truck Seminar Planning Meeting
OSHA Powered Industrial Truck eTool Workgroup
Powered Industrial Truck Seminar Planning Meeting
Powered Industrial Truck Seminar Planning Meeting
Implementation Team Meeting
2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week Planning Teleconference

III. Results

A. 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 ITA's Web sites) to employers and employees, including youth workers, in the industry.
Products

OSHA and ITA Alliance Web page

OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and ITA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site. The page includes the OSHA and ITA Alliance agreement, renewal agreement, news releases, activities and events, and milestones and successes.

ITA Website (www.indtrk.org)

ITA's Web site features an OSHA Information Web page that contains links to Web sites relating to industrial truck safety. The Web page includes a links to OSHA's Regulations Governing Training for Operators of Powered Industrial Trucks; Regulations Governing Operation of Powered Industrial Trucks by Youths; and Daily Check List for Powered Industrial Trucks.

Publications and Newsletters

During the reporting period, information on the OSHA and ITA Alliance activities appeared in OSHA and industry print and online media including Forklift News and the Alliance Quarterly Review. For more information, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page

The following ITA member serves on the OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page's editorial board:
  • Bill Montwieler, ITA, Executive Director; Washington, DC
Draft OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool

Through the Alliance, ITA representatives are providing their input and expertise, along with other Alliance Program participants, to assist OSHA with the development of a Powered Industrial Trucks eTool. The following ITA members are serving on the eTool's editorial board:
    • Gary Cross, Dunaway & Cross, Counsel, Washington, DC
    • Mac Dunaway, Dunaway & Cross, Counsel, Washington, DC
    • Chris Merther, ITA, Manager, Technical Programs, Washington, DC
    • Bill Montwieler, ITA, Executive Director; Washington, DC
  • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and/or ITA conferences, local meetings and other events such as ITA's Annual and/or spring meetings.

    The OSHA and ITA Alliance Implementation Team was not presented with any speaking or exhibiting opportunities during the reporting period.

  • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by ITA and through OSHA- or ITA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
Products

OSHA and the ITA Alliance Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment."

Through the OSHA and the ITA Alliance, the organizations presented a one day Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment." The seminar, developed as a product of the Alliance, focuses on topics such as maintaining vehicle stability and preventing vehicles from tipping over. Presentations also emphasize the use of proper operator restraints to avoid injury should a vehicle flip over. In addition, ITA instructors use vehicle demonstrations to emphasize why different types of industrial vehicles handle in certain ways; depending upon proper placement of load and maintaining vehicle control. During the reporting period, more than 90 OSHA representatives and On-site Consultation Program and State Plan State staff participated in the following seminars:
    • March 27, 2007, OSHA Region VII, St. Louis, MO
    • March 29, 2007, OSHA Region III, Pittsburgh, PA
    • October 11, 2007, OSHA Region V, Cleveland, OH
    • October 23, 2007, OSHA Region I, Lawrence, MA
    • October 25, 2007, OSHA Region I, East Long Meadow, MA
  • Promote and encourage ITA members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
Products

Department of Labor-Developed Article: VPP – A Proven Way to Reduce Injuries, Illnesses, and Costs

Through the OSHA and ITA Alliance, ITA distributed the Department of Labor-developed article: "VPP – A Proven Way to Reduce Injuries, Illnesses, and Costs" to association's members. The article informs the reader how the OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) has proven over the years to be an effective means of reducing injuries, illnesses, fatalities, and costs; all while fostering a more productive workforce and increasing employee morale. It also provides information about several VPP initiatives including VPP Corporate Pilot Program, OSHA Challenge, and Mobile Workforce Demonstration.
  • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects that affect the use of powered industrial trucks in the workplace that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
Events

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

Members from the OSHA and ITA Alliance implementation team, worked with over 30 other Alliance Program participants to develop a plan to support 2008 NAOSH Week which will be held May 4-10, 2008. 2000 NAOSH Week, sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), also an Alliance Program participant, will focus on illustrating how safety is good business and that safety and health not only add value to a business, but to the workplace, employees, the community and to everyone's quality of life.

Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goal
  • Participate in forums, roundtable discussions, conferences and stakeholders meetings on issues concerning powered industrial trucks, including youth worker outreach, to help forge innovative solutions to raising safety awareness in the workplace and to provide information during the development of industry-specific safety and health guidelines.

    The OSHA and ITA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
B. Executive Summary

Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and ITA are continuing to work together to encourage employers to increase employer and employee access to safety and health information and training resources on the operation and use of powered industrial trucks; and to assist employers and employees in reducing and preventing exposure to potential hazards associated with the use of powered industrial trucks in general, and in warehouses in particular. The collaborative relationship between the two organizations has resulted in a sustained effort in delivering training, supporting Alliance Program initiatives and developing safety and health resources. As a result, OSHA and ITA will be renewing the Alliance agreement.

During the reporting period, the OSHA and ITA Alliance held the Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment" for OSHA staff in the following locations:
  • March 27, 2007, OSHA Region VII, St. Louis, MO
  • March 29, 2007, OSHA Region III, Pittsburgh, PA
  • October 11, 2007, OSHA Region V, Cleveland, OH
  • October 23, 2007, OSHA Region I, Lawrence, MA
  • October 25, 2007, OSHA Region I, East Long Meadow, MA
In addition, OSHA and ITA representatives are sharing their expertise and information through a number of different avenues. For example, ITA representatives are providing their input and expertise to assist OSHA with the development of a Powered Industrial Trucks eTool. Further, an ITA member serves on the OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page's editorial board.

OSHA continues to update the OSHA and ITA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site. Moreover, ITA's Web site features an OSHA Information Web page that contains links to sites relating to industrial truck safety.

Lastly, through the OSHA and ITA Alliance, ITA was provided the Department of Labor developed article: "VPP – A Proven Way to Reduce Injuries, Illnesses, and Costs," that the association distributed to its membership.

C. Alliance Program Reach Table
 
Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
OSHA and ITA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site 8,566
OSHA Information Web page on ITA's Web site Data Not Available
Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page 83,894
March 27, 2007: Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment," St. Louis, MO 23
March 29, 2007: Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment," Pittsburgh, PA 23
June 2007: "OSHA, Consultation Staff Learn About Safe Handling Of Powered Industrial Trucks," Alliance Quarterly Review 300
October 11, 2007: Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment," Cleveland, OH 17
October 23, 2007: Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment," Lawrence, MA 10
October 25, 2007: Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment," East Long Meadow, MA 23
December 20, 2007: ITA to renew OSHA agreement, Forklift News Data Not Available
TOTAL 92,856

IV. Upcoming Milestones

OSHA and ITA will sign a renewal agreement to renew the Alliance to continue to encourage employers to increase employer and employee access to safety and health information and training resources on the operation and use of powered industrial trucks and to assist employers and employees in reducing and preventing exposure to potential hazards associated with the use of powered industrial trucks.

In 2008, the OSHA and ITA Alliance implementation team is planning to hold the Industrial Truck Best Practices Seminar: "Forklift Safety: Man, Machine & Environment" for OSHA staff in the following locations:
  • Northern New York, OSHA Region II
  • Northern New Jersey, OSHA Region II
  • Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health
In addition, OSHA and ITA will develop a success story "Kalmar RT Voluntary Protection Program Success Story." The story will describe how Kalmar RT, an ITA member, used the On-site Consultation Program to improve its safety and health programs. As a result, the company was able to achieve VPP recognition.

Finally, ITA representatives will continue to serve on the OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page's editorial board and work with OSHA and other Alliance Program participants to finalize OSHA's Powered Industrial Trucks eTool.


Report prepared by Rob Swick, Alliance Coordinator, Office Outreach Services and Alliances, January 31, 2008.