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OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels with the Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting attendees, including Stefan Bright, Safety Director, IWCA, at the Department of Labor on September 27, 2012. (L to R) Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA; Stefan Bright, Safety Director, IWCA; and Alan Burton, President, IWCA sign a national Alliance renewal agreement on October 31, 2012.

Through the OSHA and IWCA Alliance, the organizations will provide IWCA members and others, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers. In particular, the Alliance will continue to address slips, trips, falls from heights, and issues related to the safe use of high-reach access equipment, including ladders and scaffolding, in the window cleaning industry. The Alliance will also address the safety and health challenges of small business owners and low literacy and limited English speaking workers in the window cleaning industry. The Alliance's goals include:

Raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To share information on OSHA's National Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on fall, caught-in-between, and other scaffolding related hazards to forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

Training and education:

• To develop effective training and education programs for window cleaning contractors with low literacy and limited English speaking workers, regarding the recognition and prevention of workplace accidents due to slips, trips and falls, working from heights, and the use of specialized window cleaning and high-rise access equipment, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.

Outreach and communication:

• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the IWCA's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or IWCA's Annual Conferences, local meetings, or other regional events.

Related Documents

Alliance Agreements

• Agreement signed June 10, 2010.
• Renewal Agreement signed October 31, 2012.
  

Alliance Annual Reports

• Alliance Annual Report 2010-2011, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances.
• Alliance Annual Report 2011-2012, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances.

Alliance News Releases

• OSHA and the International Window Cleaning Association renew Alliance to protect workers from industry hazards. OSHA News Release (2012, November 1).

• May 5-11, 2013: 2013 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) and a number of other Alliance Program participants support 2013 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the 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. 2013 Theme: "Worker Safety Works for Everyone."
• February 13-16, 2013: International Window Cleaning Association Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Orlando, Florida.
• February 13, 2013: Presenter: Joan Spencer, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region IV, Tampa, Florida Area Office, USDOL-OSHA. Presentation Name: "OSHA Fall Protection & Work Plan."
• February 13-16, 2013: Region IV OSHA staff at Alliance exhibit booth.
• October 12, 2012: International Window Cleaning Association Regional Safety Training, Detroit, Michigan. Presenter: Robert J. Bonack, Area Director, Region V, Lansing, Michigan Area Office, USDOL-OSHA. Presentation Name: "OSHA Updates."
• May 6-12, 2012: 2012 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) and a number of other Alliance Program participants support 2012 NAOSH Week, Sponsored annually by ASSE and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. 2012 Theme: "Safety, What Every Business Needs."
• February 2-4, 2012: International Window Cleaning Association Educational Forum and Showcase, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• February 2, 2012: Presenter: Wilfred Hebert, CAS, Region VI, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area Office, USDOL-OSHA. Presentation Name: "The Task at Hand, OSHA's View."
• February 2, 2012: Presenter: Sandra Stokes, Program Manager, Region VI, Louisiana State Consultation. Presentation Name: "On-site Consultation Program."
• February 2-3, 2012: OSHA personnel from Region VI at Alliance exhibit booth.
• May 1-7, 2011: 2011 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The International Window Cleaning Association 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."
• February 16-19, 2011: International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) Annual Convention and Trade Show, TradeWinds Island Resort, St Pete Beach, Florida.
  • February 17, 2011: Joan Spencer, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region IV, Tampa, Florida Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation entitled "How to Successfully Prepare for an OSHA Inspection" to 50 industry workers, contractors, and safety and health professionals.

Products and Resources

• Alliance Program Participant Background

Alliance Program Participant Developed Products

• Water-Fed Pole Quick Card (English PDF^* - 44 KB, Spanish PDF^* - 108 KB). Through the OSHA and the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) Alliance, IWCA developed a Quick Card which provides employees in the window cleaning industry with information on safe use of water-fed poles. The document contains practical precautions to help reduce the hazards at job sites for workers in the window cleaning industry and provides a quick reference to safe practices. (2012, June; Spanish translation 2012, November)
• Water-Fed Pole Safety Training Program (also available as a 1 MB PPTX). Through the OSHA and the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) Alliance, IWCA developed a safety training program which provides employees in the window cleaning industry with information on safe use of water-fed poles. The program contains practical precautions and instruction to help window cleaners reduce risks at job sites while taking into account the requirements for the job. (2011, September)

OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

• Fall Protection
• Cleaning Industry

Additional Resources

• IWCA/OSHA Alliance page
• Alliance Program Construction Roundtable. Through the Alliance Program's Construction Roundtable, a number of products and resources have been developed for the construction industry.

Areas of Emphasis

• Immigrant Employers and Workers
• Small Businesses

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

^*These files are provided for downloading.