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ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
GATEWAY CHAMBER
July 6, 2009

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    April 18, 2008

    Evaluation Period

    Although the Alliance was signed in April, 2008, we have had ongoing activity with the Gateway Chamber for many years, mostly on an informal basis, but at times under the "NJICA" (lead office is Parsippany). This evaluation report covers Alliance activity from February 8, 2008 (major activity related to the Alliance, even though it preceded official signing) to July 6, 2009. The report was due April 18, 2009; however, other priority duties prevented timely completion.

    Overview

    This Alliance focuses on the needs of small and large business in the greater Union County area. It formalizes a cooperative relationship between the Gateway Chamber and OSHA to provide leadership and guidance to help foster a culture of worker health and safety, hazard and accident prevention. It seeks to impart a sharing of technical knowledge of OSHA standards, regulations, guidelines, procedures and general methods to improve worker safety and health, as well as encourage employer development of safety and health and cooperative programs.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Mike Yarnell, Compliance Assistance Specialist – Avenel, NJ Area Office

    Gateway Chamber:

    Jim Coyle, Chamber President

    Note: The Health and Safety Committee chaired by John Burroughs of Epicor, Inc. and seven other members were involved in implementing this Alliance.

     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    There were nine face-to-face, telephone or e-mail contacts regarding event planning for this Alliance and additional follow-up conversations regarding each event. The yearly planning meeting occurred on July 14, 2008.

     
  3. Results
     
    • Events

      On February 8 & 9, 2008, the Gateway Chamber sponsored a major business fair for Union County at the Rahway municipal complex. Our participation consisted of two parts; I did a presentation on "What You Probably Don’t Know about OSHA Recordkeeping" and Isabel DeOliveira manned our OSHA booth for the entire two-day event. The event was very well attended by employers, local organizations and the general public.

      On April 18, the Alliance was signed here in the Avenel Area office and a press release followed.
      On June 3, 2008, Isabel DeOlivieira manned the OSHA booth at Elizabeth High School’s "Healthy Leap into Summer" event, sponsored by the Gateway Chamber. We provided an interactive display for high school students regarding hazards in the workplace and summer employment. Elizabeth High School has the largest student body of any public school in the state of New Jersey.

      On December 16, 2008, I conducted a VPP outreach session at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. Jim Coyle, Chamber President, and member of the Board of Directors for the hospital, decided that it would be novel for a hospital to join the ranks of manufacturing establishments that comprise one of the largest concentrations of VPP employers in the country. Overlook is a very large area employer; part of the Atlantic Health System.
       
    • Outreach and Communication

      There have been a series of articles in the "Inside Business" publication of the Gateway Chamber regarding large chemical industry in the Union County area. While we did not write the articles, I was consulted for the content. One regarding security at these plants and the other regarded safety.
       
  4. Impact – for the evaluation period
     
    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
     
    Union County Business Fair – February 8 & 9, 2008 Over 300 attendees
    Healthy Leap into Summer 800 students
    Overlook Hospital VPP presentation 700 employees
    TOTAL 1800

     
  5. Upcoming Milestones

    I will continue working with the Chamber to coordinate and provide technical assistance to the small and large business community. Upcoming planning meeting will further direct the future of this Alliance. Mr. Coyle desires to have a meeting with management of some of the major area industries to revitalize the "Breakfast with OSHA" concept which was extremely successful in the past, drawing standing-room only crowds.