I Alliance Background

Date Signed: January 7, 2005

Overview.

Alliance to provide the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce members and others with training, information, guidance, and access to OSHA resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing employee injury and illness.

Implementation Team Members

David Martin CAS, Donna Palermo, President, Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, Leann Scanton, Marketing Director, Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce

Evaluation Period

November 2005 to November 2006

II. Implementation Team Meetings

Several planning meetings were held throughout 2006, and a final planning and evaluation meeting was held on November 1, 2006. The Compliance Assistance Specialist is a member of the Chamber’s Human Resource Committee, and meets monthly to plan safety and health activities that further the goals of the alliance.

III. Events and Products

Training and Education

• Events
  
  Completed a seminar on establishing workplace safety committees, which included the topics (instructed by the CAS) hazard identification and accident investigation.
  
  The CAS helped teach an OSHA 10 hour course for general industry to the members of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce members.

Outreach and Communication

• Wrote articles for the HR Corner in the Chamber newsletter

IV. Results

V. Upcoming Milestones

The members of the alliance will conduct workshops on workplace safety and health issues that relate to their members interests. The CAS will write occasional articles for inclusion in the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce's monthly newsletter to members. OSHA and the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce will continue to recognize the value of collaborative efforts to achieve workplace safety. OSHA and the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce will remain committed to cooperative and proactive efforts to advance workplace safety and health, and to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health. The Chamber and OSHA will provide expertise to members in order to enhance workplace safety and health programs by requesting OSHA attendance and participation in selected Roundtables. The Alliance will encourage the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce members to participate in OSHA training courses offered through the OSHA Institute and/or through the designated Educational Centers.

The alliance participants will continue to disseminate new or updated OSHA information through existing communication tools, including web sites and news letters (HR- Corner Topic), and to explore new resources for providing such information to the Chambers members.