I. Alliance Background

Date Signed.

June 10, 2005

Alliance Overview.

OSHA, JULIE and Illinois Onsite Consultation worked together to achieve training and education, outreach and communication for underground and trenching contractors, subcontractors and laborer employees regarding trenching regulations and hazards, including underground utilities, and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.

Implementation Team Members.

Implementation Team Members included: Illinois Compliance Assistance Specialists, Representatives from Illinois Onsite Consultation and JULIE representatives.

II. Implementation Team Meetings

June 10, 2005 – Initial Team meeting after signing ceremony. Discussion of JULIE Contractor Safety Breakfasts throughout the State of Illinois and the Underground Focus Live conference in Joliet in July, 2005

July 21, 2005 – Meeting of Team during Underground Focus Live Conference to plan for JULIE Contractor Safety Breakfasts with OSHA and IL Onsite Consultation involvement (booths and presentations) during the January and February events (total of 23 locations).

February 21, 2006 – JULIE Contractor Safety Breakfast in Springfield, IL. CAS Zweber meets with PR representatives from JULIE to discuss access to mailing lists for follow-up training on trenching. Mailings lists for all locations will be provided upon requests. All Illinois CAS’s advised of this availability by email.

March 24, 2006 – Request Excel mailing list from JULIE for Peoria attendees at safety breakfast. March 31, 2006, sent email to JULIE reps, CAS’s and On-site Consultation of the upcoming trench training session in Peoria. April 12, 2006, report of the results of the Peoria OSHA trench training session (held on April 10th) emailed, along with a CD of presentation, Excavation Safety Card and video clip on news media report of local trench accident sent to all Illinois CAS’s, JULIE PR reps and prevention managers, and to Planet Underground.

April 25, 2006, Underground Focus Live Advisory Board meeting, with both CAS’s from Peoria and Calumet City, UFL reps, JULIE reps and Utility reps to discuss August Conference in Joliet, IL.

June 27, 2006, World of Training, Planet Underground event, Manteno, IL. CAS from Peoria met with JULIE reps to discuss getting additional mailing lists for Central Illinois to do more follow-up trench training in Central Illinois.

III. Activities and Products

Evaluation Period.

This report covers June 10, 2005 to August 10, 2006

Alliance Activity.

July 20th to 21st , 2005, Underground Focus Live Conference, Joliet, IL, OSHA Calumet City compliance officers do two presentations on OSHA inspections and trenching. OSHA and Illinois On-site Consultation have booth with publications and booth has representatives from Calumet City and Peoria Area Offices to answer questions from attendees.

July 22, 2005, Article provided to JULIE for their newsletter on the Alliance by Peoria CAS.

January and February, 2006, JULIE Excavator Safety Breakfasts in 23 Illinois cities. JULIE reps train on utility safety when performing trenching and excavation. OSHA reps present to do short presentations on the Alliance, the role of the CAS, explanation of Onsite Consultation, etc. OSHA and consultation have booths at all of the training sessions. Participation of contractors was as follows:

Chicago Area – OSHA reps from Aurora, Des Plaines and Calumet City Area Offices

Central Illinois Area – OSHA rep was CAS from Peoria Area Office

Southern Illinois Area – OSHA rep was CAS from Fairview Heights District Office

April 10, 2006 – Trenching Training for Contractors from Peoria JULIE mailing list at Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL. Presenters included CAS and two Compliance Officers. Onsite consultation was present, introduced and available for questions.

April 25, 2006 – Underground Focus Live Advisory Board meeting to work on August event in Joliet. Both CAS from Peoria and from Calumet City Area Offices are on the Board. The Calumet City CAS will be coordinating the use of compliance staff from his office for the event. OSHA will put on 4 mock trench inspections during the event.

June 27 and 28, 2006 – World of Training, Planet Underground, Manteno, IL. CAS from Peoria Area Office requested to do two trenching presentation from April 10th training session in Peoria at this event. World of Training trains contractors how to locate utilities and how to work safely around them.

Alliance Products.

Trench Safety Card created by Peoria Area Office staff – Business card size with sloping requirements on one side and general trenching requirements on the other, created by Peoria Area Office and distributed at 6 of the Central Illinois Excavator Safety Breakfasts. It was also shared with all Illinois CAS’s, Onsite Consultation, JULIE representatives and Planet Underground. It was also a handout at the April 10th training session and the two (2) June World of Training sessions. It was laminated for protection of the product.

Trench Training Session CD created by Peoria Area Office staff shared with all CAS’s, Onsite Consultation, JULIE representatives and Planet Underground.

IV. Results

A. Discuss the impact of the Alliance activities and products during the reporting period.

The OSHA area offices in Illinois reached more contractors, city/county and utility workers on trenching and excavation safety than any other means that has been tried by our Illinois offices to date. JULIE has proved to be a valuable asset in assisting OSHA in getting the word out to the people we need to reach in this dangerous work. This Alliance has been one of the most positive and valuable resources to all of the Illinois Area Offices. At the excavator safety breakfasts alone, we reached 4,326 contractors, and many complimented OSHA on finally having a booth at these events and many asked a variety of questions on trenching/excavation in this non-enforcement atmosphere. The Agency developed Construction-related Quick Cards in English and Spanish on the reverse side were well received. In Central Illinois, the Peoria Area Office developed Trench Card was also well received (See attachment).

B. Using the table below, list each activity and the number of individuals reached or trained during the reporting period.

V. Upcoming Milestones

August 22nd to 24th Underground Focus Live Conference in Joliet, IL – This event has many live demonstrations of trenching and excavation. For the first time, a compliance officer will be performing live mock inspections on some of the trenches at the site, to give attendees opportunities to ask questions during the ongoing demonstrations.
August/September – Peoria Area Office is planning at least one more trenching training sessions using JULIE’s Bloomington and Urbana, Illinois mailing lists. Both Onsite Consultation and JULIE’s damage prevention managers will be invited to the session.

Report Prepared by: Peggy Zweber, CAS, Peoria Area Office

For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to www.osha.gov.