Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program << Back to Concluded Regional Alliances - Region V

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed: 2/24/06

    Date Renewed: 3/10/08

    Alliance Overview

    OSHA and MIA formed an Alliance to provide MIA members and others with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to silica hazards and addressing safety related hazards in natural stone fabricating businesses, including, but not limited to material handling, with emphasis on slab handling issues. Due to the success of the first term of this alliance, all parties agreed to continue to work together for another two year period, and renewed it in March 2008.

    Implementation Team Members

    Julie Weis, CAS, Cleveland OSHA Office
    Gary Distelhorst, Executive Vice President, MIA
    Jim Hieb, Vice President, MIA
    Michael Loflin, Industry Research & Information Manager, MIA
     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    The Implementation Team continued meeting throughout the year to assure success of this endeavor. Discussions were also held many times via phone conferences regarding the planned activities. All face to face meetings were held at the MIA headquarters in Westlake, OH. In the evaluation period there were 4 onsite meetings and numerous phone conversations.

  3. Activities and Products

    Evaluation Period.
     
    This report covers activities from March 10, 2008 to March 10, 2009
     
    Alliance Activity.
     
    • Training and Education
    • Outreach and Communication
    • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health
    Alliance Products.

    • Training and Education
      • Massachusetts OSHA CAS assisted with S & H Seminar
      • Minnesota OSHA CAS assisted with S & H Seminar
      • Management Tool Kits Series; Forklift Safety Training Manual
      • MIA organized and distributed 10 packages of materials developed since the inception of the Alliance and sent them to all ten OSHA Regional Administrators. These kits included multiple CDs, DVDs, Silicosis Brochure Handouts, Safety Meeting Tool Kits, and more. They also offered to send additional kits to any OSHA Compliance Officer or CAS in the country who requests one.
    • Outreach and Communication
      • Produced Spanish translation of MIA's Safety Meetings Tool Kit
      • Produced technical module Silicosis: an Industry Guide to Awareness and Prevention
      • Updated the consumer brochure, Truth about Granite & Radon/Radiation to include frequently asked questions and statements from leading authorities on indoor environmental exposure.
    • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health
      • Numerous MIA newsletter articles promoting S & H
      • Monthly 'Safety Tip' published in MIA newsletter
    Contributors not part of the Implementation Team:

    Kathryn Flannery, MA Division of Occupational Safety
    Marvin Lewiton, C.I.H., MA Division of Occupational Safety
    Jean Cho, MA Division of Occupational Safety
    Jean Manoli, MA Division of Occupational Safety
    Jeff Wasvich, I.H., MN OSHA Consultation
    Scott Johnson, Principal Safety Consultant, MN OSHA Consultation
    Marc Rosenkrantz, President, Schechner Lifson Corporation, Summit, NJ
    Chuck Muehlbauer, Technical Director, MIA
    William V. Levy, President, Levy Media Group, Cleveland, OH
    Susan D. Meyers, Clear Blue Sky Design, Cleveland Heights, OH
     
  4. Results

    This report outlines the successful activities that have been accomplished during the second year of this Alliance.

    Type of Activity
    (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)    		 Number of Individuals
    Reached or Trained
    Released 5 MIA Stone Facility Safety Videos on a 2-disc set 150
    2008-09 Newsletter: publish monthly safety tip 2500
    Display Alliance logo and link on Marble Institute of America's home page 1.2 million/month
    4/08 Print stand alone 'Shop Safety Advice' article in MIA newsletter 2500
    4/08 Translated MIA Management Tool Kit, Safety Meetings into Spanish 100
    11/08 Launched new Management Tool Kit, Forklift Safety Training Manual 100
    6/08 Distribute video, Silicosis: Incurable but Preventable, in French and Spanish 200
    7/09 Offer both the English and Spanish
    versions of the technical module, "Safety in the Stone Business " downloadable    		 150
    TOTAL 11200

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    • Continue Alliance
    • Distribute Spanish and Canadian French translations of Silicosis: Incurable but Preventable video
    • Translate Management Tool Kit: Safety Meetings into Spanish
    • Continue S&H seminars:
      • in Cleveland, OH 6/09-to feature a mock OSHA inspection of an operating stone fabrication shop
      • in Cincinnati, OH 6/09
      • in Boston 4/09

    Report Prepared by: Julie Weis, CAS, Cleveland, OSHA Office, 216-615-4266