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

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed: 10/02/2007

    Date Renewed: N/A

    Alliance Overview:

    This Alliance was established to provide the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA) 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 residential construction hazards and addressing training issues.

    Implementation Team Members:

    Members of the Implementation Team are Scott Mathie, Director, Government Affairs, MBA; Helen Tickanen, Membership Development Specialist, MBA; Dick Lentz, Safety Supervisor, Wisconsin Consultation Program; Jim Lutz, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Milwaukee Area Office.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    Several conference calls were generated during December 2007 to discuss the 2008 Builders Conference and OSHA's participation in the event. A planning meeting was conducted on June 9, 2008 at the MBA office to explore calendar 2009 activities.

  3. Activities and Products

    Evaluation Period: The date of the evaluation period includes the time period of October 2, 2007 through November 30, 2008.

    Alliance Activity:

    MBA Sponsored an event on February 20, 2008 entitled the "Building Science and Design Conference". OSHA participated in this conference by providing an informational booth and by presenting an educational session on developing an effective safety program. An excerpt from the program about the session at the conference follows:

    "Safety on the jobsite can save you substantial dollars and many headaches. The Milwaukee OSHA office has been inspecting more residential sites each year. They are not only looking for violations, but also looking at your safety plan and how it is implemented. This class is intended to help builders, remodelers, subcontractors, and suppliers with the basics of establishing and implementing a safety plan. The new standard, MBA Trade Contractor Agreement places an emphasis on a safe jobsite and your plan is a crucial element of complying with this requirement."

    The interactive session conducted by OSHA identified frequently cited violations through a hazard identification workshop and provided attendees with guidance on establishing both an inspection, and an effective safety and health management process. Utilizing this format, each of the Alliance goals including Training and Education, Outreach and Communication, and Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health was successfully achieved.

    Alliance Products:

    OSHA Assisted MBA with an information session for MBA members entitled "Understanding the Building Process". The PowerPoint slides developed by the Milwaukee Area Office, and incorporated into the presentation, included topics such as multi-employer sites, and other issues under the title of "Focus on Safety" which identified specific job-site hazards found throughout the different stages of residential construction. The OSHA portion of the presentation also included the most frequently cited violations for residential construction.

    The presentation was conducted during an association meeting for a variety of members. The delivery of this presentation was conducted by a prominent member of the association.

    Utilizing a synergistic approach in developing and delivering the desired information, members of the Alliance were able to achieve the three goals established for the Alliance. Specifically, by delivering the information, the members collaborated together to rely on expertise for residential construction safety and health, and established a specific curricula. This information was shared not only by safety and health professionals within the industry, but with business owners as well. The information presented through this session also included desired "Best Practices" or effective approaches to issues in the residential building process. Because of the nature of the audience, the session promoted a dialogue on safety and health in the workplace.

  4. Results

    1. Impact

      The impact of the Alliance during the reporting period was that as anticipated, considering activities of the Metropolitan Builders Association and size of the membership. Future expansion of this Alliance is anticipated.
       
    2. Activities and Numbers of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Type of Activity
    (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)    		 Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Building Science and Design Conference 275
    Understanding the Building Process (Training) 125
    TOTAL 390

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    The Alliance Implementation Team has discussed providing an OSHA 10 Hour Course in the spring of 2009 and conducting Hispanic outreach for construction. A planning session will be conducted following the 10 Hour Course to both evaluate current activities and to discuss renewal or conclusion of the Alliance.

    Report Prepared by: Jim Lutz, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Milwaukee Area Office

    For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to OSHA's Website.