Omaha Public Schools – Career Center: Alliance Annual Report 2008-2009

Alliance Annual Report
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
Omaha Public Schools - Career Center
March 2008 – March 2009

I. Alliance Background

Initial: March 2, 2005
Renewed: February 27, 2007
Renewal submitted to the Regional Solicitors for review: March 12, 2009

Alliance Overview

This alliance established a collaborative relationship between the OSHA Omaha Office and the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) - Career Center, to provide young workers exposure to occupational safety and health concepts, requirements, and best practices. This alliance also affords students of the Career Center - Construction Academy the opportunity to obtain an OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach card, as well as industry recognition, access to multiple safety training resources, and internship opportunities.

Implementation Team Members

Andrew Naikelis – Construction Academy Instructor
Doug Fletcher – OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist
Phil Pisasale – OSHA Health Compliance Officer

II. Implementation Team Meetings

Spring 2008 – An OSHA representative serves on the OPS Construction Academy Advisory Committee. This committee meets quarterly to discuss Construction Academy business, recruiting, apprenticeships, and future activities.

III. Activities and Products

Evaluation Period

March 2008 through March 2009

Alliance Activity

April 18, 2008 – To kick off the local Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign, OSHA representatives participated in the OPS Career Fair. As part of this activity, approximately 400 middle school students were introduced to OSHA, to basic safety and health concepts, and to the use of personal protective equipment. Students had the opportunity to handle various types of PPE and well as many of the “tools” an OSHA compliance officer might use during an inspection.
October 2008 – OSHA staff and construction industry safety directors provided the OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach training to eighteen Construction Academy students.

IV. Results

Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
April 18, 2008 - Participation by OSHA representative in the OPS Career Fair	~ 400
October 2008 – OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach Training	~ 18
TOTAL	~ 418

V. Upcoming Milestones

This alliance has led to the development of two new “Young Worker” focused alliances. Through the Nebraska Department of Education, the Omaha Area Office has developed alliances with the NDE – Industrial, Manufacturing, and Engineering Sciences program as well as the SkillsUSA – Nebraska program.

We hope to continue this alliance until the Career Center faculty are able to complete the OSHA 500 Trainer Course for Construction Outreach. We are currently scheduled to provide three one-hour OSHA/safety and health “overviews” to students of other Career Center programs and would like to see one or more of these develop into 10-Hour training programs as well. Ideally, we could provide one 10-Hr. Construction course in the fall and one 10-Hr. General Industry course in the spring, for students of the Career Center.