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

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    September 16, 2009

    Overview

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Region IX (OSHA), the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, Division of Industrial Relations, Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS), and the National Utility Contractors Association Las Vegas Chapter (NUCA) established the alliance to provide NUCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to resources. These resources will help protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to work-related hazards and by addressing safety training issues. The alliance members will focus on excavation safety, hazard communication, emergency evacuation, tool safety, driving safety, and jobsite emergencies.

    Implementation Team Members

    Peter Wilsey, Safety and Health Manager, OSHA
    John Biggs, Program Coordinator, Nevada Safety Consultation and Training Section
    Dick Schneider - Executive Director, National Utility Contractors Association, Las Vegas Chapter

    Evaluation Period

    September 16, 2009 to September 16, 2010

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    Between January and September 2009, there were several informal preliminary telephone discussions between John Biggs, Dick Schneider and Peter Wilsey to discuss goals, objectives, implementation, and administrative issues.

  3. Events and Products

    Training and Education

    On February 19, 2009, Competent Person Training was conducted by NUCA Association members. The class was held at no charge and was attended by 24 Nevada SCATS and Enforcement Staff.

    In May, 2010, SCATS entered into an informal partnership with the Region IX, OTI at UC San Diego to conduct the OSHA 510 and OSHA 500 courses using SCATS facilities, and to develop future excavation courses with NUCA.

    Outreach and Communication

    In October 2009, SCATS participated in the NUCA backhoe rodeo held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. SCATS set up and staffed a booth at the event. Various brochures and handouts were made available including backhoe safety, excavation safety, confined space safety, consultation services, and available training classes.

    On July 20, 2010, the alliance completed the draft written workplace safety program. This sample program is designed to be used as a starting point by their membership to develop specific programs tailored to the member's specific situation.

    On July 20, 2010, the alliance also met to develop the document describing the required information on a registered professional engineer's letter for excavation protective systems, and how a competent person should use it. University of California San Diego OSHA Training Institute Education Center staff attended the meeting and provided information regarding registered professional engineers and American Society for Testing and Materials requirements.

    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    The first formal alliance meeting was held on February 2, 2010. At the meeting four goals were agreed on:
    1. The alliance will develop a sample written workplace safety program for small underground utility contractors,
    2. The alliance will develop a document outlining what is required on a registered professional engineer's letter for protective systems and how a competent person should use that information for their inspections,
    3. NUCA will conduct Competent Person Training,
    4. NUCA will to identify classes that their association members would like.
  4. Results

    The Alliance focused on selecting and completing four goals: the sample written workplace safety program, the registered professional engineer's letter, Competent Person Training, and classes for the association members. The most significant goal was the development of the draft safety and health program. NUCA has also provided a better understanding of what the association members do in their line of work.

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals
    Reached or Trained
    Booth 100 brochures/handouts on various safety hazards
    Competent Person Training by NUCA 14 Nevada OSHA staff
    TOTAL 114

  5. Upcoming Milestones
     
    The next scheduled meeting will be held at the SCATS office on January 27, 2011.