Voluntary protection programs
Alaska
Alaska devotes substantial resources to its VPP and SHARP programs. As a result, Alaska exceeded
its goals by increasing the number of VPP sites by 20 percent. Alaska currently maintains six VPP sites
and 12 SHARP sites.
Alaska has established four partnerships:
- The wood products industry in Alaska
- The construction industry
- The Municipality of Anchorage
- The Department of Transportation, State of Alaska
Partnerships have been limited to industries and categories with high-hazard worksites.
Each partnership is managed by the Alaska Consultation and Training Section and is designed to reduce the
number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities in each industry.
The annual Alaska Governor’s Safety Conference brings hundreds of employers, employees, safety
professionals and vendors – from all over the state – together to discuss new and existing safety
topics. The structure of the conference is flexible enough to allow targeting training to current
safety and health issues. The Alaska Consultation and Training Section provides training courses
about construction and general industry standards to participants at the conference.
Arizona
The Consultation Section of Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health
(ADOSH) is responsible for promoting and operating Arizona’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
In 2003, the Consultation Section did an outstanding job at promoting the virtues of VPP. Because of
their outstanding outreach and promotion of the program, ADOSH is now seeing a significant increase in
employer interest and application assistance requests. ADOSH continues to interact with and promote
the Voluntary Protection Participants Program Association (VPPPA). ADOSH participated in regional
and national meetings to promote safer workplaces throughout the nation.
Connecticut
Connecticut currently has five employers that have been awarded SHARP certifications. Connecticut
also recently hosted the Second Annual Region 1 SHARP Luncheon. Ten companies throughout the New
England region were honored. Approximately 80 individuals attended the event. Marthe B. Kent, Region
1 regional administrator, delivered the keynote address.
Indiana
Eight new employers achieved VPP status in Indiana in 2004.
Kentucky
In fiscal-year 2004, Kentucky awarded its first two SHARP certifications. Kentucky
also raised one new VPP flag in fiscal-year 2004.
Maryland
Maryland approved the recertification process of the Northrop Grumman site for an additional five
years. There are two additional sites that should successfully complete the VPP process during
fiscal-year 2005.
Michigan
Michigan awarded its first Star flag in 1999. In fiscal-year 2004, eight Star and two Rising Star
awards were celebrated. As of Sept. 30, 2004, Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA) has awarded Star status to 16
sites and Rising Star status to seven sites. Two companies have achieved SHARP recognition.
Minnesota
By fiscal-year 2004, Minnesota had awarded 13 MNSHARP and 13 MNSTAR sites.
Nevada
Nevada OSHA is proud to currently have three VPP Star sites in the program. The Nevada OSHA
VPP Team continues to work with many interested employers throughout the state, with program growth
anticipated to double during the next fiscal-year.
Nevada’s Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) currently has 15 businesses in SHARP
status, two in deferral status and another five businesses finalizing entry into deferral status.
The state of Nevada also recognizes exceptional employers through the Safe
partner of the quarter recognition program. The program recognizes employers that participate
in a comprehensive survey and enhance employee safety awareness through attendance at a SCATS 10- or
30-hour formal training program. Safe partner of the quarter not only
recognizes businesses, it also provides state-level recognition to associations that request SCATS
participation in their meetings or seminars. SCATS currently has four Safe
partner of the quarter recipients.
North Carolina
North Carolina initiated the Carolina Star program in 1993. There are currently 76 Carolina Star
sites. Included under the Carolina Star umbrella is the Building Star program that recognizes
construction worksites that have quality safety and health programs. The newest Carolina Star
program is the Public Sector Star, which recognizes state agencies and local governments. This new
program was launched in April 2004. To assist in the expansion of all of the state’s recognition
programs with limited resources available, North Carolina has developed the Independent Star
Assessors (ISA) Program. This joint venture allows safety and health professionals in the private
sector to assist in conducting evaluations of North Carolina’s top employers applying for Star
status. ISA has been approved as a pilot project by federal OSHA. The state also has 27 active SHARP
sites.
Oregon
Oregon OSHA’s SHARP program has been so successful that strategic-plan targets have been met and
increased several times during the life of the plan. As of Sept. 30, 2004, 86 Oregon companies had
achieved SHARP. The interest shown by Oregon employers in SHARP has exceeded all expectations.
This high level of participation has prompted OR-OSHA to re-examine the goals for the program and
the agency’s role, particularly with those employers that have successfully implemented an effective
safety and health management program. It has been Oregon’s experience that companies that have
participated in SHARP for three or more years have made the changes necessary to support a culture
of continual improvement in safety and health. These employers tend to have an in-depth
understanding of the value of an effective safety and health program and have incorporated this
value into their culture. Given the level of sophistication in implementing a safety and health
program, the benefits these long-time SHARP employers receive from OR-OSHA monitoring is minimal. As
such, Oregon has implemented a pilot program to "graduate" employers from SHARP. This "graduation"
will allow OR-OSHA to focus its resources on companies that are in need of more basic safety and
health assistance.
Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rico Voluntary Protection Programs have approved nine VPP sites
in the electronics, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. On Feb. 27, 2004, the program approved
the first agricultural industry, Monsanto Caribe, LLC to the Guanín Award, equivalent to the Star Award,
under the VPP Program.
The first company participation of the SHARP Cooperative Program is the Clendo Reference Laboratory.
The company’s participation was approved June 24, 2004.
South Carolina
South Carolina has now approved 48 Star sites and two SHARP sites. There continues to be increased
interest and activity in these programs. One goal is to add two SHARP sites a year. Seven companies
have been recognized as Super Star sites; these sites are current Palmetto Star sites that have
successfully completed one three-year re-evaluation and continue to reduce TCIR and DART rates. The
sites must also complete a thorough self-evaluation to assess improvements in the its safety and
health system. A Palmetto Star "Best Practices" workshop was conducted for current Palmetto Star
sites to discuss best practices that have been implemented at their facilities. This provided a
great opportunity for current VPP sites to learn from each other and help make their workplaces as
safe as possible. A workshop is planned for the last quarter of the year for companies interested in
becoming Palmetto Star sites.
Tennessee
Tennessee OSHA began its VPP efforts in 1991, with the Volunteer Star Program. Interest in the
program continues to grow as current members network with their peers and communicate the value of
the Volunteer Star Program. The Volunteer Star Program currently has 18 members, including two sites
added and three sites recertified during 2004. The Tennessee OSHA Safety and Health Achievement
Recognition Program (SHARP) has nine participants. Two new employers were added to this program and
seven were recertified during 2004.
Utah
Voluntary programs continue to grow in Utah. During 2004, two companies were
approved for VPP (one Star and one Merit) and one company was re-approved for Star. Utah actively
participates in the VPPPA, VPP initiatives led by federal OSHA and Region VIII VPP activities.
Utah’s VPP manager wrote an article for the VPPPA magazine that discussed the challenges of managing
VPP programs in state-plan states with limited resources.
Vermont
During the past year, Vermont OSHA (VOSHA) has accomplished the following:
- conducted two VPP on-site visits and approved both for VPP participation;
- set up its own VPP for construction; and
- participated with Region 1 in VPP Challenge (the controlling company is in New York; however,
there are two sites in Vermont).
Washington
Washington recognized its first VPP site in 1996, and currently has 10 VPP sites, including a
construction site. The most recent recipient, Utility Vault Auburn, makes precast concrete products
for the construction industry. It is a division of an international building materials group
headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. They are the first precast facility in the United States to earn
the VPP distinction. WISHA has a VPP Web site with information about all its VPP sites, plus
information and instructions for interested applicants. It is online at www.lni.wa.gov/safety/topics/atoz/vpp/default.asp.
Wyoming
Wyoming offers three workplace recognition and assistance programs for state employers.
- Cowboy Voluntary Protection Program – Wyoming started fiscal-year 2004 with two participants in
the Cowboy Voluntary Protection Program (CVPP): ChevronTexaco’s Painter Reservoir gas plant and its
Carter Creek gas plant, both in Evanston, Wyo. In June 2004, two new Cowboy Star sites were
approved: the Georgia Pacific Gypsum Plant (first manufacturing site) in Lovell, Wyo., and G.M.
Stewart Construction Company (first construction company) in Evanston, Wyo. In July, Wyoming’s fifth
CVPP site was added: Xanterra Parks and Resorts in Yellowstone National Park, approved as a Merit
site. Xanterra is the first and only national park resort operator to be approved in VPP. In
addition, the ChevronTexaco Carter Creek plant was renewed for another three years as a Cowboy Star
site.
- Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) – In fiscal-year 2004, nine new
participants were added to consultation’s pre-eminent recognition program, SHARP. Wyoming ended the
year with 45 companies in SHARP, a 25 percent growth.
- Employers Voluntary Technical Assistance Program (EVTAP) – EVTAP has been a Wyoming program for
more than 20 years, established to provide assistance to those state companies that wish to put
together and implement a health and safety program in the workplace. EVTAP began the year with 72
members and experienced excellent growth by year-end, with 23 new participants. Five companies
progressed through EVTAP and became SHARP participants. At the end of fiscal-year 2004, 83 companies
were working with Wyoming’s program.
Partnerships and alliances
Arizona
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) alliances
provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with ADOSH for
purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication, and promoting a national dialogue
about workplace safety and health. These alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both ADOSH and
its alliance participants.
California
Cal/OSHA, federal OSHA, the KFM Joint Venture and the District Council of Ironworkers/California
Ironworker Employers Council have forged a safety and health partnership that gives Cal/OSHA and
federal OSHA greater access to the San Francisco Bay Bridge project worksite in return for a
compliance assistance role. The agreement has not yet been signed, but the parties are working in a
compliance assistance mode.
The project, to replace the cantilever section of the bridge because of seismic instability, has an
excellent safety record. There have been no fatalities, serious injuries or hospitalizations during
the historic and complex replacement of the eastern span of the bridge. KFM has corrected any safety
problems pointed out by Cal/OSHA without any hesitation.
Cal/OSHA’s presence has resulted in at least 60 violative conditions being corrected. The intent of
Cal/OSHA is to have violations corrected immediately, to prevent accidents.
The agreement will also simplify jurisdictional issues between Cal/OSHA and federal OSHA relating to
bridge construction. For example, cranes on barges on the water would be under federal OSHA
jurisdiction while stationary cranes are under Cal/OSHA jurisdiction. Cal/OSHA requires crane
certification; federal OSHA does not require such certification. The agreement provides that both
state and federal inspectors will respond to incidents occurring on the project, eliminating
confusion about jurisdictional issues and applicable regulations.
Cal/OSHA has also signed a partnership agreement with the Korean Immigrant Workers Association/Low
Wage Advisory Board.
Compliance assistance
Extensive bark beetle infestation, coupled with the fires in mountainous areas such as Lake
Arrowhead and Big Bear, Calif., caused extensive damage to thousands of trees in Southern
California, necessitating their removal for purposes of public safety. Many of the damaged trees
were unstable and prone to falling on people, power lines and structures in residential and
commercial areas. Other trees needed to be removed to allow restoration of damaged telephone lines,
cable and electrical lines. Last year’s Southern California fires covered more than half a million
acres, caused 16 fatalities, destroyed approximately 2,300 homes and other structures, and caused
billions of dollars in damage. Cal/OSHA participated in recovery activities
by inspecting and evaluating work practices and providing technical expertise and compliance
assistance to those contractors unfamiliar with California regulations.
The location and condition of damaged trees that needed to be removed made it difficult and
hazardous for tree workers to access them by conventional methods, such as by climbing or use of
aerial devices. As a result, Cal/OSHA proposed an emergency temporary standard that would allow
qualified tree workers to be hoisted safely into trees by cranes, under specified conditions.
Cal/OSHA also took an active role in the training of employers and employees about these procedures,
following adoption of the emergency temporary standard. The standard has now been adopted as a
permanent standard.
Cal/OSHA had 11 meetings with contractors and subcontractors to share findings and concerns, met
with management teams from utility companies, had 14 training sessions and conducted 19 enforcement
investigations.
Connecticut
Connecticut has signed two new alliances that should have a direct effect on the strategic plan
"Identified high-hazard industries," State and Local Highway and Street Maintenance and Repair.
The first alliance is with the University of Connecticut, Transportation Institute, that provides
comprehensive training programs to those industries. The second alliance is with the Connecticut
Highway and Street Supervisor’s Association (CHSSA), a professional organization dedicated to
bringing best practices and quality training to its members.
Indiana
The Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) continued to pursue a partnership
with the UAW and Visteon Corporation, Indianapolis facility, and expects the agreement will be executed
in 2005.
IDOL entered into a partnership with the St. Joseph Valley Project’s Worker Rights Call Center and
also pursued an expansion of the agreement to include the South Bend Human Rights Commission and the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The partnership offers toll-free assistance to
employees in English, Spanish and Polish.
Kentucky
Fiscal-year 2004 represented the first full year of the Kentucky Construction
Partnership Program. Through this partnership program with the Associated General Contractors of
Kentucky (AGC), the Kentucky program was influential in developing AGC’s safety committee.
Kentucky also entered into an agreement for a construction partnership for phase two of the
Churchill Downs construction project.
Maryland
During fiscal-year 2004, Maryland formed its first alliance with the Independent
Electrical Contractors-Chesapeake. This alliance promotes safe and healthful working conditions for
electrical contractors’ employees.
Maryland has continued to expand its Cooperative Compliance Partnership (CCP) program. The program
had been offered to construction companies only. During fiscal-year 2004, the program was expanded
to include general-industry companies. The first General Industry Cooperative Compliance Partnership
was entered into with Paul Reed Smith Guitars. Three new construction cooperative compliance
partnerships were entered into during fiscal-year 2004: Cherry Hill Construction at the MTA Light
Rail project; Whiting-Turner at the Sheppard Enoch Pratt Hospital Renovation/Addition project; and
Bovis Lend Lease at the Holy Cross Hospital Renovation/Addition project.
Michigan
In fiscal-year 2004, Michigan renewed its partnership agreement with the UAW,
Ford Motor Company and Visteon Corporation. The primary goals of the partnership continue to not only
reduce injuries and illnesses at each location, but also to create a proactive safety and health culture,
and a non-adversarial relationship that emphasizes cooperation. This fiscal year, Michigan conducted
seven MIOSHA Days.
The MIOSHA alliance program was officially launched this fiscal year. Two formal alliances were
signed, one with the Michigan Road Builders Association and the second with the Great Lakes
Fabricators & Erectors Association, Ironworkers Local Union #25 and Operating Engineers Local Union
#324.
Minnesota
MNOSHA Compliance has signed partnerships with the Association of General Contractors and the
National Association of Tower Erectors. MNOSHA is working cooperatively with all members of federal
Region V to establish a joint partnership with Ford Motor Company. MNOSHA Workplace Safety
Consultation has numerous informal alliances with various entities. In fiscal-year 2004, these
alliances will be formalized through signed agreements.
During fiscal-year 2004, in keeping with MNOSHA’s efforts to support and strengthen relationships
with organizations that represent safety and health best practices, MNOSHA signed the Minnesota
Machine Guarding Partnership. This partnership targets high-hazard industries that have a history of
serious injuries and illnesses.
Nevada
Nevada’s Safety Consultation and Training Section developed an informal alliance with the University
Medical Center to jointly conduct workplace violence awareness training. As a result of the joint
training, new workplace violence procedures and a safety assistance team to react to incidents have
been instituted. Additionally, physical controls were implemented or budgeted to protect the
employees in high-hazard areas.
The Safety Consultation and Training Section has worked with the Employment Education Outreach (EMPLEO)
group to reach more of the recent immigrants and, particularly, the Hispanic community. EMPLEO is an
alliance of employer, labor, community organizations, consulates, and federal, state and local
governmental agencies dedicated to educating both employers and employees – especially recent
immigrants – in Southern Nevada about regulatory issues and rights and responsibilities in the
American workplace. A hot line was developed; cross-training was conducted for the service groups;
and training of employers was conducted. This is to be expanded to more employee outreach and
training.
Nevada has an ongoing effort with the Nevada Small Business Development Center (NSBDC). Nevada’s
Safety Consultation and Training Section conducted training programs and NSBDC advertised them. The
NSBDC established an online registration for easy access to register for the programs Safety
Consultation and Training Section offers.
Nevada continues its partnering/alliance effort with the National Association of Minority
Contractors (NAMC). The Safety Consultation and Training Section conducts a 10-hour construction
course as part of the overall training NAMC provides.
Nevada is also working with the state’s Risk Management Division to enhance safety awareness for
state employees, who are able to attend any programs on Nevada’s quarterly training schedules. To
better leverage limited resources, Nevada conducts an eight-hour state safety supervisor course that
all state supervisors attend and an advanced program about workplace evaluation and management
tools.
North Carolina
North Carolina has partnerships with the Carolinas Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association,
Inc., Management of Environmental Safety and Health Program, North Carolina Forestry Association and
the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina. Alliances have been established with the American
Meat Institute, American Textile Manufacturer’s Institute, Boat People S.O.S., Inc. and Patterson &
Wilder Construction Co., Inc.
Oregon
At any given time, Oregon OSHA has about 20 active stakeholder collaborations and
partnerships. Major revisions of standards are always undertaken with the involvement of a stakeholder
committee, conferences are planned in partnership with various industry groups and new training initiatives
often involve stakeholders.
One of the longest running and most active partnership committees in Oregon is the Forest Activities
Advisory Committee. This committee of logging employers and employees, state and federal forestry
agencies, industry associations, academia, equipment manufacturers and Oregon OSHA employees
successfully drafted a plain-language forest activities standard that addresses Oregon-specific
forest activities. Following that project, the committee began work to address wild land fire
fighting, danger trees and tree climbing.
Also of note, the "502" Committee was formed to develop practical approaches to fall protection for
construction processes where fall protection has been traditionally viewed as infeasible. The
committee has published a guide for safely setting trusses in construction. Three Oregon truss
manufacturers are now including the guide with all of their shipments.
Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rico state program and federal OSHA signed an agreement with Johnson
& Johnson (J&J) Feb. 22, 2004, to establish a cooperative effort aimed at developing policies,
practices and processes designed to reduce the incidence and severity of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
associated with the performance of job tasks posing ergonomic risk factors. J&J enters this OSHA
Strategic Partnership (OSP) to work with OSHA and PR OSHA to identify best practices for the development
and implementation of successful ergonomics programs and guidelines. These best practices will be shared
among all J&J facilities, employers and employees in related industries, and with the public, as
appropriate.
The agreement establishing an alliance between OSHA, PR OSHA and the Department of Professional
Development and Continuing Education of the Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of
Puerto Rico (CIAPR, for its Spanish acronym) was signed Sept. 9, 2004, to achieve training and
education programs about occupational safety and health issues focusing on construction-industry
hazards such as falls, electrical, struck by, and caught by and in between.
Two alliances for Puerto Rico OSHA were signed Dec. 20, 2004. One was with Abbott Puerto Rico
Operations with the commitment to develop information and increase access to training resources for
small and mid-sized contractors in the construction industry. An important goal is to translate and
deliver in Spanish the 10-hour construction course to small and mid-sized contractors.
The other alliance was signed with the Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, and the
American Industrial Hygiene Association, Puerto Rico Chapter. This alliance has the goal to provide
students and AIHA members with information and training resources that will help them to protect
employees of occupational hazards.
South Carolina
South Carolina entered into an alliance with The Overhead Power Line Safety Coordination Committee
on April 15, 2005. This was the first alliance for South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health.
This group includes representatives from electric utilities, SCDOT, Carolinas AGC and private
businesses, all sharing a concern for the prevention of overhead power line contact accidents and
fatalities.
Utah
Utah established it first strategic partnership with a local general contractor for the construction
of a medical facility at the University of Utah medical complex. The general contractor reports a
marked improvement in subcontractor attitude toward safety and health as a result of the
partnership.
Vermont
During the past year, VOSHA has accomplished the following:
- formed alliances with Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Utilities for Electrical Education;
and
- continued alliances with Vermont Agency of Transportation, with focus on workzone safety.
Washington
In February 2005, Washington had its first Agriculture Safety Day, which drew
a crowd of 260 agriculture employers, workers, supervisors, and safety and health professionals to Yakima,
Wash., for a day of safety and health training. Jointly sponsored by the Governor’s Industrial Safety and
Health Advisory Board, the Washington State Farm Bureau and the Department of Labor and Industries,
and with support from the United Farm Workers, the conference focused on topics such as the
cholinesterase-monitoring rule, recordkeeping and eye/ladder/tractor safety.
Experts from Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries, University of Washington, Department
of Agriculture and Washington State University presented the information. Panel discussions included
health care providers, workers and agricultural employers. The workshops and panel discussions were
offered in English and Spanish; about one-third of the participants attended the Spanish
presentations. Planning is already underway for the second Agriculture Safety Day, slated for
February 2006 in Yakima.
Training and education initiatives
Arizona
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) continued to
offer top quality hazard recognition training to more than 3,000 employers and conducted training to
more than 4,500 employees. Its three trainers continued to provide training services throughout the
state of Arizona. Participation from employers in rural areas increased significantly during 2003.
Many of the responses provided to ADOSH concerning training sessions have been overwhelmingly
appreciative of the agency’s efforts to bring the services out to the rural areas of Arizona.
Connecticut
Connecticut continues to provide consultation and training to public-sector and private-sector
employers, employees and professional groups. CONN-OSHA has committed to providing 25 percent of its
resources to industries identified as high hazard in the public-sector strategic plan and supports
the federal Department of Labor area office local-emphasis programs and initiatives through
training, outreach and consultation. Connecticut has undertaken a challenge to provide four teachers
from each of its 19 vocational/technical schools with a 40-hour outreach course to enable the
teachers to provide 10-hour courses to each student before the student enters the workforce.
Indiana
Construction and general-industry safety courses were conducted by OTI in Indianapolis in an effort
to cross-train Indiana staff members.
All Indiana OSHA (IOSHA) compliance officers attended an ergonomics course in Indianapolis,
conducted by the OTI.
Maryland
Maryland continues to develop ways to improve and conduct extensive training sessions for employers
and employees. New seminars – Construction Site Safety II, Controlling Electrical Hazards, Health
and Safety on the Web, and Scaffolding – were developed and presented to the public.
Another new program that was obtained by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) program
was the Youth at Work: Talking Safety train-the-trainer curriculum developed by the Young Workers
Resource Center at the University of California at Berkeley. MOSH successfully obtained acceptance
into the university’s grant program; the center came to Maryland to present the curriculum in two
sessions to educators throughout the state. Through this program, MOSH was able to obtain the
Maryland-specific curriculum and presented the program two additional times through its regular
seminar schedule.
To affect the youth outreach portion of the strategic plan, letters were sent to 218 high schools
and vocational centers in the state during fiscal-year 2003. The letter offered MOSH services at
each facility to present information regarding safety in the workplace to students. Historically,
MOSH had a presence at approximately four vocational schools in the Baltimore area. Since the
mailing of the letter in 2003, that presence increased to 17 schools across the state in fiscal-year
2004. MOSH will send similar letters during 2005 to schools that were not reached through the first
mailing. There is still a great deal of outreach to be accomplished in this area; however, MOSH has
shown a drastic improvement in outreach toward the youth working population.
Michigan
In Michigan, the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division focuses
its outreach efforts on those companies with the greatest need. Michigan is required to report its
CET activities annually to the Michigan Legislature. During this fiscal year, 21 (d) and 23 (g)
consultants provided the following outreach services: 4,439 safety and health consultations; 579 hazard
surveys; and 2,163 workshops, seminars, apprentice training sessions and special programs. The total
number of attendees for the CET programs was 12,144 employers and 16,542 employees. CET also
distributed 364,187 pieces of safety and health literature.
CET initiatives are part of the MIOSHA strategic plan. CET initiatives are customized activities
developed and delivered to employers and employees in response to significant changes in MIOSHA
standards or emerging safety and health issues. In fiscal-year 2004, the CET Division: provided
outreach activities to promote asbestos awareness through 21 half-day workshops; conducted 78 site
visits to bedliner applications, which provided information about the health hazards and offered
hazard surveys; and provided 272 companies with requested excavation training for 2,098 workers.
Minnesota
In recognition of the hazards present in the industry, Minnesota continues
to conduct its bimonthly Construction Breakfast seminars. The events allow participants to stay current
with worksite safety issues, while providing an opportunity to meet and interact with MNOSHA staff
members in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Topics covered during fiscal-year 2004 included cold weather
hazards, construction fatalities, forklift safety, residential fall protection and lead. Total attendance
at the breakfasts during this period was 653 participants; including employers, employees, union
officials, consultants and insurance loss-control representatives. Overall, MNOSHA staff members
gave 125 outreach presentations during fiscal-year 2004, reaching 5,077 individuals. The subjects
varied widely and included: hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER), nursing
home compliance and lockout/tagout.
Another high-hazard industry that receives special attention from MNOSHA is logging. The LogSafe
program provides loggers with the opportunity to attend a free, eight-hour safety seminar annually.
By attending the seminar and showing proof of current workers’ compensation insurance, an employer
is eligible for a rebate on its insurance premiums. This program is financed through a fee assessed
to sawmills, based on the number of cords of wood its purchases or produces more than 5,000. The
LogSafe program also operates a small video lending program to the public and provides on-site
consultation.
Nevada
In an effort to increase awareness of safety and health hazards and what is needed to control
hazards, Nevada conducted 384 formal training sessions, reaching 8,340
participants, using 74 different programs. Of these, 27 formal training sessions – reaching 886
participants and using 11 different programs – were conducted in Spanish. Some of the programs
presented include: Introduction to OSHA, Bloodborne Pathogens Awareness, Confined Space Awareness,
Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/tagout, Fall Protection, Hazard Communication, Injury and
Illness Recordkeeping, Powered Industrial Trucks and Written Workplace Safety Program. Continuing
education units are available through a partnering effort with the state’s community colleges. The
training conducted concentrated on high-hazard industries or targeted areas.
Nevada’s Safety Consultation and Training Section has a safety and health video lending library for
Nevada employers. During the past year, 30,531 individuals have viewed these videos.
Nevada continues to produce Spanish and English videos and pamphlets about rights and
responsibilities.
New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) Public
Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Program continues to respond to the needs of
public employers and employees by developing model written plans and guidelines such as the
Bloodborne pathogens standard model exposure control plan, the Public employer’s
guide and model written program for the hazard communication standard and
Computer workstation guidelines. The plans and guidelines were developed
to reflect recent regulatory changes. New Jersey has also published numerous information bulletins to
familiarize public employers and employees with the requirements of health standards. Bulletin topics
included PEOSH adopts the hazard communication standard, Mold in the workplace,
Hazardous materials regulations for New Jersey emergency responders and
Renovation and construction in schools.
NJDHSS offers a variety of occupational health training sessions in response to concerns about
workplace hazards. The NJDHSS PEOSH Education and Training Project presented training about:
asbestos awareness and lead-based paint; bioterrorism and personal protective equipment; hazards of
bird and pigeon droppings; bloodborne pathogens; custodial hazards; public work health hazards;
ergonomics; the hazard communication standard; hazardous materials awareness; health and safety
committees; hearing conservation; indoor air quality; mold in the workplace; outdoor work health
hazards; personal protective equipment; renovation and construction in schools; and respiratory
protection and fit testing. New Jersey continues to distribute occupational health literature and
provide consultation by participating in numerous conventions and conferences. To provide public
employers and employees with up-to-date information, NJDHSS PEOSH maintains a Web site at www.nj.gov/health/eoh/peoshweb
that contains PEOSH publications, regulations and training notification.
New York
New York continues to respond to the needs of public employers and small private employers by
developing model written plans, such as the bloodborne pathogen, exposure control and permit
required confined space plans. These plans, which are now available in an electronic fillable
format, are distributed on CD upon request.
The Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) Bureau and the 21D On-Site Consultation Bureau
co-sponsored numerous Employee Injury Prevention in Long Term Care conferences throughout New York
state, which focused on major causes and prevention strategies of employee injuries. Nationally
renowned speakers presented cost/benefit information pertaining to ergonomic zero-lift policies and
how to begin to implement such policies in the workplace. Other conference topics included slips,
trips and falls, and an update about the changes to the recordkeeping regulation.
These bureaus also conducted several OSHA 10-hour construction training courses for New York State
Department of Transportation employees and their contractors and the New York State Office of
General Services employees. Three courses about job hazard analysis and accident prevention were
also specially designed and conducted for the New York Power Authority. PESH also coordinated with
numerous town and village highway departments, providing conference-style safety training sessions
to employees and their supervisors. Vendors were invited to these conferences to display safety
equipment and supplement training.
North Carolina
North Carolina has developed and conducts state specific 10-hour and 30-hour awareness workshops.
The OSH Division conducts two 30-hour construction workshops and two 30-hour general industry
workshops a year. This training effort is augmented by an average of eight to nine 10-hour workshops
for both construction and general industry, and spearheaded by the Education, Training, and
Technical Assistance Bureau (ETTA).
Specific training initiatives have been targeted for the fast-growing Spanish-speaking workforce.
This includes construction forums about prevention of workplace fatalities by addressing electrical,
struck-by, caught in between and fall hazards. The emphasis directed toward the Hispanic population
is managed by the Hispanic outreach coordinator position that was established by the North Carolina
General Assembly in 2004.
Oregon
Oregon OSHA’s PESO training program is an easy-to-use tool for employers to deliver job safety
training to Hispanic workers. The materials in each module are provided in both English and Spanish.
The modules are designed for two-sided copying, so the English text and graphics are on the left
side and the Spanish text and graphics are on the right side. The module "Cultures, Languages &
Safety" shows how to deliver effective training to Hispanic workers. The materials are available on
OR-OSHA’s Web site at www.orosha.org.
Safe Jobs/Smart Business initiative – Oregon OSHA has a partnership with ASSE to purchase display
stands that are being strategically placed in building supply businesses to provide outreach to
small employers that may have never had an opportunity to learn about Oregon OSHA and its service.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico OSHA continues to deliver training and conference sessions open to general audiences in
towns throughout the island. Information about each session is published in the newspaper to reach
and benefit a higher number of employers, employees, students and the general public. Some topics of
the training sessions are: How to Develop and Maintain an Effective Safety and Health Program;
Safety and Health in the Construction Industry; Fall Protection; Employees Involvement in the Safety
and Health Program.
Puerto Rico emphasizes training to employers employing fewer than 100 employees. As part of its
strategic plan, PR OSHA has chosen auto repair and body shops as a target industry. These employers
receive preference for consultation visits and training. Puerto Rico OSHA also developed a booklet
of safety and health guidelines related to the selected industry.
South Carolina
An OSHA 30-hour general industry class was conducted for the first time, with 37 participants. South
Carolina Occupational Safety and Health (SCOSH) Voluntary Programs (OVP) will be working with
the state’s Long Term Care Association to conduct an eight-hour course about topics specific to the
industry. Participants will be awarded continuing education credits (CEUs); three additional classes
have been planned throughout the state. OVP has one staff member participating on the state’s
Hispanic task-force, which is providing training and education to employers and employees about the
hazards of falls, trenching, electrical and being struck-by. OVP continues to actively participate
with the Logging Association and the South Carolina Forestry Association in workshops throughout the
state.
Tennessee
Tennessee OSHA continued to use senior compliance officers and senior consultants to deliver
seminars and presentations to more than 7,000 people during 2004.
Utah
Through compliance assistance, Utah is working with the Utah Local
Governments Trust, a public agency insurance mutual designed specifically for government agencies,
including cities, towns, counties, special service districts and school districts, to provide
assistance and training to the public sector about Utah Occupational Safety and Health regulations.
Vermont
During the past year, VOSHA has accomplished the following training and education initiatives:
- conducted an accident investigation seminar with the Maine Department of Transportation; and
- formed an agreement with a local technical school to provide 10-hour training for students.
Virginia
Virginia’s Consultation Program conducts formal training programs across the state by working in
cooperation with various associations and groups. The department added a full-time training
coordinator in November 2003, and developed a training calendar to offer courses about Virginia
Occupational Safety and Health standards at various locations throughout the commonwealth.
The ninth Annual Occupational Safety and Health Conference was in Roanoke, Va., in June. More than
340 attendees and 40 vendors participated in the 2004 conference.
Washington
Washington continues to expand its use of the Internet and other electronic media in delivering
safety information and training. WISHA has online interactive courses in many areas, including
forklift safety, flagging safety, ergonomics awareness, noise exposure, engineering controls to
reduce needlestick injuries, fall protection, respiratory protection, noise exposure, confined
spaces, concrete pumpers, ladder safety and lawn mower safety. In an effort to better communicate
and share workplace safety and health information with Spanish language communities, WISHA launched
a Spanish version of the WISHA Web site in 2002.
In partnership with the construction industry, WISHA developed online videos for residential
construction about siding, roofing and framing safety. All of these are available on the Web in
English and Spanish. WISHA has now added online videos for back injury prevention, ergonomics
awareness, nursing home hazards and solutions, and preventing road rage (aggressive driving).
The newest online resources are "training kits" to provide employers with materials and information
needed to meet WISHA safety and health training requirements. Each kit includes PowerPoint
presentations and other materials with detailed instructions about how to present the training.
Topics include silica and lead in construction, respirator safety, chemical hazard communication,
hearing protection and ergonomics awareness education.
Two recent preventable deaths in the construction industry prompted Washington’s Department of Labor
and Industries to issue a hazard alert to roofing and construction contractors reminding them of the
dangers of unguarded openings. The hazard alert is online at www.lni.wa.gov/safety/basics/hazalerts,
along with notices about other potentially fatal workplace hazards.
The lack of relatively simple precautions on rooftop worksites led to the deaths of the two workers;
WISHA is warning contractors to head off such tragedies that are so easy to avoid. WISHA regulations
require that skylights, roof openings and floor openings be properly covered or guarded at all
times. In August 2004, a worker on a commercial construction site died after falling 29 feet through
a skylight opening. In September 2004, a residential construction worker suffered fatal injuries
after he fell 15 feet through an unguarded roof opening. Four contractors were cited a total of
$132,600 for exposing the workers to fall hazards.
Since 1998, eight construction workers in Washington state have died after falling through unguarded
skylights, roof openings and floor openings. When people are focused on their work, it’s easy to
lose track of something they know is there, such as a hole in the roof – that is why it is so
important to be relentless about safety. Warning workers to "be careful" is not an effective safety
restraint. A few minutes of work to cover the roof openings would have prevented the workers’
deaths.
Wyoming
Wyoming has a strong safety and health training program, reaching more than 2,100 people through
almost 100 training presentations or seminars. Several training programs were developed for specific
workforce segments:
- Three-Day Collateral Duty Health and Safety Program for personnel having safety duties in addition
to their primary duties;
- Management Excellence Seminar directed toward corporate officers and business owners to
demonstrate the value of safety efforts, which can reduce workers’ compensation premiums and
increase profits, as well as providing other benefits; and
- construction safety programs for general construction, excavations, scaffolding, fall protection,
residential and roofing operations.
The value of Wyoming’s continued training and enforcement activities in construction
can be shown in the reduced number of excavation fatalities that occurred in the past 21 years. During the
1980s – from 1983 through 1990 – there were six trenching fatalities; in the 1990s, there were four; from
2001 through 2004, there were none.
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