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Voluntary protection programs 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 its 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. California California OSHA (Cal/OSHA) offers four programs that recognize employers with exemplary safety and health programs and employers that are working toward achieving such goals. California had 126 new employers that received some form of recognition for safety and health achievements during federal fiscal-year 2005. Cal/OSHA accepted 72 new applications for the entry-level recognition program – the Golden Gate. Cal/OSHA also awarded 50 SHARP (five fixed worksites and 45 construction) and four Golden States – Cal/OSHA’s leadership-level partnership. Eight new VPP site applications were submitted. Cal/OSHA enrolled five new VPP applicants and are evaluating nine existing VPP sites for extension. Many construction contractors want to receive recognition for their safety and health achievements, but are not quite ready for the leadership level of Golden State. However, Consultation has been individually evaluating construction worksites using the criteria in SHARP, plus some additional multi-employer requirements. This process then prepares the worksites for recognition under the requirements of Golden State. The Consultation area offices have seen a marked improvement in housekeeping, scaffolding, electrical and the use of fall protection. Connecticut Connecticut OSHA (CONN-OSHA) continues to support and encourage small business in the state to participate in and achieve Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status. The state currently has seven SHARP sites, with two more moving toward achieving SHARP status. CONN-OSHA also attended the Region 1 SHARP luncheon this year in Rhode Island. Indiana In Indiana, five employers achieved VPP status in 2005. Kentucky In 2005, Kentucky raised three new VPP Star flags. The mentoring of 12 sites occurred and many matches for mentoring were made Promising Star in Kentucky. Kentucky also awarded two more SHARP certifications. Maryland Maryland approved the recertification process of the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems site in fiscal-year 2004 for an additional five years and initially certified Northrop Grumman Advanced Technologies Laboratory in fiscal-year 2005 for three years. Performance Pipe was certified in fiscal-year 2006 for four years; FritoLay of Aberdeen is scheduled to be recertified next year. Michigan Michigan awarded its first Star flag in 1999. In fiscal-year 2005, three Star, one Rising Star and two SHARP awards were celebrated. As of Sept. 30, 2005, Michigan OSHA had awarded MVPP status to 21 sites and SHARP recognition to four sites. Minnesota By federal fiscal-year 2005, Minnesota had awarded 19 MNSHARP and 14 MNSTAR sites. Nevada Nevada OSHA currently has three VPP Star sites in its program and continues to work with interested employers throughout the state. North Carolina North Carolina initiated the Carolina Star program in 1993. There are currently 82 Carolina Star sites. Included under the Carolina Star umbrella is Building Star, which recognizes construction worksites that have quality safety and health programs, and Public Sector Star, which recognizes state agencies and local governments. The state also has 41 active SHARP sites. Oregon Oregon OSHA (OR-OSHA) continues to use its SHARP program to help employers more effectively manage workplace health and safety. As of September 2005, Oregon had 23 SHARP graduates, 77 current SHARP employers and 73 additional companies working toward SHARP. In addition, OR-OSHA has SHARP Partnership Agreements with four employers that have multiple sites, enabling these larger employers to use SHARP tools to become more successful at managing workplace health and safety. This unique approach makes use of the resources available to larger companies as they work with OR-OSHA Consultation toward self-sufficiency. Employer self-sufficiency is one of the 2006 through 2010 strategic goals. As of September 2005, Oregon had eight VPP sites, six Star and two Merit, with an additional deferred approval site working to complete some 90-day items before becoming the ninth Oregon VPP site. Puerto Rico In Puerto Rico during fiscal-year 2005, three VPP sites were evaluated and their participation in the Guanín or Cemí Program was approved. Caribe GE International Electrical Meters from San Germán was evaluated in December 2004, and its participation in the Guanín level was approved in June 2005. Chevron Phillips Chemical PR Core from Guayama was re-evaluated in October 2004, and its participation from the Cemí to the Guanín Program was approved in February 2005. Positronic Caribe, Inc. from Ponce was evaluated in February 2005, and its participation in the Cemí Program was approved in June 2005. Three new VPP applications were received: Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Barceloneta; Caribe GE Manufacturing, LLC, Vieques; and Bristol Myers Squibb, Mayagüez Operations. The participation of a nursing home known as Jardín de Oro was approved in the SHARP in September 2005. 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 22 members, including four sites added and five sites recertified during 2005. The Tennessee OSHA Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) has 10 participants. Three new employers were added to this program and seven were recertified during 2005. Utah Voluntary programs continue to grow in Utah. During 2005, two VPP Star companies were recertified and one company was upgraded from Merit to Star. Utah actively participates in the VPPPA, VPP initiatives led by OSHA National Office and Region VIII VPP activities. Vermont Vermont OSHA (VOSHA) has two VPP sites and is working with three other companies on VPP applications. VOSHA has a Construction VPP with one applicant. VOSHA is also participating in the VPP Challenge. Virginia The Virginia VPP continued to see increased participation from Virginia employers, certifying eight new VPP sites and five new SHARP sites in 2004 through 2005. Washington Washington recognized its first VPP site in 1996, and currently has 28 VPP sites, including 14 large-scale residential construction projects. About 20 more companies are in various stages of the application process. Washington has a VPP Web site at www.lni.wa.gov/safety/topics/atoz/vpp. Quadrant Homes, a subdivision of the Weyerhaeuser Corporation, is the first residential construction company in Washington state and the nation to be awarded the prestigious VPP Star award. Quadrant and all 14 of its residential development sites located in the Puget Sound area received state and national recognition for excellence in workplace safety and health programs. Since beginning the VPP, Quadrant Homes has had an 89 percent decrease in severity of employee-related injuries and accidents. Another VPP company, Welco Lumber, one of the largest western red cedar manufacturers in the United States, reduced its workers’ compensation direct costs by 92 percent in the first two years after VPP approval. Wyoming Wyoming offers three workplace recognition and assistance programs for state employers.
Alaska Alaska Occupational Safety and Health (AKOSH) devotes substantial resources to its Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), and currently has 11 SHARP sites and eight VPP sites. This represents a 30 percent increase in VPP sites in 2005. Alaska has four partnerships in place:
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 Employment education and outreach (EMPLEO) California’s Employment Education and Outreach (EMPLEO) program was established as an alliance to provide Hispanic employees and employers with information about federal and state workplace laws. This partnership is two-fold – helping workers know what rights and protections they have and helping employers know what resources they have available to them. Partners in the EMPLEO program include the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division; OSHA; the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement; Cal/OSHA; the consulates of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica; the regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and the Coalition of Human Immigration Rights in Los Angeles. San Francisco Bay Bridge – DOSH/Kiewit/FCI/Manson (KFM) joint venture While functioning in a compliance assistance mode, Cal/OSHA identified approximately 240 bridge construction hazards. Cal/OSHA subsequently notified KFM of the hazards via letter and received written verification from KFM that most of the hazards identified, excluding those rare instances in which specialized design and/or engineering was required, had been corrected immediately. The new span of the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge has been constructed thus far without an incidence of serious injury or a fatal event, which is commendable for a high-hazard construction project of this magnitude. Connecticut Connecticut OSHA (CONN-OSHA) currently has training alliances with:
The Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) entered into seven partnership agreements: Duke-Simon; MICCs; Indianan Stadium and Convention Center; Indianapolis Airport Mid-field Terminal; Indiana Chamber; Elkhart Chamber; Indiana Manufactures Association. Kentucky During fiscal-year 2005, Kentucky’s Partnership Program continued to make new strides by completing partnerships through the Churchill Downs Master Plan Phase II Project in May 2005. The Construction Partnership Program continued its association-based partnerships with the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Kentucky and the Western Kentucky Construction Association, as well as the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) with the Ohio Valley Chapter and the Kentuckiana Chapter. The AGC is involved in the Construction Health and Safety Excellence (CHASE) partnership and the ABC is involved in the Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) partnership. Next fiscal-year, Kentucky’s Construction Partnership Program is planning to enter into a site-based partnership with Messer Construction at the Memorial Coliseum Addition and Renovation on the University of Kentucky campus. Also, Kentucky is planning on submitting a state-plan change to implement a demonstration project for the Voluntary Protection Program for Construction (VPPC) during fiscal-year 2006. Maryland During fiscal-year 2005, Maryland continued its alliance with the Independent Electrical Contractors Association and will be working on three additional alliances in fiscal-year 2006. Maryland continues to expand its Cooperative Compliance Partnership (CCP) program. Originally limited to construction companies, in fiscal-year 2004, one manufacturing company (Paul Reed Smith Guitars) was added and remains an ongoing site. MOSH continues to limit the CCP effort to construction companies due to limited resources. Bovis-Lend Lease continues as a CCP site at Holy Cross Hospital Renovation/Addition. Four new construction cooperative compliance partnerships were entered into during fiscal-year 2005: G.A. & F.C. Wagman, Inc. at the Woodrow Bridge project; Whiting-Turner Contracting Company at the Carroll Lutheran Village; Whiting-Turner Contracting Company at the Rockville Town Square; and Poole & Kent An Emcor Company at the Ashburton Filtration Plant project. Michigan On Jan. 12, 2005, Walbridge Aldinger, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG), the Greater Detroit Building and Trades Council and MIOSHA signed a historic partnership to ensure the safety and health of workers on a large and complex construction project. Walbridge Aldinger, the Detroit-based, worldwide, full-service construction company, has been contracted by the City of Dearborn to construct a $34 million combined sewer overflow (CSO) project to build the largest sinking caisson in the world. As general contractor, Walbridge Aldinger will coordinate the work of 21 subcontractors and 20 building trades unions, involving more than 500 trades workers. The ultimate partnership goal is zero injuries. In fiscal-year 2004, Michigan renewed its partnership agreement with UAW, the Ford Motor Company and Visteon Corporation. The partnership’s primary goals 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. By the end of fiscal-year 2005, MIOSHA staff members had completed a MIOSHA Day visit at each facility covered by the partnership. The MIOSHA Alliance program was officially launched in fiscal-year 2004. MIOSHA’s current alliances include: Michigan Road Builders Association; Great Lakes Fabricators & Erectors Association, Ironworkers Local Union #25 and Operating Engineers Local Union #324; Associated General Contractors of America, Michigan Chapter; Associated General Contractors of America, Detroit Chapter; State of Michigan, Office of State Employer; Michigan Society of Infection Control; Macomb Community College; Construction Association of Michigan; and Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry. Minnesota During federal fiscal-year 2005, Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Compliance entered into a formal partnership agreement with the UAW and Ford Motor Company. Goals of the partnership agreement are for Ford management and employees to work cooperatively to provide a common vision for providing Ford employees a safe and healthful workplace. This partnership enables MNOSHA to meet and discuss safety and health challenges openly with the UAW and Ford Motor Company staff members to benefit the Minnesota employees. MNOSHA also continued its work in the three previously established partnerships, including: the Machine Guarding Agreement Partnership; the Construction Health and Safety Excellence (CHASE) Minnesota Partnership (Associated General Contractors of Minnesota); and the National Association of Tower Erectors Partnership. Alliances are administered through the MNOSHA Workplace Safety Consultation (WSC) unit, using one state-funded position. WSC currently has seven alliances. In federal fiscal-year 2005, it established two new alliances. WSC joined the OSHA Region V Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry (API), a business unit of the American Plastics Council that focuses on reducing and preventing exposure to hazardous substances for workers employed in the application of spray-on truck-bed liners. The second alliance for federal fiscal-year 2005 was with the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association (MMCA), a member-driven organization designed to lead and direct the mechanical contractors industry. The MMCA offers many services to its members, including safety and health training opportunities. Nevada Nevada’s Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) developed joint activities with leading edge employers, association groups and others to leverage outreach activities. Some of the activities included the following.
North Carolina signed a partnerships with Skanska/Barnhill Contracting Company on April 29, 2005, in an effort to eliminate accidents at the new Raleigh Convention Center site. This is the state’s first partnership with a major construction company. This is in addition to partnerships and alliances with the Carolinas Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, Inc., North Carolina Forestry Association, the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina, Boat People S.O.S., Inc., and Patterson & Wilder Construction Co., Inc. Oregon In fiscal-year 2005, Oregon OSHA (OR-OSHA) maintained 21 partnerships. Some new relationships that were developed include the Ergonomics Advisory Committee, with a focus initially on the health care and construction sectors, and the Landscape Contractors Association. OR-OSHA is one of multiple parties (state agencies and nongovernmental organizations) that are signatories to the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Resource Center, working together to promote sustainable agriculture (which includes a safety and health component) in Oregon. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico OSHA (PR OSHA) signed two important alliances for the program. One of them was entered with Abbott Puerto Rico Operations, aimed at developing information and accessibility of training resources to the construction industry. The other alliance was signed with the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), Puerto Rico Chapter. This alliance intends to provide students and AIHA members with information and training resources that will help them to protect employees from occupational hazards. In May 2005, a training session was delivered as part of the partnership with J&J in an effort to raise awareness about ergonomics issues. 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. This partnership continued through 2005 and the contractor wants to enter another partnership with UOSH for the construction of a hospital facility in northern Utah. Vermont Vermont OSHA (VOSHA) has signed alliances with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, the Safety and Health Council of Northern New England, AGC, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and the North Country Career Center (VOTEC school). Washington Washington signed its first two cooperative program agreements, or alliances, with business associations in March 2006. The first agreement provides that members of the Washington State Farm Bureau can apply for the WSFB’s Safety Star Program. These members must have a strong safety and health management program that goes beyond DOSH requirements. The WFSB will conduct a worksite and records evaluation. If certified, in the first year DOSH will only inspect a member if a worker is killed, there are serious injuries or a formal employee complaint is filed. In subsequent years, a DOSH targeted inspection would focus on tractor and forklift safety, machine guarding, fall hazards, personal protective equipment (PPE) and any chemical hazards. If serious violations are found but corrected within 30 days, the penalty would be reduced to $100. Under the second alliance, with the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), small businesses can complete a safety program developed by the Evergreen Safety Council (ESC), a private nonprofit organization that promotes workplace safety and health. After completing the program and following an on-site consultation from DOSH or ESC, the benefits would be similar to those for WSFB certified members. Training and education initiatives Alaska The annual Alaska Governor’s Safety Conference brings together hundreds of employers, employees, safety professionals and vendors from all over the state 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. 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 Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) adopted the OTI Legal Aspects Training program and presented the training internally to all safety officers. Plans and schedules are in place for two OTI training programs in Indianapolis for mid to late 2006, tower training and fall arrest systems. The execution of the Ford/Visteon Partnership was scheduled for April 2006. All Indiana OSHA (IOSHA) compliance officers attended an ergonomics course in Indianapolis, conducted by the OTI. 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 the fiscal year, 21 (d) and 23 (g) consultants provided the following outreach services: 3,065 safety and health consultations; 691 on-site surveys (23g and 21d); and 2,539 training sessions. The total number of attendees for the CET programs was 11,097 employers and 14,161 employees. CET also distributed 569,773 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 2005, the CET Division: provided outreach activities to promote asbestos awareness through 63 half-day workshops to 4,436 employers and employees; conducted follow-up site visits to bedliner applicators; and provided 35 excavation training sessions for 1,233 employers and employees. Minnesota In federal fiscal-year 2005, Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) conducted 42 presentations with a total of 3,267 participants. Each year, MNOSHA provides outreach services for five leading organizations: Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety; Minnesota Safety Council; Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance; Associated General Contractors of Minnesota; and American Society of Safety Engineers. In addition, MNOSHA has continued to provide its popular Construction Breakfast program five times a year. The Construction Breakfast program provides a forum for members of the construction trades to discuss and share issues and experiences with the speaker and other field investigators in attendance. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, express opinions and voice safety concerns to nurture an open relationship between MNOSHA and the construction industry. These presentations were targeted at clarifying OSHA statutes, standards and rules that will ultimately reduce workplace hazards in the construction industry. The topics included: lead hazards; skid steer and backhoe worksite safety; the A Workplace Accident and Injury Reduction (AWAIR) and the Employee Right-To-Know programs; most-cited standards and fatality statistics; multi-employer responsibilities and inspection procedures; and residential fall protection. Overall participation in the Construction Breakfast program increased 34 percent in federal fiscal-year 2005. In addition to the Construction Breakfast program, MNOSHA continues to participate in major safety conferences throughout the state. MNOSHA staffed a booth of safety and health investigators and provided speakers at the Minnesota Safety Council Conference, the Associated General Contractors Safety Days and the American Society of Safety Engineers Professional Development Conference. Topics of presentations at these events included: a MNOSHA update, fall protection and lockout/tagout. Nevada Nevada, in an effort to increase awareness of safety and health hazards and educate employers about what is required to control hazards, conducted 323 formal training sessions, reaching 5,952 participants, using 55 different programs. Of these, 25 formal training sessions – reaching 369 participants and using seven different programs – were conducted in Spanish. Some of the program topics include: bloodborne pathogens awareness, confined space awareness, control of hazardous energy – lockout/tagout, fall protection, hazard communication, injury and illness recordkeeping, powered industrial trucks, workplace violence and written workplace safety programs. Continuing education units are available through a joint 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. A total of 35,784 individuals have viewed the videos. New Jersey The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Program has developed numerous information bulletins to familiarize public employers and employees with the requirements of health standards. New bulletin topics include PEOSH Hazard Communication Standard Frequently Asked Questions. NJDHSS PEOSH 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 the following topics: asbestos awareness, bioterrorism, personal protective equipment, hazards of bird and pigeon droppings, bloodborne pathogens, custodial hazards, public work health hazards, ergonomics, hazard communication, 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. 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 (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/peoshweb) that contains PEOSH publications, regulations and training notification. The PEOSH Program in the NJDHSS has assisted the NJ Department of Personnel, Human Resource Development Institute, to establish a PEOSH HCS train-the-trainer course that is designed to help public employees meet the definition of a technically qualified person as set forth in the PEOSH HCS at N.J.A.C. 12:1007-3. This six-day course focuses on explaining the provisions of the PEOSH HCS and includes additional topics, such as: how chemicals can enter and affect the body, hazard classes, principles of industrial hygiene, developing a written program and presentation skills. New York In New York, the Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau and the On-Site Consultation Bureau continue to work together to reduce injuries to New York State workers. They continue to conduct Employee Injury Prevention in Health Care conferences for both public and private employers and employees. Best Practices in regard to resident/patient handling is presented along with the financial benefit seen after implementing a safe patient handling program. Other topics include sessions about workplace violence and emergency response needs. Both bureaus also continue to deliver the OSHA 10-hour construction course to employers and employees across New York. 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 two Hispanic outreach positions that were established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2004. Oregon In Oregon, the Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Conference was in March 2005, with the theme: Safety and Health Expedition: Advancing Industry Knowledge and Practices. Jack McGowan, executive director of SOLV, a nonprofit organization working to enhance the livability of Oregon since 1969, was the keynote speaker. Presentations included: Critical Issues and Best Practices in Construction, Keeping Safe When Working with Behavior Challenges, Property Liability Exposures for the Business Owner, and The Needs of an Aging Workforce. This biennial conference has occurred since 1944; in 2005, it attracted 1,876 attendees. OR-OSHA’s Safety for Small Business initiative provides various workshops and online materials with a focus on small business needs, which include keeping a written hazard communication plan and developing an innovative safety committee. (Oregon law requires employers with 10 or more employees, as well as small high-hazard employers, to have a safety committee. Small low-hazard employers are given additional flexibility in developing an innovative approach to safety committees.) An online presentation is available at www.orosha.org/educate/smallbsr/basics.html. OR-OSHA contributed to a new publication released jointly by the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, Field Guide for Danger Tree Identification and Response, which is available online at www.orosha.org/pdf/pubs/reserve_trees.pdf. OR-OSHA combined a number of agency-produced hearing conservation materials into a new DVD/CD-ROM boxed set, Hearing Conservation for At-risk Workers. The product is targeted to general industry, construction, forest activities and agriculture. State-plan members may request a sample copy, at no charge, by contacting the OR-OSHA Resource Center. The OR-OSHA Resource Center was accepted as a member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and will soon be able to share its journal collection with other occupational health and medical libraries across the United States through its participation in the National Library of Medicine’s DOCLINE program. Puerto Rico The training and education services offered by Puerto Rico OSHA (PR OSHA) target a wide array of industries and sectors. Most often, the training sessions and activities are free of cost and informational material is delivered as part of the training efforts. These initiatives are aimed at providing training to employers and workers about the skills necessary for an effective involvement in safety and health matters. It must be noted, for instance, that three open training sessions for safety and health in the woodworking industries were delivered during fiscal-year 2005, and two training sessions were delivered about different topics as part of the alliance signed with Abbot Puerto Rico Operations for employees and employers from the construction industry. Also, the programs’ Voluntary Programs Division delivered three training sessions about how to develop or improve an effective safety and health program for which a booklet about the development of safety and health guidelines was developed. In addition, two training sessions of employee involvement in safety and health matters were delivered as part of the 34 conferences delivered for the general public about several safety and health matters, aimed at reducing workplace hazards and encouraging employees to work toward such reduction. It also bears mention that to address safety and health condition in the grocery store industry, the Voluntary Programs Division developed and disseminated occupational safety and health training and reference materials. Also, on a regular basis, the office engages in outreach activities and strives to reach the general public and disseminate information about its services. To such effects, PR OSHA launched promotional campaigns and publications. For instance, in September 2005, the advertising campaign for the 10th Occupational Safety and Health Conference was started and five billboards were located along some of the most traveled highways of the San Juan Metropolitan Area and nearby municipalities. All of this promotional activity will serve as the background for further awareness campaigns aimed at employers and employees about the importance of protecting life by following safety measures and the use of personal protection equipment. At the same time, an aggressive campaign complements the outreach efforts. For example, an educational supplement was published in the El Nuevo Día newspaper (the island’s most widely read) with emphasis on the mission of PR OSHA, the rights of employers and employees, contact information for the filing of complaints and consultations, and information about cooperative programs and alliances. Tennessee Tennessee OSHA continued to use senior compliance officers and senior consultants to deliver seminars and presentations to more than 12,212 people about safety and health topics during 2005. The diverse training programs presented included training loggers in the Master Logger Program and training dental students at Meharry Dental School about bloodborne pathogen protection for dentists. Tennessee OSHA mailed the quarterly newsletter Together with TOSHA to more than 14,000 employees and employers. Utah Utah has a contract with Costal Training Technologies Corporation to provide interactive Internet training for 26 courses ranging from aerial lifts to machine guarding. These courses are used to familiarize newly hired compliance officers with safe work practices and as refresher training for experienced compliance officers. Through compliance assistance, Utah continues to work 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 OSH regulations. Vermont During the past year, Vermont OSHA (VOSHA) has accomplished the following training and education initiatives:
Virginia hosted the 10th Annual Occupational Safety and Health Conference in Portsmouth, Va., in June. A record 430 participants and 43 vendors took part in the conference. In September, Virginia’s Consultation/Training had 67 classes about occupational safety and health standards and hazard recognition with 702 individuals from private- and public-sector businesses attending the training. Washington In March 2006, Washington had its second annual Agriculture Safety Day, which drew a crowd of more than 350 agriculture employers, workers, supervisors, and safety and health professionals to Yakima, Wash., for a day of safety and health training. This represents a 40 percent increase in attendance from the first event in 2005. Jointly sponsored by the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board, the Washington State Farm Bureau, United Farm Workers and the Department of Labor and Industries, the conference focused on topics such as heat stress and sun damage, injuries in orchards and cholinesterase monitoring. Experts from Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Agriculture, University of Washington, Washington State University and industry experts presented information. Panel discussions included health care providers, workers and agricultural employers. Sessions were offered in English and Spanish; about one-third of the participants attended the Spanish-language presentations. Planning is already underway for the third annual Agriculture Safety Day, slated for February 2007, in Yakima. Washington continues to expand its use of the Internet and other electronic media in delivering safety information and training. It 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, Washington launched a Spanish version of the DOSH Web site in 2002. In partnership with the construction industry, DOSH developed online videos for residential construction about siding, roofing and framing safety. All of these are available on the Web in English and Spanish. Washington 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 DOSH 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. Washington’s 55th annual Industrial Safety and Health Conference is Sept. 27 and 28, 2006, at the Spokane Convention Center. Thousands of workers are injured and about 80 workers die from job-related injuries each year. Many of these injuries and deaths are preventable. The conference provides resources to assist in design and maintenance of a sound safety and health culture at the workplace. Every year, the conference offers two days of training and education, providing the latest tools, technologies and strategies for workplace safety and health. Alternating between the eastern and western side of the state, each year it attracts approximately 3,000 safety and health attendees. More than 300 volunteers, representing the diversity of industrial Washington, contribute to its success year after year. In addition to the numerous presentations and workshops, the conference offers a keynote opening session, blockbuster panel presentations featuring noted speakers, the ninth annual Forklift Rodeo, the 33rd annual Pole Top Rescue Competition, and a safety and health product tradeshow where more than 100 exhibitors feature state-of-the-art products and services. Also included in the conference is the Governor’s Lifesaving Award presentation. The award is available to employees in the state of Washington who are covered by industrial insurance (state fund or self-insurance). The award is given for personally performing urgently required "hands-on" action(s) in a lifesaving effort. At the 2005 conference, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire presented 47 people with either a lifesaving or humanitarian award. These 47 people provided heroic aid to individuals who suffered heart attacks, near-drownings, auto accidents and other perils. Wyoming Wyoming has a strong safety and health training program, reaching more than 2,400 people through almost 100 training presentations or seminars. Several training programs were developed for specific workforce segments:
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