Emphasis programs

ADOSH is continuing its excavation and fall hazards emphasis programs.

Enforcement

During 2008, ADOSH issued willful citations with significant penalties to a contractor for a confined-space fatality. An employee of the contractor entered a new sewer installation to remove a line plug and was overcome by hazardous gasses.

ADOSH also successfully achieved a settlement in a discrimination case against another employer in which the five complainants received substantial remuneration.

Outreach

Fall protection: At the request of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, ADOSH conducted several public fallprotection hearings to obtain information from stakeholders in the residential construction industry, from equipment suppliers, and from contractors to examine residential fall-protection options. The outcome of the hearings is pending.

Training: ADOSH offers training and education on a variety of topics. In 2008 ADOSH conducted 351 classes, training 2,288 managers and 5,355 employees. Topics included safety and health management, recordkeeping, hazard recognition, excavation safety, and fall protection.

Safety and health management: Another form of outreach was designed to identify employers who have difficulty setting up effective safety and health management systems. ADOSH works with employers through a series of consultations and training sessions designed to help them understand what to do. According to Amy Helland, safety manager of Sam Levitz Furniture, Tucson, "I would have to say that working with ADOSH Consultation as part of the intervention is one of our biggest accomplishments for 2008. Since June of this year we have seen dramatic changes throughout Sam Levitz Furniture."

Mark Norton addressing the Phoenix Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers.

VPP and SHARP: Currently there are 26 VPP sites and application reviews are under way on several others. During 2008, ADOSH lost several VPP sites due to plant consolidations and closures. ADOSH conducted six re-certification audits and several training sessions to inform employers about the benefits of VPP. ADOSH employee Mark Norton, assistant director and VPP coordinator, was awarded The VPPPA Chairman's National Award for outreach and education in spreading the benefits of VPP to employers throughout the United States. ADOSH is moving forward with its pilot program for VPP in construction and anticipates full implementation in late 2009. SHARP recognition is moving forward, too. Now 42 employers are SHARP participants.

Partnerships

Construction: ADOSH revised the partnership program for construction, which now requires stricter qualification criteria including injury and illness record reviews and safety program evaluations. These revisions will allow a more thorough review of the applicant's safety management system. Currently, there are a dozen construction partners in the program, which is designed to promote workplace safety and health on construction sites.