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Safety Fests of the Great Northwest

Every year, the Idaho Construction General Contractor/Construction Manager Partnership (#2) and the Idaho Construction Specialty Trades Partnership (#156) participants host Safety Fest of the Great Northwest events throughout Idaho. The free events provide employers, workers, labor, trade associations and government an opportunity to participate in safety and health education activities across Idaho. The events are designed by the Partnership participants to put undivided attention on safety and health. The following summaries come from the 2011 annual evaluations for the Partnerships:

Safety Fest of the Great Northwest – Boise, Idaho
The seventh annual safety fest was held at the URS Engineering and Construction Corporate headquarters in Boise, Idaho, January 25-28, 2011. OSHA, URS Engineering and Construction, Idaho Associated General Contractors (AGC), Idaho Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, Idaho Department of Technical Education, and the Snake River Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) supported the event.

The safety fest offered forty-six free training classes that were attended by seven hundred fifty nine attendees from eight states including: Idaho, Washington, Utah, California, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Oregon. In addition, this free community event was open to all and included a collaboration developed through the Partnership of federal, state, county, and city government.

Safety Fest of the Great Northwest – Post Falls, Idaho
The third annual safety fest was held during February 22-25, 2011 in the Idaho Army National Guard Armory, Post Falls, Idaho. The supporting partners for this event included: OSHA, Ansley Incorporated, URS Engineering and Construction, the Idaho AGC, the Inland Pacific Chapter of the Association of Builders and Contractors, the Idaho Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, NORCO, and the Timber Products Manufacturers Association.

The safety fest offered twenty-three free training classes that were attended by three hundred seventy nine attendees from four states including: Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Oregon. In addition, this free community event was open to all and included a collaboration developed through the Partnership of federal, state, county, and city government.

Safety Fest of the Great Northwest - Twin Falls, Idaho
The second annual safety fest was held during March 22-25, 201 on the campus of the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho. The supporting partners for this event included: OSHA, College of Southern Idaho, URS Engineering and Construction, the Idaho AGC, the Idaho Technology Transfer Center, and Norco, Inc.

The safety fest offered forty-seven free training classes that were attended by three hundred four attendees from four states including: Idaho, Washington, Nevada and Utah. In addition, this free community event was open to all and included a collaboration developed through the Partnership of federal, state, county, and city government.

Safety Fest of the Great Northwest - Pocatello Idaho
The second annual safety fest was held during April 26-28, 2011 in the Idaho Army National Guard Armory and on the fairgrounds in Pocatello, Idaho. The supporting partners for this event included: OSHA, URS Engineering and Construction, Idaho Technology Transfer Center, the Idaho National Laboratory/CWI and BEA, the Idaho AGC, Idaho State University, and Norco, Inc.

The safety fest offered forty-six free training classes that were attended by five hundred thirty nine attendees from seven states including: Idaho, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Montana and California. In addition, this free community event was open to all and included a collaboration developed through the Partnership of federal, state, county, and city government.

Safety Fest of the Great Northwest - Lewiston, Idaho
The second annual safety fest was held during October 25-27, 2011 on the campus of Lewis and Clark College, Lewiston, Idaho. The supporting partners included: OSHA, Clearwater Paper, Idaho Technology Transfer Center, URS Engineering and Construction, Idaho AGC, the Inland Pacific Chapter of the Association of Builders and Contractors, Lewis and Clark College, and Norco, Inc.

The safety fest offered twenty-six free training classes that were attended by two hundred thirty five attendees from five states including: Idaho, Washington, Montana, Illinois and Oregon. In addition, this free community event was open to all and included a collaboration developed through the Partnership of federal, state, county, and city government.

Technical Assistance
OSHA Boise Area Office staff and the Safety Director, Idaho AGC, developed the agenda for the fourteenth annual partnership meeting held in Boise, Idaho in December 2012. The annual partnership meeting is an opportunity to meet with the owners and safety directors from partnered companies to discuss OSHA current and future areas of interest, to review statistical data from the partnership and to present training sessions on various relevant topics. The highlight of this year’s meeting was a crane tip over presentation presented by the manufacturer’s safety director. Other topics presented included: safe crane operations, heavy equipment operations, and silica hazards and abatement. Approximately fifty-five participants attended the meeting.

Training:
Information acquired from the 2011 partnership annual evaluation revealed that 2,460 workers received more than 18,000 hours of training through the partnership. In addition, 313 supervisor/managers received more than 3,600 hours of training. A total of 734 training sessions were conducted during this reporting period.

Idaho Construction General Contractor/Construction Manager Partnership
#2
   
Date Signed: September 1, 1996; renewed October 1, 2001
Contact Information: Boise Area Office, (208) 321-2960
Links:

Partnership Agreements

Amputation Emphasis Partnerships
Construction Partnerships
Landscaping/Horticulture Partnerships
Silica and Related Disease Emphasis Partnerships
 
Partnership Overview:
The partnership is working to address high injury rates, reduce workers' compensation costs, and identify and recognize superior safety and health management systems.

Partnership Results:

Partnership Outreach Activities:

Technical Assistance
OSHA Boise Area Office staff and the Safety Director, Idaho AGC, developed the agenda for the fourteenth annual partnership meeting held in Boise, Idaho in December 2012. The annual partnership meeting is an opportunity to meet with the owners and safety directors from partnered companies to discuss OSHA current and future areas of interest, to review statistical data from the partnership and to present training sessions on various relevant topics. The highlight of this year’s meeting was a crane tip over presentation presented by the manufacturer’s safety director. Other topics presented included: safe crane operations, heavy equipment operations, and silica hazards and abatement. Approximately fifty-five participants attended the meeting.

Training:
Information acquired from the 2011 partnership annual evaluation revealed that 2,460 workers received more than 18,000 hours of training through the partnership. In addition, 313 supervisor/managers received more than 3,600 hours of training. A total of 734 training sessions were conducted during this reporting period.

Idaho Construction Specialty Trades Partnership
#156
   
Date Signed: June 18, 2000; renewed June 18, 2001
Contact Information: Boise Area Office, (208) 321-2960
Links:

Partnership Agreements

Amputation Emphasis Partnerships
Construction Industry Partnerships
 
Partnership Overview:
This Partnership is an offshoot of the general contractor targeting partnership and involves the Boise Area Office and the construction specialty trades subcontractors. Among the specialty trades are excavation, concrete work, structural steel erection, carpentry, roofing, electrical work, painting, heating/air conditioning, masonry and plastering. Participating subcontractors must adhere to strict requirements for managing site safety and health in exchange for priority consideration for OSHA outreach and technical assistance.

Partnership Results:

Partnership Outreach Activities:

Technical Assistance
OSHA Boise Area Office staff and the Safety Director, Idaho AGC, developed the agenda for the fourteenth annual partnership meeting held in Boise, Idaho in December 2012. The annual partnership meeting is an opportunity to meet with the owners and safety directors from partnered companies to discuss OSHA current and future areas of interest, to review statistical data from the partnership and to present training sessions on various relevant topics. The highlight of this year’s meeting was a crane tip over presentation presented by the manufacturer’s safety director. Other topics presented included: safe crane operations, heavy equipment operations, and silica hazards and abatement. Approximately fifty-five participants attended the meeting.

Training:
Information acquired from the 2011 partnership annual evaluation revealed that 828 workers received more than 5,800 hours of training through the partnership. In addition, 123 supervisor/managers received more than 1,000 hours of training. A total of 929 training sessions were conducted during this reporting period
 
Crowley Petroleum Distribution, Alaska
#651
   
Partners: Crowley Petroleum Distribution, Alaska; United Steel Workers Local 4959
Date Signed: March 25, 2008; renewed March 19, 2010
Contact Information: Anchorage Area Office (907) 271-5152
Links:

Partnership Agreement

Partnership Success Story
Shipyards and Shipbuilding and Repair Partnerships
Marine Terminal Traffic Safety Tip Sheet [PDF - 147 KB]
 

Partnership Overview:
In an effort to reduce injuries and illnesses; improve hazard recognition by all workers, supervisors and managers; and assist the employers in upgrading their safety and health systems, OSHA, Crowley Petroleum Distribution, Alaska and the United Steel Workers Local 4959 developed a Partnership agreement.

The partnership will focus in particular on reducing maritime facility-related injuries and illnesses such as falls from elevation; struck by and electrical. The goals of this Partnership include: reducing maritime facility worker injuries and illnesses in Alaska through OSHA intervention actions and through the development of an effective working relationship with terminal managers and union participants; improve employer safety and health systems through site visits and increased hazard recognition training and identification.

Founded in 1892, Crowley Maritime Corporation now employs approximately 4,100 people and provides its services using a fleet of more than 210 vessels, consisting of roll on roll off vessels; lift on lift off vessels; tankers; tugs and barges. Crowley's land-based facilities and equipment include terminals; warehouses; tank farms; office buildings; trucks; trailers; containers; chassis; cranes and other specialized vehicles.

The partnership will continue with a focus on safety and health at the Nenana, AK and Kotzebue, AK terminals until its expiration on March 19, 2012. The partnership continues to be a successful collaboration between labor, industry and government in Alaska.

Partnership Goals:

  • To continue to reduce maritime facility worker injuries and illnesses in Alaska through OSHA intervention actions and through the development of an effective partnership with qualifying terminal managers and union participants under this program
  • To continue to improve employer safety and health programs through preliminary assistance in readying the employer through site visits and increased hazard recognition training and identification
  • To better utilize Anchorage Area Office resources as a partnership tool to reduce the need for some on-site visits, while still achieving worker safety and health
  • Provide maximum leverage of inspection resources by promoting more active employer action and responsibility in safety and health management

Partnership Results:
Training at Bethel, AK and Nome, AK Terminals
Both the Bethel, AK and Nome, AK terminals have benefited from increased safety hazard recognition training, and have, in turn, passed on their best practices to other Crowley Petroleum Distribution marine terminal locations. Workers and supervisors at the terminals were trained in how to recognize occupational safety and health hazards and what actions to take to eliminate those hazards.

Injuries and Illnesses Reduced at Bethel, AK and Nome, AK Terminals
The Lost Workday Injury Rate (LWDI), now known as the Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate for the Bethel, AK terminal was reduced from 9.2 in 2008 to zero in 2009. During October 2009, the Bethel, AK terminal operations celebrated a record 570 days without a lost time incident. Similarly, the Nome, AK terminal maintained its DART rate at zero during 2009.

Training at Nenana, AK and Kotzebue, AK Terminals
During 2010, OSHA staff conducted training sessions at Nenana, AK and Kotzebue, AK for workers, managers, supervisors and union personnel. Some of the topics at the training sessions included: hazard recognition; hazard assessment; maritime rules and personal protective equipment.

In addition, Crowley Petroleum Distribution Alaska provided training sessions for its workers on topics which included: hearing protection; electrical safety; lockout/tagout; risk analysis and supervisor responsibilities. The company is planning to offer future training sessions for its workers.

Participant Self Inspections
The employer, along with union representation, is conducting quarterly evaluations of their sites. Hazards at the Nenana, AK and Kotzebue, AK terminals continue to be identified and corrected in a more organized way. Management has been required to manage their sites in a more responsible and accountable manner. Employees also participate in the self-inspections and take an active role in reporting and mitigating hazards in the workplace. The employer has also implemented an “Authorized Stop-Work Program” which allows each employee, regardless of position, to stop unsafe work practices without repercussions.

The employer has not had a significant number of injuries or illnesses at either site, but has identified a substantial number of near-miss conditions throughout their facilities in Alaska, which could have resulted in lost time injuries. The employer continues to improve their near-miss program for their employees and the near miss program has been implemented throughout the organization in Alaska. Statistical data is collected and analyzed to assist the employer in determining the high hazard/risk sectors throughout the organization.

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