Partnership Agreements

• Partnership Agreement September 12, 2000
• Partnership Renewal Agreement September 30, 2004
• Partnership Renewal Agreement December 1, 2006
• Partnership Renewal Agreement May 6, 2009

Partnership Success Story
Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

This OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) strives to provide a safe and healthful work environment for employees engaged in construction activities in the Charleston and Kanawha Valley, West Virginia areas, with emphases on increased training and implementation of enhanced safety and health management systems (SHMS).

Participating Facilities:

• Air Systems Sheet Metal, Huntington, West Virginia
• BBL Carlton, Charleston, West Virginia
• Brewer & Company, Charleston, West Virginia
• Brown Electric, Dunbar, West Virginia
• C&L Construction, Charleston, West Virginia
• CIMCO, Hurricane, West Virginia
• Cornerstone Interiors, Red House, West Virginia
• Dougherty Company, Charleston, West Virginia
• ELCO Mechanical, Charleston, West Virginia
• G&G Builders, Teays Valley, West Virginia
• Harris Brothers Roofing, Charleston, West Virginia
• Maynard C. Smith Construction, Charleston, West Virginia
• Neigborgall, Charleston, West Virginia
• Nitro Acoustics, Nitro, West Virginia
• Oval Construction, Charleston, West Virginia
• RC General Contractors, Charleston, West Virginia
• Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal, Davisville, West Virginia
• W.V. Heating and Plumbing, Charleston, West Virginia
• Wiseman Construction, Charleston, West Virginia
• W. Q. Watters, Charleston, West Virginia

Partnership Goals:

• Maintain an aggregate Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred Activity (DART) rate for participants at or below the national average listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the construction industry, which was 2.8 for 2007
• Increase the number of companies that implement effective SHMS

Partnership Objectives:

The objective of this OSP is to provide a safe and healthful work environment for employees engaged in construction activities in the Charleston and Kanawha Valley Area, and to help prevent serious accidents within the industry through increased training and implementation of enhanced SHMS. By focusing its efforts and utilizing the skills and resources of the Kanawha Valley Builders Association, the Labor and Education and Development (LEAD) Program, their member employers and with assistance by OSHA, it is believed that through this cooperative and voluntary program, hazards and serious injuries can be reduced at Kanawha Valley construction jobsites and that participants will achieve an injury and illness rate below the national average for the construction industry.

Partnership Results:

At the end of 2010, there are twenty-one (21) members in this OSP covering a total of almost 9,500 workers. In the past year, members have received over 10,000 hours of training, impacting 2,085 employees and 265 supervisors. The training reflected safety training conducted by KVBA for their entire membership, including OSP participants, under the LEAD Program: 10 Hour OSHA Classes, First Aid/CPR, drug awareness participant education, drug awareness supervisory education, 30 Hour OSHA classes, eye safety training, hand safety training. Eye and hand safety training classes were conducted and participants were issued safety glasses and cut resistant gloves.

The overall DART rate for the 22 partnering employers during the most recent evaluation period was 2.1, which is 10% below the BLS average (2.3) for the construction industry, meeting one of the OSP's goals of attaining an overall average rate below the BLS average rate. As a result of the reductions, a major workers compensation insurance company is looking into lower premiums for active employers.

During the most recent evaluation period, all of the participating employers moved up to the 1st class rating, exceeding another goal of the OSP. The 1st Class status recognition affords several benefits, including OSHA enforcement inspections and recognition as having outstanding, effective and proactive SHMS.

In addition to helping its Partners with their SHMSs, KVBA completed several special emphasis projects aimed at addressing eye and hand injuries. KVBA plans to develop various materials on these subjects to be incorporated during the training sessions. Also, OSHA continues to provide technical assistance and participate in monthly luncheons sponsored by the KVBA where members discuss safety concerns affecting their workplaces.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement March 30, 2006
• Partnership Renewal Agreement March 25, 2009
• Partnership Renewal Agreement June 4, 2012

Signing Ceremony Photo
Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

This OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) provides incentives to contractors who voluntarily participate in the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program and demonstrate implementation of effective safety and health management systems (SHMS). The STEP program, implemented annually by the ABC, is an objective tool that contractor members use to evaluate and strengthen their safety programs, policies and procedures. ABC recognizes participants based on their development and enactment of safety programs, policies and procedures. The four recognition levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Implementation of this agreement is expected to result in an improved awareness of safety concerns, and decreased injuries, illnesses and fatalities for participant contractors with a resultant decrease in worker compensation costs as well as other direct or indirect costs.

Participating Facilities:

• Adams-Bickel Associates, Inc., Collegeville, Pennsylvania
• Allan A. Myers, Worcester, Pennsylvania
• Boro Construction, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
• C. Raymond Davis & Sons, Inc., Kimberton, Pennsylvania
• Deiter Bros. Heating, Cooling, and Security, Inc., Easton, Pennsylvania
• E. Allen Reeves, Inc., Abington, Pennsylvania
• Gillespie Electric, Inc., East Greenville, Pennsylvania
• Gorski Engineering, Inc., Collegeville, Pennsylvania
• Indian Creek Electric, Inc., Souderton, Pennsylvania
• J.M. Oliver Heating and Cooling, Morton, Pennsylvania
• Jamison Masonry Restoration, LLC, Oreland, Pennsylvania
• Kencor Elevator Systems, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania
• Klover Contracting, Quakertown, Pennsylvania
• McCarthy Masonry & Concrete, Inc., Quakertown, Pennsylvania
• Miller, Miller, McLachlan Construction, Inc., Northampton, Pennsylvania
• M.T. Ruhl Electrical Contracting, Norristown, Pennsylvania
• Paul F. Detweiler & Sons, Inc., Telford, Pennsylvania
• Pincus Elevator, West Chester, Pennsylvania
• Schlouch Incorporated, Blandon, Pennsylvania
• Servpro of Easton, Bethlehem, & Whitehall, Allentown, Pennsylvania
• Swartley Brothers Engineering, Inc., Lansdale, Pennsylvania
• The Norwood Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania
• The Tri-M Group, LLC, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
• Thompson Masonry Contracting Co., Pottstown, Pennsylvania
• Universal Electrical Service, Inc., Souderton, Pennsylvania
• V-Talese Drywall, Inc., Telford, Pennsylvania
• Warfel Construction Company, East Petersburg, Pennsylvania
• Wohlsen Construction Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• Worth & Company, Inc., Pipersville, Pennsylvania
• Zebby Sulecki, Inc., Newtown Square, Pennsylvania

Partnership Goals:

• Reduce by 4%, annually, the Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred Activity (DART) rate affecting each participant employer, with an emphasis on reducing injuries and illnesses resulting from the four focused construction hazards: falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps, and electrocution
• Increase the number of ABC firms that participate in the STEP program

Partnership Objectives:

ABC and OSHA mutually recognize the importance of providing a safe and healthful work environment for those employees working in Pennsylvania. To advance the mutual goal, both parties strongly agree on the need to develop partnerships that foster mutual trust and respect for the respective roles of each organization in the construction safety process and recognize and embrace the responsibilities inherent in those roles. All parties are committed to work as partners to achieve construction workplace safety and health through shared strategies and objectives.

Implementation of this agreement is expected to result in an improved awareness of safety concerns at construction sites and decreased injuries, illnesses and fatalities for participant contractors with a resultant decrease in worker compensation costs as well as other direct or indirect costs of accidents.

Partnership Results:

To help participating employers improve their SHMS, the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of ABC hosted numerous safety and health classes throughout the year for its 30 participating members representing over 2,700 employees. Among them include OSHA 10 and 30 hour certification courses, How to Create a Company Safety Committee, Adult CPR with AED and First Aid, Fall Protection, and Struck-By Hazards.

In addition to the safety training sessions, the OSP held mentoring events, which are mostly attended by management-level employees including front line supervisors, leads, foreman, and managers. Also, field personnel attended the events based on the topic provided. To show OSHA's support of this OSP, the local Area Office Area Director conducted one of the four sessions. The four topics covered during the evaluation period included an update on OSHA activities and its enforcement initiative, Effective Supervisor Training, Job and Task Safety Analysis, and Substance Abuse Programs. Two of the sessions were led by participating employers, and a non-profit organization, Drug Free Pennsylvania led the Substance Abuse Programs mentoring event.

Another example of the collaboration between OSHA and the local ABC chapter are the Common Ground Alliance Meetings which is held on a quarterly basis. The meetings cover a variety of issues such as excavation concerns and underground utility locates, and they are attended by both chapter members and non-members. Also, the meetings had representation from academia, government, water/gas/electric utility owners/companies, and excavating contractors.

The local chapter also conducted two events for OSHA personnel. The first one, on Work Zone Traffic Safety, was a joint effort between the chapter and a participating member with approximately 30 OSHA personnel from offices throughout Region III in attendance. OSHA compliance staff learned more about various activities and hazards associated with road and highway construction. The second training event covered excavation issues and it was sponsored at a participating member's facility and it was attended by 25 OSHA personnel. The purpose of this event was to make Compliance Safety and Health Officers more familiar with excavation equipment and safe work practices that either meet or exceed OSHA standards.

OSHA also provided assistance in other ways. Numerous emails and phone calls were received over the past year from the chapter representatives and partners on numerous safety and health issues including: personal protective equipment (PPE) use, revisions to the crane and derrick standard, electrical issues including PPE use and temporary wiring, fall protection, and scissor lifts.

Partnership Agreements

• Partnership Agreement September 29, 2006
• Partnership Renewal Agreement March 31, 2010

OSHA Partners with Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. to Protect Construction Workers. OSHA News Release (2006, September 22)
Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

This Partnership provides incentives to participating employers of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) - Keystone Chapter's Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program as they implement effective safety and health management systems (SHMS). Evaluated on an annual basis, STEP is an objective tool used by ABC members to evaluate and strengthen their SHMS.

Participating Facilities:

• Acci-Aire Mechanical Services, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Bronze
• Associated Products Services, Inc., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Gold
• B & P Neal Enterprises, Inc., Manheim, Pennsylvania, Gold
• B. N. Excavating, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• B. R. Kreider & Son, Inc., Manheim, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Benchmark Construction Co., Inc., Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Bertolet Construction Corporation, Wernersville, Pennsylvania, Bronze
• Caldwell, Heckles & Egan, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Clark Mechanical Services, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Conewago Enterprises, Inc., Hanover, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• E. K. Services, Inc., New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Gold
• E. R. Stuebner, Inc., Reading, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• EG Stoltzfus Construction, LLC, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Silver
• Enginuity LLC, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Frey Lutz Corporation, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Frey Mechanical Group, Inc., Manheim, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• GEM Wall & Ceiling Contractors, Terre Hill, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Gettle Incorporated, York, Pennsylvania, Gold
• H. B. McClure Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Herr and Sacco, Inc., Landisville, Pennsylvania, Gold
• High Construction Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Hogg Construction Inc., York, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Horst Construction, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Hursh Painting Co, Inc., Talmage, Pennsylvania, Gold
• James Craft & Son, Inc., York Haven, Pennsylvania, Gold
• John E. Fullerton, Inc., Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Keystruct Construction, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Kinsley Construction, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Lapp Electrical Service, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Silver
• Martin Plastering Contractors, Terre Hill, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Paul Risk Associates, Inc., Wayne, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Pincus Elevator Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Quality Electrical Services, Inc., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gold
• R & C Heavy Mechanical, LLC, Blandon, Pennsylvania, Gold
• R. S Mowery & Sons, Inc., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Ragland Corporation, Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Richard D. Poole, LLC, York, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Robert H. Kepler Masonry Contractors, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, Gold
• S & S Structures, Inc., Blandon, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Shea Roofing, Mountville, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Smucker Company, Smoketown, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Tri-Boro Construction Supplies, Inc., Dallastown, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Vision Mechanical, Inc., Reading, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Wagman Construction, York, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Walton and Company, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Warfel Construction Company, York, Pennsylvania, Platinum
• Wenrich Painting, Inc., Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Wickersham Construction and Engineering, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Wilco Electric, Inc., Columbia, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Witmer & McCoy, Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Gold
• Wohlsen Construction Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Platinum

• Reduce by 4%, annually, the Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred Activity (DART) rate for each Participant, with an emphasis on reducing injuries and illnesses resulting from the four focused construction hazards: falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps, and electrocution
• Reduce each Participant's DART rate to 25% below their industry's average
• Increase the number of Participants in this Partnership

Partnership Objectives:

Implementation of this Partnership is expected to result in improved awareness of safety concerns and decreased injuries, illnesses and fatalities for participant contractors with a resultant decrease in worker compensation costs as well as other direct or indirect costs.

Partnership Results:

During the most recent evaluation period, participation in this Partnership increased by one, from 51 to 52, with over 6,400 employees.

The participants in this Partnership were able to keep the average DART rate below the baseline, but they were not able to meet the goal of a 4% reduction in their overall DART rate as there was a slight increase of almost one percent, from 2.98 to 3.00. In addition, while not a goal, the participants' total TCIR reduced by 7 percent, from 7.17 to 6.70.

The Partnership continued to provide training and technical assistance to its partners with almost 3,500 hours of training provided to 635 employees in 2008.

Partnership Agreements

• Partnership Agreement December 19, 2006
• Partnership Renewal Agreement January 26, 2010

Partnership Signing Photo
Shipyards and Ship Building and Repair Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

Joint efforts by OSHA and Virginia Ship Repair Association (VSRA) and its member companies, through this Partnership, are targeting the workers in ship repair industry to bring increased safety and health awareness through the promotion of voluntary and cooperative efforts among the Partners to reduce and prevent injuries and illnesses.

Participating Facilities:

• Accurate Marine Environmental Systems, Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia
• AMSEC, LLC, Newport News, Virginia
• Auxiliary Systems, Norfolk, Virginia
• BAE Systems - Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Virginia
• C. E. Thurston & Sons, Norfolk, Virginia
• Capitol Finishes, Norfolk, Virginia
• Colonna's Shipyard, Norfolk, Virginia
• Crofton Diving Corporation, Portsmouth, Virginia
• CTR Corporation, Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Earl Industries, Portsmouth, Virginia
• East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Chesapeake, Virginia
• Epsilon Systems Solutions, Portsmouth, Virginia
• George G. Sharp, Norfolk, Virginia
• International Flooring and Protective Coatings, Norfolk, Virginia
• L-3 Communications / PacOrd, Norfolk, Virginia
• Main Industries, Hampton, Virginia
• Marine Chemist Services, Norfolk, Virginia
• Marine Consultants, Ltd., Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Marine Hydraulics International, Norfolk, Virginia
• Marine Specialty Painting, Chesapeake, Virginia
• Metro Machine Corporation, Norfolk, Virginia
• QED Systems, Norfolk, Virginia
• Tecnico Corporation, Chesapeake, Virginia
• United Coatings Corporation, Portsmouth, Virginia
• VT Milcom, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Partnership Goals:

• Increase the number of ship repair employers with comprehensive safety and health management systems in accordance with OSHA's 1989 Voluntary Safety and Health Management Guidelines
• Keep the Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred Activity (DART) below the most recently published national average for the industry which was 5.2 for the year 2008
• Further reduce the overall DART rate by at least 4% annually for the life of the Partnership

Partnership Objectives:

The objective is to develop a contractor/government partnership that will encourage construction contractors to improve their safety and health performance, assist them in doing that, strive for the elimination of serious accidents in the construction industry, and recognize those contractors with exemplary SHMS. Under the partnership, OSHA will provide timely responses to requests for information and requests for clarification of OSHA standards as resources allow. This agreement is expected to result in decreased serious injuries and illnesses and fatalities for the site and improve existing SHMS through the provision of incentives to construction contractors that voluntarily participate in the Partnership by demonstrating implementation of effective SHMS.

Expected outcomes include: developing criteria for a model multi-employer worksite SHMS with the capability to identify each subcontractor's responsibilities; making safety and health materials available to all subcontractors onsite; safety and health is a primary consideration in every aspect of the project; providing visible safety and health leadership; achieving participant recordable illness and injury rates below the national averages for the construction industry; and focusing OSHA enforcement activity on those contractors and subcontractors who have little or no regard for the safety and health of their workers.

Partnership Results:

The following information appears in the OSP's 2012 Annual Evaluation:

Training: The OSP made substantial progress by providing more than 266,000 hours of training to 7,499 workers and more than 34,000 hours of training to 1,379 supervisors. Specific training topics for workers included: OSHA 5400 Maritime Train the Trainer; Respiratory Protection; Powered Industrial Truck, Blood borne Pathogens; Confined Space; First Aid/CPR/AED First Responder; 10 and 30 Hour Maritime (made mandatory by the US Navy, Safety and Health Training), New Employee Safety Training; Fall Protection; PPE; Hearing Conservation; Lockout/Tagout; Portwide Safety Orientation; Hazard Recognition; and Global Harmonization Standard.

Also, some specialized training for supervisors included: Tool Box “Train the Trainer”; Fire Safety; Refresher Safety Training and 10 and 30 Hour Maritime Safety and Health Training.

Injury and Illness Reduction: The Partnership continues its work to reduce the recordable injuries, illnesses and fatalities for the duration of the Partnership and is currently maintaining its Total Cases Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted Work and Job Transfer Rate (DART) below the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national averages for this industry (Shipbuilding and Repairing).

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement September 29, 2008

Construction Industry Partnerships
Concrete, Gypsum and Plaster Products Partnerships
Ergonomics Emphasis Partnerships
Landscaping/Horticulture Partnerships
Silica and Related Disease Emphasis Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

To facilitate OSHA's goal of reducing occupationally related fatalities by 3% each year, and reducing the total rate of Days Away from Work by 4% each year, Region III of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Clark/Balfour Beatty Joint Venture have agreed to the joint implementation of the partnership during construction of the 641 million dollar, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Project.

The Project plans call for the construction of a new, 345-bed medical center with a full range of intensive and complex specialty and subspecialty medical services, including specialized facilities for injured soldiers. The realigned Walter Reed National Medical Center will be on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center and is expected to become the U.S. military's premier tertiary referral center for casualty and beneficiary care. The center will also provide postgraduate education and other training, and serve as a medical research center. The project is expected to complete in July 2011.

Participating Facilities:

The employers that have participated in this Partnership include:

• Abbey Commercial Flooring, Leesburg, Virginia
• Aceco, LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Allstate Striping & Sealing Company, Bowie, Maryland
• American Iron Works, Hyattsville, Maryland
• American Veteran Tile & Terrazzo, LLC, Eagan, Minnesota
• Apex Environmental, Inc., Rockville, Maryland
• Asphalt & Concrete Services, Inc., Frederick, Maryland
• Athena Construction Group, Chester, Maryland
• Atlantic Door Control, Columbia, Maryland
• Atlantic Waterproofing, Inc., Odenton, Maryland
• Capital Insulations, Hyattsville, Maryland
• Chesapeake Firestop Products, Inc., Rockville, Maryland
• Chevy Chase Contractors, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland
• Clark Concrete Contractors, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland
• Clark Foundations, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland
• Clark/Balfour Beatty Joint Venture, Bethesda, Maryland
• Cleveland Construction, Laurel, Maryland
• Communications Technologies and Consulting, LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Congressional Glass, Potomac, Maryland
• Consolidated Waterproofing, Beltsville, Maryland
• Delaware Elevator Company of Maryland, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
• Division 2, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland
• East Regional Rebar, Monrovia, Maryland
• Extra Clean, Rockville, Maryland
• Genco Masonry, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland
• Gordon Contractors, Inc., Capitol Heights, Maryland
• Grazzini Brothers, Inc., Eagan, Minnesota
• Hercules Fence, Jessup, Maryland
• HKS, Inc., Washington, District of Columbia
• Innovo Construction, Washington, District of Columbia
• ISEC, Inc., Columbia, Maryland
• James Myers Company, Inc., Beltsville, Maryland
• Johnson Controls, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland
• Justin Company, Inc., Washington, District of Columbia
• Lach Tile & Marble, Inc., Halethorpe, Maryland
• LVI Environmental Services, Gaithersburg, Maryland
• M.C. Dean, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland
• Mahogany, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland
• Marathon Cleaning Services, Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Master Carpentry Corporation, Laurel, Maryland
• Medcor, McHenry, Illinois
• Metro Painters, Manassas, Virginia
• Modern Mosaic, Ltd., Mesa, Arizona
• My Pest Control Company, LLC, Leonardtown, Maryland
• National Fire Protection, Rockville, Maryland
• NCF Floors, Alexandria, Virginia
• Nelco, Inc., Laurel, Maryland
• O'Leary Asphalt, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Overhead Door Company of Washington, D.C., Beltsville, Maryland
• Paddock Swimming Pool Company, Rockville, Maryland
• PEVCO Systems International, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland
• Poblocki Sign Company LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Premier Consultants International, Inc., Washington, District of Columbia
• Prospect Roofing and Waterproofing, Sterling, Virginia
• Rosh Construction, Inc., Pasadena, Maryland
• Rugo Stone, LLC, Lorton, Virginia
• Seaboard Foundations, Inc., Jessup, Maryland
• Shockey Brothers, Inc., Winchester, Maryland
• Skyline Equipment, Springfield, Virginia
• Southern Insulation, Inc., Hyattsville, Maryland
• Southland Industries, Suitland, Maryland
• Sparkle Painting Company, Lorton, Virginia
• TBN Associates, Inc., Lanham, Maryland
• The Berlin Steel Construction Company, Glen Burnie, Maryland
• TLP Steel Erectors, Lothian, Maryland
• Total Engineering, Inc., Lanham, Maryland
• Tyson Floors, Sterling, Virginia
• Universal Builders Supply, Inc., Hyattsville, Maryland
• Veterans First Contracting Services, Clinton, Maryland
• William B Hopke Company, Alexandria, Virginia
• Wilson Technologies, Silver Spring, Maryland

Partnership Goals:

The goals of the Partnership are:

• Develop, implement and maintain effective and comprehensive safety and health management systems (SHMS) in accordance with OSHA's 1989 Voluntary Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines or its equivalent
• Achieve participant illness and injury rates below the national average for the construction industry by maintaining Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred Activity (DART) rate below the national average for the most recent year published for NAICS* 236220 (SIC 1542), which was 2.7 for the year 2006
• Reduce the TCIR and DART rates annually by at least 4% for the duration of the Partnership

Partnership Objectives:

The objective is to develop a contractor/government partnership that will encourage construction contractors to improve their safety and health performance, assist them in doing that, strive for the elimination of serious accidents in the construction industry, and recognize those contractors with exemplary SHMS. Under the partnership, OSHA will provide timely responses to requests for information and requests for clarification of OSHA standards as resources allow. This agreement is expected to result in decreased serious injuries and illnesses and fatalities for the site and improve existing SHMS through the provision of incentives to construction contractors that voluntarily participate in the Partnership by demonstrating implementation of effective SHMS.

Expected outcomes include: developing criteria for a model multi-employer worksite SHMS with the capability to identify each subcontractor's responsibilities; making safety and health materials available to all subcontractors onsite; safety and health is a primary consideration in every aspect of the project; providing visible safety and health leadership; achieving participant recordable illness and injury rates below the national averages for the construction industry; and focusing OSHA enforcement activity on those contractors and subcontractors who have little or no regard for the safety and health of their workers.

Partnership Results:

At the end of the Partnership's second year, the Partners remain on track with meeting its goals for the project. The goal of reducing injuries and illnesses was achieved when the pre-set goal of a DART of 2.7 was exceeded with a 0.6 DART rate for the second year and an overall project DART rate of 0.4. The other goal of ensuring that all of the contractors working on the project are to develop, implement, and maintain effective and comprehensive safety and health management systems (SHMS) in accordance with OSHA's 1989 Voluntary Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines was met when the Clark/Balfour Joint Venture confirmed that all 41 of its contractors have a SHMS in place.

There were five full time safety officials for Clark/Balfour Beatty on site at all times. Three of the larger sub-contractors had full time safety officials. Almost 18,000 hours of training provided to the workers were documented and reviewed during the evaluation. All new employees to the site are required to attend a mandatory orientation. Orientation training records were maintained and reviewed. Employees were involved with activities required by the Partnership Agreement, including but not limited to; training, weekly safety meetings, safety observation reporting. The management staff constantly audits the effectiveness of the required Partnership Agreement elements. With the overall project DART rate at .4, the programs in place are effective.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement June 10, 2009

Public Warehousing and Storage Partnerships
Ergonomics Emphasis Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Pennsylvania/OSHA Consultation Program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute agreed to an OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) with the goal of reducing the number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities resulting from work activities within the warehousing storage distribution and transportation industry.

Participating Facilities:

• AmeriCold Logistics, Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
• Bluelinx Corporation, Allentown, Pennsylvania
• Bridgestone/Firestone Company, Allentown, Pennsylvania
• D. B. Schenker, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Nestle USA, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania
• Nexus Distribution, Allentown, Pennsylvania
• Orefield Cold Storage, Orefield, Pennsylvania
• The Lehigh Group, Macungie, Pennsylvania
• Walgreens Distribution Center, Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Partnership Goals:

• Reduce the number of injuries and illnesses resulting from unsafe operation of powered industrial trucks, ergonomic hazards, and fall hazards within the Public Warehousing and Storage industry
• Develop a system for the early identification and correction of the focused hazards which have resulted in or had the potential for serious injuries, illnesses and fatalities within these industries
• Reduce the number of serious hazards within this industry group
• Provide safety and health training and technical assistance on existing and new OSHA regulations, focusing on the primary cause(s) of injuries within the industry
• As resources permit, improve the Participants' safety and health management systems (SHMS) to become eligible to participate in the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) of the PA/OSHA Consultation Program at IUP and/or OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)

Partnership Objectives:

The objective is to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities resulting from work activities within the warehousing storage distribution and transportation industry. The OSP is aimed at developing an employer/academia/government cooperative relationship that will encourage all members to improve their safety and health performance, assist them in doing that, strive for the elimination of serious accidents within the industry, and recognize those employers with exemplary safety and health programs.

Partnership Results:

The nine members of this OSP continue to work towards the goal of implementing effective safety and health systems at their own worksites. Most of the partners have implemented some, if not all of the elements of the 1989 Guidelines. In addition, all partners are utilizing the Warehouse Education Research Council's (WERC) Self-Inspection Safety Audit document which is broken down into numerous elements/categories: Docks, Equipment, Building, Product Storage, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Safety Committee, and Emergency Response Plan. All of the partners are currently updating their programs based on findings with these audits.

During the latest evaluation period, the participating employers participated in a detailed review of every element within the WERC Safety Audit form, and through this process, the partners shared their experiences and programs relative to the topics covered. As a result of the review, various changes and modifications were made, including but not limited to rephrasing questions to be clearer for auditing, combining questions that were found to be duplicative or asking essentially the same question in another portion of the form, and eliminating questions that offered no direct link to employee safety and/or health.

Cooperative relationships have developed as a result of this OSP. Partners are sharing information and best practices on various safety and health issues including retraining on forklift incidents, observation techniques and tools, and various other safety and health training opportunities in and around the Lehigh Valley. One company is currently a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) worksite and is sharing its best practices with the other partners including examples of Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for various warehouse activities.

Several of the employers made modifications to their training programs, records maintenance, and hazard recognition. Member companies have completed Job Safety Analysis for their plants, critiqued their means of egress and evacuation programs, and have implemented a safety harness and lanyard inspection review process.

Injury and illness data from the most recent evaluation period demonstrates that the total number of cases has continuously decreased. For the year, the Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR), when compared to the BLS rate, is slightly below the national average and the Days Away from Work, Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate is just slightly above the current (2009) national average. A review of the most recent injury and illness data indicates that a majority of the recordable injuries were ergonomically related, such as strains, sprains, pulls, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendonitis to the back, shoulder, arms and wrists. As a result, the OSP plans to discuss this issue and identify possible corrective actions.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement January 21, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA forms partnership to protect workers involved with Porter Neuroscience Research Center expansion. OSHA News Release (2011, January 25)
Construction Industry Partnerships
Landscaping/Horticulture Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

The Porter Neuroscience Research Center Project on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland involves an expansion to the Vivarium facility currently operating in Phase I, and will provide Behavioral, Tissue Culture and Electrophysiology Laboratories. Construction will also include Lab Support spaces with associated break rooms, meeting rooms, offices, lockers, and an Imaging Suite. Non-Laboratory areas will contain seminar rooms, conference rooms, and a café.

By entering into this Partnership, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, NIH, The Jacobs Project Management Company, and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mutually recognize the importance of a safe and health conscious work environment in the construction industry. The collaborative effort will encourage participating contractors to improve their safety and health awareness and to provide assistance in their efforts. As the general contractor of the construction project, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company will strongly recommend specialty/trade contractors to join the Partnership at the time they mobilize on the NIH campus. This Partnership will provide benefits to the Partners and their specialty/trade contractors including special recognition from OSHA and priority in compliance assistance programs.

Partnership Goals:

The goals of the Partnership are:

• Develop a contractor/government Partnership that will encourage involvement of the general and sub-contractors in the improvement of safety and health performance by reducing the annual number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities by 5% for each year of the Partnership;
• Implement innovative strategies to eliminate serious accidents, including the four primary construction hazards which are falls, struck-by, caught in, and electrocutions; and
• Identify opportunities for enhancing safety and health practices related to the operation and maintenance of cranes and other material handling equipment involved in the project.

Partnership Objectives:

The overall objective is to develop a cooperative relationship between OSHA and the Partners which is expected to:

• Reduce the number of at-risk conditions and behaviors with the potential to result in worker fatalities, injury/illness, property damage and environmental impact to the lowest reasonable level;
• Reduce the number of injuries affecting The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and participant subcontractors, emphasizing those resulting from the four primary construction hazards;
• Abatement of conditional and behavioral hazards identified during weekly safety and health inspections and ensuring no repeat occurrences of such issues upon re-inspection;
• Reduce the Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted and Transferred (DART) rate to 5% below the current national average for NAICS Code 2362, Nonresidential building construction, based upon the Bureau of Labor Statistics data available for the most current year; and
• Experience no incidents related to crane safety, including injuries to personnel.

Partnership Results:

The following information appears in the OSP's 2012 Annual Evaluation:

Training: The OSP made substantial progress by providing more than 12,000 hours of training to 500 workers and nearly 800 hours of training supervisors. Additional training is required for all site supervisory personal and or “Competent Person”. The training for these supervisors includes: First Aid, CPR, Rigging/Signaling and Confined Space. These supervisors/competent persons are also present at a mandatory preconstruction meeting where Safety, MSDS, special requirements and their scope of work is discussed. Training for field operations has included flagging training, fall protection training, scaffolding training, and swing stage training.

Injury and Illness Reduction: The Partnership continues its work to reduce the recordable injuries annually by at least 5 percent for the duration of the Partnership and is currently maintaining its Total Cases Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted Work and Job Transfer Rate (DART) below the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national average for this industry.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement May 18, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA forms partnership to protect workers on US Coast Guard headquarters construction project in Washington. OSHA News Release (May 18, 2011)
Construction Industry Partnerships
Landscaping and Horticultural Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

To facilitate OSHA's goal of reducing occupationally related fatalities by 3% each year, and reducing the total Rate of Days Away from Work by 4% each year, OSHA and Clark Construction Group, LLC have agreed to the joint implementation of the partnership during construction of the United States Coast Guard Headquarters Project.

The project started in March 2010 and is expected to continue through March 2013. Approximately 60 contractors will employ 1,200 employees during peak construction. Upon completion of the project, the United States Coast Guard Headquarters will include a 1.2 million square foot facility, central utility plant, and 2 seven story stand alone parking garages with 990 spaces. In addition to core and shell construction Clark Construction will complete the interior fit, security, and audio/visual telecommunications of the headquarters building. Clark will also oversee the construction of a 400,000 square foot green roof and high efficiency mechanical and electrical systems. Also, wet ponds, bioswales, and step ponds will be included to help with storm management.

Expected outcomes include: developing criteria for a model multi-employer worksite safety and health program which specifically identifies the responsibilities of each subcontractor; making safety and health materials available to all subcontractors onsite; planning for safety and health in all aspects of the project; providing visible safety and health leadership; achieving participant recordable illness and injury rates below the national average for the construction industry; and focusing OSHA enforcement activity on those contractors and subcontractors who have little or no regard for the safety and health of their workers.

In addition, the agreement provides incentives to contractors and subcontractors who voluntarily improve their safety and health performance. Incentives will include special recognition from OSHA and focused enforcement efforts by OSHA and consideration for additional good faith penalty reductions.

Participating General Contractor:

• Clark Construction Group, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland

Partnership Goals:

• Develop, implement and maintain effective and comprehensive safety and health programs in accordance with OSHA's 1989 Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines or its equivalent.
• Achieve participant recordable illness and injury rates below the national average for the construction industry by keeping the DART rate (cases with days away from work, job-transfer, or restriction) below the national average for the most recent year published for NAICS 236220 (SIC 1542), which was 3.0 for the year 2009 and to further reduce this level of recordable injuries annually by at least 4% for the duration of the partnership.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement September 1, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA forms partnership to protect workers on National Gallery of Art renovation project in Washington OSHA News Release (September 1, 2011).
Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

To facilitate OSHA's goal of reducing occupationally related fatalities by 3% each year, and reducing the total Rate of Days Away from Work by 4% each year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Balfour Beatty / Smoot, a Joint Venture (Balfour Beatty / Smoot) agreed to the joint implementation of the OSP during the renovations the National Gallery of Art East Building Stones repairs project (The Project).

The Project entails removing more than 17,000 Tennessee Pink Marble façade stones, reworking the floating anchorage system, refurbishing the stones as necessary and replacing the stones with the stipulation that nothing may be attached to the face of the building. This will require creative engineering systems for work scaffold support and access to the roof. Unique methods, including a complex, roof parapet mounted rail system will be used to facilitate most of the removal and replacement hoisting. Mast climbing and suspended scaffolds will provide worker access to the façade.

This OSP with Balfour Beatty / Smoot is expected to result in decreased serious injuries and illnesses and fatalities for the site and improve existing safety and health programs. It also provides incentives to subcontractors voluntarily participating in the OSP that demonstrate implementation of effective safety and health programs. This OSP will not in any way affect employees' ability to exercise rights under the OSH Act and OSHA regulations, including walk-around rights.

Participating General Contractor:

• Balfour Beatty / Smoot, a Joint Venture, Washington, DC

Partnership Goals:

• Develop, implement and maintain effective and comprehensive safety and health programs in accordance with OSHA's 1989 Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines or its equivalent.
• Achieve participant recordable illness and injury rates below the national average for the construction industry by keeping the DART rate (cases with days away from work, job-transfer, or restriction) below the national average for the most recent year published for NAICS 236220 (SIC 1542), which was 3.0 for the year 2009 and to further reduce this level of recordable injuries annually by at least 4% for the duration of the partnership.

Results Section:

The following information appears in the OSP's 2012 Annual Evaluation:

Training: The OSP made substantial progress by providing more than 3,500 hours of training to 251 workers and more than 390 hours of training to 27 supervisors. The training was targeted to specific site hazards, specialty equipment and was also provided to non-English speaking workers through an interpreter. Training topics included: Fall Protection; Forklift Training and Certification; Aerial Lift Platforms; Project Safety Orientation; Flag Person; First Aid and CPR; Respirator Appendix "D"; Scaffolding; Equipment Operations; Suspended Scaffolding; Rigging/Signal Person; Confined Space; Personnel/Material Hoist; OSHA 10 and 30 Hour. Other significant training included: Train the Trainer/Competent Person - Operation and Access of Mast Climbing Scaffold Platforms; Platform "Monorail" Hoisting and Rigging; Safety Trained Supervisor which helped some supervisors to achieve Certified Safety Professional certification. In addition, through the OSP, a pilot course, "Mast Climbing for Compliance Officers" is under development by the Scaffold Industry Association to train OSHA staff and share industry Best Practices.

Injury and Illness Reduction: The Partnership achieved its goal of a 4 percent reduction from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national average for 2009 for this industry.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement January 24, 2012

US Labor Department's OSHA forms partnership with Torcon to protect workers on Penn State University construction project OSHA News Release (January 24, 2012).

Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

The common objective of this agreement is to develop a contractor/government partnership that will encourage all construction contractors to improve their safety and health performance, assist them in doing so, strive for the elimination of serious accidents in the construction industry, and recognize those contractors with exemplary safety and health programs. Specifically, this agreement will provide a safe and healthful work environment for construction workers at the Pennsylvania State University Biological Research Laboratory construction site.

The Biological Research Laboratory will be approximately 20,000 GSF of structure, consisting of three levels. The main floor level will include building functional spaces including main entry, bio-containment zone, BSL-2 lab, office and conference area, loading area and associated spaces. The bio-containment zone includes BSL-3 labs, holding rooms, procedure rooms, airlocks, staging area, shower/entry, and associated spaces. The lower level will consist of a half-basement with grade access loading and will house mechanical and electrical systems and effluent decontamination system. A full penthouse level will house mechanical and electrical equipment, bio-containment lab support equipment and will allow for bio-containment space to be serviced from outside of containment barrier.

Partnership Goals:

Some of the goals include:

• Eliminate injuries, illnesses and fatalities through a cooperative relationship between Torcon, Inc. and its subcontractors.
• Keep the overall one-year Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) below the 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national average for the construction industry, which was 3.5 and Days Away, Restricted or Transfer (DART) rate below the national average which was 1.7.
• Further reduce the TCIR and DART rates by at least four percent, annually, for the duration of the agreement.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement March 6, 2012

US Labor Department's OSHA forms partnership to protect construction workers on PPL Corp.'s data and operations center in Upper Macungie Township, Pa.OSHA News Release (2012, March 15).

Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

Over the life of the project (approximately 18 months) contractors will employ approximately 175 individual construction trades persons at peak construction. The completed work will include: site improvements including a new building, road and walkway paving and utility services construction, excavation and rock removal work, foundation installation, concrete and reinforcing steel installation, structural steel and miscellaneous metal work, electrical, mechanical/plumbing, painting and other interiors finish work. The operations will incorporate the use of cranes, aerial and scissor lifts and other specialized construction tools and equipment.

The Partnership will cover construction of the following areas: Distribution/Dispatch; Transmission; Electric Utility Operations Support; Facility Support and Utilities and an Equipment Yard. This provides for an overall facility space of more than 113,000 square feet. 

The Data and Operations Center consolidates the state of the art PPL Transmission Control, Distribution Control, and Data Centers into one all-encompassing location that will capitalize on the advantage of shared utilities as well as host its new emergency response functions. The design consolidates Distribution/Dispatch and includes hardened critical spaces; provides high level security; and accommodates for future growth.

Partnership Goals: Some of the goals of the partnership include:

• Reduce the number of at-risk conditions and behaviors that could result in worker fatalities, injuries or illnesses
• Develop and implement effective safety and health programs
• Promote workplace safety and health, and provide guidance, technical assistance and training for workers

Results Section:

The following information appears in the OSP's 2012 Annual Evaluation:

Training: The OSP made substantial progress by providing more than 3,100 hours of training to 700 workers and more than 640 hours of training to 90 supervisors. Some specific training topics for workers included: Powered Industrial Truck, Respiratory Protection and Lift (Manual) Training. Also, some specialized training topics for supervisors included: Crane Training, Injury Free Environment Orientation and Supervisory Skills Training. In addition, an OSHA Crane presentation was conducted through Skanska Building USA (Skanska) and their insurance carrier. This presentation was a four hour session, which covered all of the elements of the recently modified construction crane standard. The local Skanska management team allowed OSHA's Allentown Area Office staff to invite other OSHA staff to attend the presentation.

Injury and Illness Reduction: The Partnership continues its work to reduce the recordable injuries annually by at least 4 percent for the duration of the Partnership and is currently maintaining its Total Cases Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted Work and Job Transfer Rate (DART) below the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national average for this industry.

Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement August 9, 2012

Construction Industry Partnerships

Partnership Overview:

Pittsburgh Area Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and PJ Dick, Incorporated have agreed to implement an OSHA Strategic Partnership during construction of The Tower at PNC Plaza.

Major components of the work will include: site construction, excavation work, caissons installation, rebar installation, concrete foundations, structural steel, pre-cast concrete, miscellaneous metal work, electrical, masonry, mechanical/plumbing, glazing, and roofing.  It is expected that 40-50 union trade contractors will employ approximately 300-350 craft persons at peak construction. Project construction is anticipated to be completed the second quarter of 2015. 

Partnership Goals:

The overarching goal of this Partnership is to encourage joint cooperation between OSHA, PJ Dick, Inc. and trade contractors to foster a safe work environment for all project employees as prescribed in this agreement.
Other of the goals of the Partnership include:

• Implementing and maintaining a site specific Project Safety Plan.
• The Partnership will use 4.8 as a baseline project DART rate, with the goal to further reduce this level annually by at least 3% for the duration of the Partnership. 
• The partners will meet quarterly to review project injury and illness statistics and work together to resolve issues.