AAFA - Alliance Annual Report - March 17, 2006

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and
American Apparel and Footwear Association
March 17, 2006

  1. Alliance Background
    Date Signed

    February 14, 2003

    Date Renewed

    March 24, 2005

    Evaluation Period

    February 14, 2005 – February 13, 2006

    Overview

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and AAFA use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of injury and illness prevention in the apparel and footwear industries by sharing best practices and technical safety and health knowledge, especially in the area of ergonomics.

     

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:
     
    Brett Besser
    Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)
    Bob Curtis
    SLTC*
    Brently Donaldson
    Office of Training and Education
    Nancy McCormick
    Region IX
    Beth Sherfy
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances
    AAFA:
     
    Michael Della Mea
    Sara Lee Knit Products
    John Eapan
    American & Efird
    Carey Schuster
    AAFA
    Michael Scott
    American & Efird
    *Mr. Curtis was a member of the implementation team until September 2005.
     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings
    March 1, 2005
    Ergonomics Seminar Planning Meeting, Teleconference
    March 9, 2005
    Ergonomics Seminar Planning Meeting, Teleconference
    March 17, 2005
    Ergonomics Seminar Planning Meeting, Teleconference
    March 29, 2005
    Ergonomics Seminar Planning Meeting, Teleconference
    July 7, 2005
    Implementation Team Meeting, Teleconference
    October 25, 2005
    Implementation Team Meeting, Teleconference
    1. Events and Products
      Training and Education Goals
       
      • Develop and deliver training and education programs on ergonomics issues.
      Events

      Ergonomics Training Seminar: "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel"

      The OSHA and AAFA Alliance developed an Ergonomics Training Seminar: "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," which provided training to AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industries. The seminar was based on AAFA's Ergonomics Manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume I, An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries, which was developed through the OSHA and AAFA Alliance. Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health assisted with presenting the seminars in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the evaluation period, OSHA and AAFA presented the seminar four times:
       
      • March 16, 2005, Charlotte, NC – 12 attendees
      • April 5, 2005, Charlotte, NC – 40 attendees
      • May 10, 2005, Miami, FL – 10 attendees
      • May 14, 2005, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico – 200 attendees
      Sara Lee's Apparel Division Ergonomics Seminar, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, January 18, 2006

      On January 18, 2006, Sara Lee's Apparel Division held a one-day "Train the Trainer" ergonomics seminar for 55 employees, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, using the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume I, An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries. Attendees received a copy as a handout along with other related materials. Sara Lee's employees represented all domestic ergonomics coordinators and key committee members charged with standardizing the ergonomics program for the apparel group.
       
      • Cross–train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals in AAFA ergonomics programs or best practices, as determined by OSHA and AAFA.

        During this reporting period, OSHA and AAFA did not work on projects to address this goal.
      Outreach and Communication Goals
       
      • Develop and disseminate information and guidance through print and electronic media, particularly the AAFA and OSHA Web sites.
      Products

      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page

      Through the Alliance, an AAFA representative has provided expertise to review, maintain and update three of OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages. Charlotte Lewengrub, Compliance Manager, Quabaug Corporation, Brookfield, Massachusetts represents AAFA on the editorial boards of the following Topics pages:
       
      • Accident Investigation
      • Apparel and Footwear Industry
      • Textiles
      OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web Page

      OSHA developed the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. The Web page features links to the Alliance agreement and related documents, information on activities and events, and milestones and successes. The Web page has been updated to reflect that AAFA hosted the ergonomics training seminar: "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," in Charlotte, North Carolina, Miami, Florida and Rio Grande, Puerto, Rico. For information on the number of visits to the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      AAFA's Alliance Web Page

      AAFA continues to update a page about the OSHA and AAFA Alliance on its Web site. The Web page includes information about the Alliance renewal agreement, links to OSHA's Alliance Program, links to the Ergonomics Manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume I, An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries, and information on the ergonomics training seminar "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel."

      Print and Electronic Media

      Information and news releases on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance appeared in print and online publications, including: Usernomics, US Newswire, and OSHA's New Releases, QuickTakes and Alliance Quarterly Review. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.
       
      • Disseminate information and guidance in applicable foreign languages.

        During this reporting period, OSHA and AAFA did not work on projects to address this goal.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other events to promote the effectiveness of ergonomics programs.
      Events

      AAFA's Social Responsibility Committee Meeting, New York, New York, June 21, 2005

      John Eapan, Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety, American & Efird, gave an update on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance to 25 attendees on June 21, 2005 at AAFA's Social Responsibility Committee Meeting in New York, New York.
       
      • Promote and encourage AAFA members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, SHARP, and mentoring among AAFA members.

        During this reporting period, OSHA and AAFA did not work on projects to address this goal.
      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals
       
      • Encouraging AAFA members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA's cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists.
      North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week 2006, April 30–May 6, 2006

      AAFA is supporting and promoting NAOSH Week 2006, which is April 30-May 6, 2006. NAOSH Week is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE). Carey Schuster, Government Relations, AAFA, is participating with a number of other Alliances in planning NAOSH Week 2006's kick-off event at the Department of Labor, which is May 1, 2006. During the evaluation period, AAFA distributed posters about NAOSH week and posted information about the event on AAFA's Web site.
       
      • Share information on best practices of AAFA members, as determined by OSHA and AAFA, with others in the industry.

        During this reporting period, OSHA and AAFA did not work on projects to address this goal.
    2. Executive Summary
      During the 2005-2006 evaluation period, OSHA and AAFA renewed the Alliance so they can continue to work together to provide AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industries with information, guidance and access to training resources to help them protect employees' safety and health, especially related to ergonomics.

      Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and AAFA developed several resources with information about the Alliance agreement and the apparel and footwear industry. The OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web site on OSHA's Web page provides links to the Alliance agreement, related documents, and activities and events. In addition, AAFA's Alliance–related Web page features information on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance agreement and related products and activities. A representative from AAFA serves on OSHA's Accident Investigation, Apparel and Footwear Industry and Textiles Safety and Health Topics pages' editorial boards. In addition, the OSHA and AAFA Alliance was featured in several publications including Useronomics, USNewswire and OSHA's New Releases, QuickTakes and Alliance Quarterly Review.

      The OSHA and AAFA Alliance developed an Ergonomics Training Seminar: "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," which was presented to AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industry. The seminar was based on AAFA's Ergonomics Manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume I, An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries, which was developed through the OSHA and AAFA Alliance. OSHA and AAFA presented the seminar in Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami, Florida, and Rio Grande, Puerto, Rico. Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health assisted with presenting the seminars in Charlotte, North Carolina.

      In addition, on January 18, 2006, Sara Lee's Apparel Division held a one-day "Train the Trainer" ergonomics seminar for 55 employees, in Winston–Salem, North Carolina, using the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume I, An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries. Attendees received a copy of the manual as a handout along with other related materials. Sara Lee's employees represented all domestic ergonomics coordinators and key committee members charged with standardizing the ergonomics program for the apparel group.

      OSHA and AAFA representatives also promoted the Alliance through speeches and presentations. For example, on June 21, 2005, John Eapan, Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety, American & Efird, gave an update on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance to AAFA's Social Responsibility Committee in New York, New York.

      Through the Alliance, AAFA is supporting and promoting NAOSH Week 2006, which is April 30–May 6, 2006. An AAFA representative is participating with a number of other Alliances in planning NAOSH Week 2006's kick–off event at the Department of Labor on May 1, 2006.
       
    3. Alliance Program Reach
      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and AAFA Web page on OSHA's Web site 4,649
      AAFA's Alliance-Related Web page 3,185
      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages
       
      • Accident Investigation
      • Apparel and Footwear Industry
      • Textiles
      		 64,800
      OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Training Seminar, "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," Charlotte, North Carolina, March 16, 2005
      Speakers:
       
      • Betty Copeland, North Carolina Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health
      • Roseanne Morgan, North Carolina Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division
      • Carey Schuster, AAFA
      		 12
      March 24, 2005, "American Apparel & Footwear Association Renews Alliance with OSHA," OSHA News Release 69 News Services
      March 24, 2005, "AAFA Renews Alliance with OSHA," AAFA News Release Data Not Available
      March 24, 2005, "American Apparel & Footwear Association Renews Alliance with OSHA," USNewswire Data Not Available
      March 24, 2005, "American Apparel & Footwear Association Renews Alliance with OSHA," Usernomics Data Not Available
      March 25, 2005, "USA: American Apparel & Footwear Association Renews Agreement with OSHA," World of Garment–Textile–Fashion: News & Views Data Not Available
      March 25, 2005, "American Apparel and Footwear Association Renews Agreement with OSHA," Association News Data Not Available
      March 2005, "Alliance Develops Ergonomics Manual for Apparel and Footwear Industries," Alliance Quarterly Review 350
      OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Training Seminar, "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," Charlotte, North Carolina, April 5, 2005
      Speakers:
       
      • Betty Copeland, North Carolina Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health
      • Roseanne Morgan, North Carolina Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division
      • Carey Schuster, AAFA
      		 40
      OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Training Seminar, "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," Miami, Florida, May 10, 2005
      Speaker: Carey Schuster, AAFA      		 10
      OSHA and AAFA Alliance Ergonomics Training Seminar, "A Practical and Economical Approach to Enhancing Your Company's Success Without Reinventing the Wheel," Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, May 14, 2005
      Speaker: Carey Schuster, AAFA      		 200
      May 2005, "OSHA Alliances," National Safety Council — OSHA Up to Date Data Not Available
      AAFA's Social Responsibility Committee Meeting, New York, New York, June 21, 2005
      Speaker: John Eapen, American & Efird      		 25
      TOTAL 73,271
  3. Upcoming Milestones
    In the coming year, the OSHA and AAFA Alliance plan will continue to promote the Alliance Program to AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industry. Through the Alliance, OSHA and AAFA will maintain and update the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. The Alliance implementation team will also update AAFA's Alliance–related Web page. In addition, an AAFA representative will review and update OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages on Accident Investigation, Apparel and Footwear Industry, and Textiles through their participation on the page's editorial board.

    The implementation team plans to develop the second volume of the Ergonomics Manual that will provide AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industries with guidance on how to create an ergonomics program. The new manual will include best practices, case studies and other tools.

    Representatives from OSHA and the Alliance implementation team will continue to promote the Alliance through speeches and exhibits at meetings such as AAFA's Annual Meeting in Aventura, Florida, February 23–25, 2006. The OSHA and AAFA Alliance will also join with other Alliance Program participants in supporting the NAOSH Week, which is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers, another Alliance Program participant.

    Report prepared by: Elizabeth Sherfy, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, March 17, 2006.