ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and the
American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL)
July 22, 2006

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

July 23, 2003

Date Renewed

November 18, 2005

Overview

Recognizing the value of enhancing public safety through quality testing, OSHA and ACIL are using their collective expertise to help increase awareness of OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program that is a part of OSHA's Directorate of Science, Technology, and Medicine (DSTM). The OSHA recognized laboratories determine if equipment and products that are required to be approved by the Agency's regulations meet consensus-based product safety test standards. Approval helps ensure the equipment or products can be used safely in the workplace. Each NRTL puts its nationally registered mark on the products it tests, which certifies that the products meet OSHA standards for approval of equipment.

Implementation Team Members

Evaluation Period

July 23, 2005 – July 22, 2006

II. Implementation Team Meetings

III. Results

1. Events and Products
   
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards and ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and ACIL's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
   Products
   
   OSHA and ACIL Alliance Web Page
   
   OSHA continues to update the OSHA and ACIL Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The page includes a copy of the OSHA and ACIL Alliance agreement, a photograph of the signing ceremony, news releases and activities and events; products and resources; and milestones and successes. A Strategic Management Plan Focus area box was added to the page, reflecting that the OSHA and ACIL Alliance focuses in the areas of small businesses. In addition, information on Maryann Garrahan's presentation in February 2006 at ACIL's Mid-Winter Meeting was added to the page.
   
   ACIL Web Site
   
   ACIL continues to maintain a link from its "Special Programs" focus box on its Web site's homepage to the OSHA and ACIL Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. In addition, the Government Links section of ACIL's Web site includes a link to OSHA's Web site home page.
   
   NRTL Certification Marks Pocket Card
   
   The OSHA and ACIL implementation team is close to finalizing a pocket card, which shows the product safety certification marks used by testing laboratories within the OSHA NRTL Program. The NRTL's mark must generally appear on electrical products used in the workplace. The completed pocket card will be an informational resource for students who attend OSHA's Technical Institute's (OTI) courses and the agency's National, Regional and Area Offices' staff and Onsite Consultation Program personnel.
   
   The draft pocket card contains certification marks from each of the NRTLs; the Alliance Program and ACIL logos; the Web site addresses for ACIL, OSHA and its Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory Safety and Health Topics page and information from OSHA's standard, 29 CFR 1910 subpart S.
   
   Publications and News Releases
   
   Information on the OSHA and ACIL Alliance has appeared in a number of print and online media, including: an OSHA News Release, American National Standards Institute News; OSHA Up to Date; and Facilities Management News.
   
   For more information on the print and electronic media, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.
   
   ACIL's Newsletter News from...
   
   ACIL publishes a monthly newsletter, News from…, for its members, associate members and others, to inform them about current industry-related events; new electrical safety and health resources and pertinent testing and engineering laboratory issues. ACIL included information on OSHA's compliance assistance resources in several editions during the reporting period. For example, in the January/February 2006 edition, ACIL shared information on OSHA's updated compliance assistances resources on the Agency's Web site. In addition, in the March 2006 issue, ACIL published information on OSHA's new brochure on improving driver safety and reducing the risk of motor vehicle crashes. Also, in the June 2006 edition, ACIL informed its members about OSHA's new guidelines on helping employers develop workplace first aid programs.
    
   • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or ACIL's conferences, local meetings, ACIL's annual meetings, legislative conferences or other NRTL related events.
   Events
   
   ACIL 2006 Mid-Winter Meeting, February 7, 2006, Washington, D.C.
   
   On February 7, 2006, Maryann Garrahan, Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation on OSHA's proposed Satellite Notification and Acceptance Program (SNAP) to the meeting's attendees. The proposed SNAP would be another segment within the NRTL Program and would benefit NRTLs and OSHA. NRTLs would have more flexibility in how they perform their testing and certification activities while OSHA would improve its oversight of the NRTLs.
   
   American Council on Electrical Safety (ACES) Meeting, April 6, 2006, Baltimore, MD
   
   During the meeting, Maryann Garrahan gave a brief update on OSHA's SNAP Program to the attendees and Bernard Pasquet presented an update and overview of OSHA's product approval requirements and the NRTL Program. In addition, he spoke about OSHA's Compliance Safety and Health Officers and their capability to issue citations for violations of the NRTL approval requirements. Mr. Pasquet also informed the attendees about OSHA's Safety and Health Information Bulletins (SHIB) and how the documents are produced to inform the public regarding a safety or health issue addressed by the Agency.
    
   • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by ACIL and through OSHA- or ACIL-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
   Sixth Annual Department of Labor Safety Day, June 7, 2006, Washington, D.C.
   
   The Department of Labor's (DOL) Safety Day was held on June 7, 2006 in Washington, DC. for DOL employees. The event highlighted safety and health issues for DOL employees and a number of organizations were able to share safety and health information with DOL employees. ACIL staffed an exhibit booth at the event and distributed information on the NRTL program and answering questions on electrical safety.
    
   • Encourage ACIL members and OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to build relationships to address health and safety issues relating to OSHA's NTRL Program.
     
     The OSHA and ACIL Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
   Promoting the National Dialogue Goals:
    
   • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
     
     The OSHA and ACIL Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on NRTL product approval and electrical safety issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
   Event
   
   American Council on Electrical Safety (ACES) Meeting, April 6, 2006, Baltimore, MD
   
   The American Council for Electrical Safety, organized and hosted by ACIL, is an electrical safety forum which also includes sharing information about OSHA's NRTL product approval issues. As note above, OSHA and ACIL Alliance implementation team members attended the April 6, 2006 ACES meeting in Baltimore, MD: Maryann Garrahan, Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities (OTPCA), Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA; Bernard Pasquet, Electrical Engineer, OTPCA, and Gregory Goff, OTPCA.
    
2. Executive Summary
   
   Through the OSHA and ACIL Alliance, the organizations continue to share information related to the NRTL Program and OSHA's compliance assistance resources. For example, OSHA's implementation team members were updated by ACIL on the growing problem of counterfeit products and counterfeit certification marks on products. These products are being or can be used in workplaces throughout the U.S.
   
   In addition, the implementation team continued its efforts to develop a pocket card with information and images of all of the genuine certification marks from each NRTL. The card will contain OSHA's and ACIL's Web site addresses and text from OSHA's standard for electrical equipment approval in the workplace.
   
   Further, Maryann Garrahan gave a presentation on OSHA's proposed SNAP Program to the attendees at ACIL's 2006 Mid-Winter Meeting in Washington, DC. In addition, Maryann Garrahan and Bernard Pasquet spoke about OSHA's NRTL Program and Safety and Health Information Bulletins at the ACES meeting, hosted by ACIL, on April 6, 2006 in Baltimore, MD.
   
   The implementation team also worked together to develop a draft OSHA and ACIL Alliance renewal agreement which was signed by OSHA and ACIL on November 18, 2005.
    
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

OSHA and ACIL remain committed to working and will work on number of projects to support the agreement.

For example, the OSHA and ACIL implementation team will finalize a pocket card, with the NRTL approved certification marks from the testing laboratories throughout the U.S. The completed card will be used as an informational resource for students who attend OTI's courses and the Agency's National, Regional and Area Offices staff and Onsite Consultation Program personnel.

In addition, ACIL may conduct training sessions on the NRTL Program for OSHA staff and others in several of the Agency's regions. Topics that will be discussed during the training sessions may include: how to identify genuine and counterfeit NRTL certification marks and the location of genuine NRTL certification marks on approved equipment and detecting counterfeit NRTL certification marks on electrical equipment.

OSHA and ACIL will also continue to work together to identify opportunities to promote and educate others on the NRTL program through speaking opportunities. For example, OSHA representatives will be invited to participate at the ACES meeting on November 16, 2006 in Baltimore, MD.
In addition, OSHA will hold a NRTL forum after the event.

The implementation team will develop several outreach materials related to the NRTL Program such as a fact sheet regarding genuine and counterfeit certification marks, an article on detecting counterfeit certification marks, and a slide presentation.

Report prepared by: Richard L. Harris, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services Alliances, July 22, 2006