ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and
The Association of Occupational Health Professionals (AOHP)
April 26, 2007

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

February 19, 2004

Date Renewed

August 27, 2006

Overview

The OSHA and AOHP Alliance is providing the association's members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to patient-handling hazards, bloodborne diseases, and emergency preparedness in healthcare facilities.

Implementation Team Members

Evaluation Period

February 19, 2006 - February 18, 2007

II. Implementation Team Meetings

In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

III. Results

1. Events and Products
   
   Training and Education Goal
    
   • Develop workplace safety and health curricula for training and education programs on patient handling and bloodborne pathogens for healthcare institutions and workers.
   "Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting"
   
   Through the OSHA and AOHP Alliance, AOHP developed a guidance document, "Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting." The document was published on September 20, 2006. It was posted on the AOHP Web site and a link to the document was added to the OSHA and AOHP Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.
   
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and AOHP's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
   Products
   
   OSHA and AOHP Alliance Web Site
   
   OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and AOHP Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site that includes the OSHA and AOHP original Alliance agreement and its renewal agreement, news releases, activities and events, products and resources and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of site visits please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
   
   AOHP and OSHA Alliance Web Site
   
   AOHP continues to update the AOHP and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site. The page includes links to OSHA's Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign Web page, Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topic page, and the Hospital eTool on the agency's Web site. In addition, the page links to the 2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week Web page on the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Web site. ASSE, another Alliance Program participant, is the sponsor of NAOSH Week.
   
   Print and Electronic Media
   
   Articles on the OSHA and AOHP Alliance have appeared in a number of printed and online publications, including: OSHA and AOHP news releases, the AOHP Journal, and Oklahoma Safety Council eNewsletter. For more information on the articles, please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
   
   OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages and eTools
   
   The following representative, Mary Ann Gruden, President Emeritus, AOHP serves on the editorial board for OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topics page and the Hospital eTools.
    
   • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or AOHP's conferences, local meetings, or other AOHP sponsored events such as the AOHP Annual National Conference.
   Events
   
   AOHP 25th Annual National Conference, October 4-7, 2006, Capital Park Hyatt Regency, Sacramento, California
   
   On October 6, 2006, Alvan Phillip, Occupational Safety Specialist, Voluntary Outreach Programs, Region IX, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "Federal OSHA Overview and OSHA's Recordkeeping Highlights." In addition, representatives from California OSHA, AOHP and the American Heart Association, another Alliance Program participant, staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth during the conference.
   
   AOHP Virginia Chapter Fall Conference, November, 3, 2006 Inova Fairfax Hospital, Fairfax, Virginia
   
   On November 3, 2006, Sheila Arbury, Health Scientist, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA/AOHP Alliance Update and OSHA's eTools and Safety and Health Topics Pages," to 65 attendees.
    
   • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AOHP's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by AOHP and through OSHA or AOHP's developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
   During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
    
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to patient-handling hazards, bloodborne diseases and emergency preparedness that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
   OSHA Hospital eTool
   
   Through the Alliance, AOHP representatives are working with other Alliance Program participants to provide input and expertise to OSHA to update the agency's Hospital eTool. In addition to AOHP, the other Alliance Program participants involved on the project are the Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), American Biological Safety Association (ABSA), Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), Laser Institute of American (LIA), Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMA), and The Joint Commission/Joint Commission Resources (JCR)
   
   The modules of the eTool being updated include ergonomics, bloodborne pathogens, and laser hazards. In addition, the AOHP's guidance document, "Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting," is being used to update the eTool's Ergonomics module.
   
   Events
   
   2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week
   
   AOHP is supporting and promoting the 2007 NAOSH Week May 6-12, 2007 NAOSH Week which is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), another Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). The goal of the annual Week is to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public and all partners in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. AOHP provided information on the Week in its February 2007 eNewsletter and posted information and a link on the AOHP Web sit to the 2007 NAOSHA Week Web page on ASSE's Web site.
    
2. Executive summary
   
   During the Alliance's past year, the OSHA and AOHP Alliance implementation team worked on an Alliance renewal agreement to extend the Alliance for two more years. The group also engaged in many projects to provide AOHP members and others with information, guidance and access to training resources to help protect employees' health and safety, including reducing and preventing exposure to patient-handling hazards, bloodborne diseases, and emergency preparedness in healthcare facilities. For example through the Alliance AOHP developed a guidance document, "Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting." The document was published on September 20, 2006 and is posted on the AOHP and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site. In addition, a link to the guidance document was added to the OSHA and AOHP Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.
   
   In addition, OSHA and AOHP continue to update their Alliance Web pages on their organizations' Web site. AOHP posted information and a link to the 2007 NAOSH Week on its Web site and added links to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topic page and to the Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign Web page. OSHA added information about the OSHA and AOHP Alliance renewal on the agency's Web site.
   
   The organizations are also sharing information about compliance assistance resources. On November 3, 2006 at the AOHP Virginia Chapter Fall Conference, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Fairfax, Virginia, Sheila Arbury, Health Scientist, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA/AOHP Alliance Update and OSHA's eTools and Safety and Health Topics Pages," to 65 attendees.
   
   On October 6, 2006, Alvan Phillip, Occupational Safety Specialist, Voluntary Outreach Programs, Region IX, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "Federal OSHA Overview and OSHA's Recordkeeping Highlights," at the AOHP 25th Annual National Conference in Sacramento, California.
   
   AOHP representatives also shared an Alliance Program exhibit booth with California OSHA and the American Heart Association, another Alliance Program participant during the conference.
   
   In addition, AOHP representatives are sharing their expertise with OSHA and are serving on the editorial board of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topics page. Finally, AOHP representatives are working with other Alliance Program participants, including the Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), American Biological Safety Association (ABSA), Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), Laser Institute of American (LIA), Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMA), and The Joint Commission/Joint Commission Resources (JCR) to help OSHA update its Hospital eTool.
    
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

During the upcoming year, the OSHA and AOHP Alliance Implementation Team is planning a number of activities to continue promoting healthy and safe healthcare facilities workplaces, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to patient-handling hazards and bloodborne diseases, and promoting emergency preparedness.
The OSHA and AOHP Alliance will continue its focus on patient-handling hazards in the workplace by updating information on the AOHP and OSHA Alliance Web page and on the AOHP Web site as new information becomes available. Additionally, representatives from AOHP will continue serving as editorial board members for OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety and Health Topics page.

Further through the Alliance, AOHP representatives will continue to work with other Alliance Program participants, including the AAOHN, ABSA, AORN, LIA, SDMS, and The Joint Commission/JCR to assist OSHA in updating modules of the Hospital eTool. AOHP members have also agreed to continue reviewing and providing expert input on OSHA safety and health documents, as requested.

In addition, OSHA and AOHP implementation team is developing plans to promote the Alliance through a number of speaking and exhibiting opportunities including, the AOHP 2007 Annual Conference, September 26-29, 2007 in Savannah, Georgia. AOHP will also continue to support and promote 2007 NAOSH Week to its members through the organizations eNewsletter and on its Web site.

Finally, the OSHA and AOHP Alliance will work with OSHA's Office of Occupational Medicine on a new OSHA initiative focused on increasing vaccinations among healthcare workers.


Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, April 26, 2007.