ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and the
American Pyrotechnics Association (APA)
September 1, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

June 9, 2004

Overview

The OSHA and American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) Alliance focuses on providing APA members, OSHA personnel, and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing accidents involving the manufacturing, transportation, storage, sale, and handling of commercial display fireworks and consumer fireworks and the use of commercial display fireworks.

Implementation Team Members
 

Evaluation Period

June 9, 2004 – June 7, 2005

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 

III. Results

1. Events and Products
   
   Training and Education Goal
    
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs on the safe and proper use of commercial display fireworks products. These programs would be delivered to OSHA personnel and other interested parties.
   Event
   
   Display Pyrotechnics Training Sessions
   
   APA conducted three one-day pyrotechnics safety training seminars for OSHA staff and local fire and public enforcement officials. Approximately 90 attendees participated in the training seminars which were conducted by Gregg Smith, APA's Safety Manager as follows:
    
   • May 24, 2005, Jacksonville, Florida
   • June 2, 2005, Arlington Heights, Illinois
   • June 7, 2005, Mesquite, Texas
   Topics discussed at the seminars included a review of applicable codes and regulations regarding the sale, manufacture, storage and transportation of consumer fireworks and industry best practices at public fireworks display sites. The seminar also covered fireworks display site safety and management and discussed types of displays (e.g. aerial, low level, land, floating platform and barge), display site venues and permits, equipment types and set-ups, personal protective equipment, lead pyrotechnician responsibilities and dealing with emergencies on the display site. The attendees also heard an overview of the Safe Explosives Act and its impact on the professional fireworks industry. This training was built on the successes of a similar training session which was held on June 8, 2004 in Washington, DC at the Department of Labor.
   
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • APA will provide expertise to OSHA to develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's and APA's Web sites.
   Products
   
   OSHA Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Safety and Health Topics Page
   
   Members from the OSHA - APA Alliance implementation team provided information, photographs, fireworks industry safety videos and comments to OSHA for the development of OSHA's Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Safety and Health Topics Page.
   
   The Topics page divides the fireworks industry into four modules: Retail Sales, Display, Manufacturing and Transportation. The Retail Sales and Display modules, which were posted to OSHA's Web site in June 2004, provide information on common hazards associated with these areas and solutions to those hazards. The page also provides information on what regulations apply to the industry and where to find additional information. The Manufacturing and Transportation Modules are planned for future development.
   
   The following APA representatives are members of the page's editorial board:
    
   • Julie Heckmann - Executive Director
   • Gregg Smith - Safety Manager
   • Phil Grucci - Fireworks by Grucci, Inc.
   OSHA and APA Alliance Web Page
   
   OSHA developed an OSHA and APA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes hyperlinks to the OSHA and APA Alliance agreement, news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, activities and events, products and resources, and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and APA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.
   
   APA and OSHA Alliance Web Page
   
   APA established an APA - OSHA Web page, which links to the OSHA - APA Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. A link to the OSHA - APA Alliance also appears on the APA Web site home page. In addition, the APA Web page also links to OSHA's resources on its Web site such as the OSHA Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Safety and Health Topics Page and two fireworks posters: Fireworks Safety Tips Retail Sales and Fireworks Safety Tips Display Operators. Also, links have been established to OSHA's Fireworks Pocket Card.
   
   Fireworks Safety Tips Posters for Display Operators and Retail Fireworks Sales
   
   Two fireworks safety tips posters were developed by OSHA for display operators and retail fireworks sales with input from APA. The Display Operators poster provides safety tips information which includes, personnel safety and personal protective equipment, safe handling and storage of fireworks at display site. The Retail Fireworks Sales poster provides safety tips including information on clear, accessible exit routes, fire extinguisher locations and operation, removal of hazardous pyrotechnic powder and damaged fireworks and securing the facility by not allowing smoking within 50 feet of the sales area.
   
   Fireworks Safety Outreach
   
   OSHA's Region X staff provided copies of the retail fireworks sales posters to Native American tribes, who maintain retail fireworks sales outlets on their reservations. Through sharing the fireworks posters, Region X staff was able to establish a working relationship with the Native American tribes. This relationship has flourished and Region X staff is pursuing efforts to provide more safety and health information and outreach and compliance assistance materials to the tribal businesses.
   
   Fireworks Safety Tips Pocket Card for Display Operators and Retail Sales
   
   A Fireworks Safety Tips pocket card was produced in June 2005 and was developed by OSHA with input from APA. The pocket card provides the same information as the two fireworks posters. One side of the pocket card provides information for display operators and the other side provides information for retail fireworks sales. In addition, the Fireworks Safety Tips Pocket card was the sixth most visited OSHA publication on OSHA's Web site in June 2005 with 5,217 visitors viewing the card.
    
   • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA or APA events such as APA's Winter Educational Conference, Fall Annual Meeting, local meetings, or other events.
   Events
   
   APA Third Annual Winter Education Conference, February 22-26, 2005, Treasure Island Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
   
   On February 23, 2005, Emil Golias, Senior Industrial Hygienist, SLTC, and Gregg Smith, APA Safety Manager, conducted a workshop on OSHA's Compliance Assistance resources for more than 125 attendees. Topics of the workshop included hazard communication, personal protective equipment, forklift safety and recordkeeping issues.
   
   APA's Fifty-Sixth Annual Convention and Trade Show, September 29-30, 2004, Disney Yacht and Beach Club, Orlando, Florida
   
   On September 29 and 30, 2004, Lee Smith, Director of the Office of Safety Systems, DSG and Mat Chibbaro, Fire Protection Engineer, DSG participated in roundtable discussions on display operators and consumer retail fireworks sales safety and health issues that impact on the pyrotechnics industry. There were approximately 150 attendees at these events.
    
   • Promote and encourage APA members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
   OSHA's Consultation Program
   
   OSHA has provided APA with information on OSHA's Consultation Program. In addition, the OSHA and APA implementation team members are identifying other avenues to raise awareness of OSHA's small business resources, including workshops and presentations.
    
   • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding APA best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by APA and through OSHA- or APA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
     
     Please see the Training and Education Goal section for information on the Display Pyrotechnics Training Sessions.
      
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to fireworks display site safety and other occupational hazards associated with fireworks manufacture, distribution, and retail sales establishments that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
     
     During this reporting period, the OSHA and APA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Encourage APA members to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including occupational hazards related to fireworks display operators.
     
     During this reporting period, the OSHA and APA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.
   Promoting the National Dialogue Goals:
    
   • Raise industry awareness and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health whenever APA leaders address groups.
     
     During this reporting period, the OSHA and APA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
     
     During this reporting period, the OSHA and APA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on fireworks issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
     
     During this reporting period, the OSHA and APA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.
2. Executive Summary
   
   In the first year of the Alliance, OSHA and APA established an excellent working relationship. Through their Alliance, OSHA and APA are working to reduce injuries and exposure to hazards in the pyrotechnics industry workplaces.
   
   OSHA developed an OSHA and APA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and APA Alliance agreement, OSHA news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, and activities and events, products and resources, and milestones and successes. APA also established an APA - OSHA Web page, which links to the OSHA - APA Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site.
   
   The Alliance implementation team also worked together to provide the Agency with input on the development of an OSHA electronic assistance tool; OSHA Assistance to the Pyrotechnics Industry Safety and Health Topics page. The page addresses common hazards of the fireworks industry for retail sales and display operators. In addition, the page provides information on possible solutions to those hazards and information on additional safety and health resources pertinent to the industry. The tool was posted on OSHA's Web site in June 2004. In addition, Julie Heckman, Gregg Smith and Phil Grucci have joined the editorial board for the Topics page.
   
   Through the Alliance, OSHA and APA representatives conducted a training workshop on OSHA's compliance assistance resources at the APA Third Annual Winter Education Conference in Orlando, Florida. More than 125 attendees participated in the workshop. Further, OSHA and APA representatives answered attendees' questions and distributed publications to the attendees.
   
   Also, OSHA and APA developed two fireworks safety tips posters for the pyrotechnics industry. The posters provide safety tips information for display operators and retail fireworks sales. The posters were used as the basis for the development of a fireworks safety pocket card. Copies of the posters and the pocket card can be ordered from OSHA's Publications Web page on the Agency's Web site. In addition, the two fireworks posters were instrumental in Region X establishing a working relationship with Native American tribes who maintain retail fireworks sales sites on their reservations.
   
   Further, the OSHA and APA implementation team worked together to produce curriculum for training sessions for OSHA staff and local public fire and enforcement officials. The training sessions were conducted in Dallas, TX; Arlington Heights, IL; and Jacksonville, FL. Approximately 90 attendees participated in the training seminars.
   
   The training sessions have increased the OSHA, state and local fire and enforcement code officials' knowledge of the pyrotechnics industry. The seminars introduced OSHA staff and enforcement officials to the industry best practices for the safe handling, use, transportation and storage of pyrotechnics. In addition, OSHA staff gained in-depth knowledge of the pyrotechnics industry through access to APA's experts.
    
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the upcoming year, OSHA and APA will continue its excellent working relationship and collaborate on projects to support the Alliance agreement. For example, APA will conduct a fourth display pyrotechnics training session in Harrisburg, PA on applicable codes and regulations regarding the sale, manufacture, storage and transportation of consumer fireworks and industry best practices at public fireworks display sites. The session will cover fireworks display site safety and management and discuss types of displays (e.g. aerial, low level, land, floating platform and barge), display site venues and permits, equipment types and set-ups, personal protective equipment, lead pyrotechnician responsibilities and dealing with emergencies on the display site. The attendees will also hear an overview of the Safe Explosives Act and its impact on the professional fireworks industry. The training is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2005.

In addition, APA will promote OSHA's cooperative programs to its membership by providing an OSHA developed article on the Consultation Program in the association's newsletter.

OSHA and APA will present a workshop on OSHA's Consultation Program at APA's Annual Meeting and Trade Show, September 2005 in San Francisco, CA. In addition, OSHA will participate in an interactive question and answer forum at the meeting and OSHA will also exhibit at the trade show.

Through the Alliance, OSHA and APA will continue efforts to update OSHA's Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Safety and Health Topics page. APA members Julie Heckman, Gregg Smith and Phil Grucci will continue as members of the editorial board and will provide feedback as appropriate.

OSHA and APA will continue to raise awareness of safety and health issues pertinent to the pyrotechnics industry through joint activities. For example, OSHA and APA Alliance implementation team members and representatives from the Department of Agriculture are developing a pocket card on the safe use of pyrotechnics as pest control measures. Once the draft pocket card is finalized. APA's experts will review the card for accuracy and provide feedback as appropriate.

The OSHA and APA Alliance will consider opportunities to promote and educate others on safety and health issues associated with the pyrotechnics industry, such as APA's annual conventions and trade shows and APA's educational conferences.

OSHA will continue efforts with the United State Agricultural Department to develop a fireworks pocket card on the safe use of fireworks as a pest control measure. APA will provide expertise by reviewing the pocket card for accuracy and content once it is finalized.


Report prepared by: Richard L. Harris, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services Alliances, September 1, 2005