ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA)
July 15, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

July 15, 2003

Evaluation Period

July 15, 2004 - July 14, 2005

Overview

The Alliance focuses on using OSHA's and ASA's collective expertise to help advance a culture of injury and illness prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge and promoting safe and healthful working conditions for shipyard employees.

Implementation Team Members

II. Implementation Team Meetings

III. Results

1. Events and Products
   
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • Develop and disseminate injury and hazard information at conferences, events and/or through print and electronic media, including links from OSHA's and ASA's Web sites.
   Products
   
   Safety and Health Injury Prevention Sheets (SHIPS)
   
   The SHIPS, developed by OSHA's Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM), are designed to identify the prevalent types of injuries (e.g. falls, strains and burns) by processes such as shipfitting, shipboard machining, shipboard electrical and shipboard handling. The ASA, NSRP and SCA implementation teams reviewed the Shipfitting Prevention sheet along with the Machining, Electrical and Handling sheets. DSTM is expected to complete the project by Fall 2005.
   
   Shipyard Hazard Fatality Video
   
   The Shipyard Fatality Videos, developed by DSTM are computer animated hazard awareness videos based on actual shipyard fatalities. The ASA, NSRP and SCA Implementation Teams, along with OSHA Strategic Partnership Program's participants in the maritime industry, completed the storyboard and script for Shipyard Fatality Video 2. The final copies of the video were distributed to the maritime industry in April 2005.
   
   Publications and Newsletters
   
   Information and news releases on the OSHA and ASA Alliance activities have appeared in a number of printed and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter and the National Safety Council's Business & Industry Division Newsletter. For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table on pages 6-7.
   
   Events
   
   2004 National Safety Congress & Expo - "Shipyard Alliances with OSHA" Workshop, September 13, 2004, New Orleans, LA
   
   During the National Safety Congress and Expo, the OSHA and ASA, NSRP and SCA Alliances had a workshop, "Shipyard Alliances with OSHA." The workshop updated safety and health professionals on the products developed through the NSRP, ASA and SCA Alliances and included information on OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool, SHIPS and Shipyard Fatality Videos.
   
   The following Alliance members were part of the workshop panel:
    
   • • Tom Pope, Area Director, OSHA Region III, Norfolk, Virginia Area Office
     • Capt. Teresa Preston, Director, Safety, Environment & Quality, Atlantic Marine, Inc. (SCA)
     • David Pivarnik, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Director of Environmental, Health & Safety (ASA and NSRP)
   • Familiarize OSHA personnel with the shipbuilding industries' safety and health best practices and share information on the best practices of ASA's members/worksites, as jointly determined by OSHA and ASA, with others in the industry.
     
     The OSHA and ASA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Share current injury, hazard and workforce trends to help identify the top priorities for the development of employee safety and health training and outreach programs for the shipbuilding industry.
   Fatality Fact Sheets
   
   ASA, NSRP and SCA are working with OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to develop Fatality Fact Sheets. The implementation teams are in the process of reviewing OSHA data to determine the top three to four specific types of incidents (e.g. fall or electrocution), that result in shipyard fatalities, in order to develop fact sheets for that particular type of incident.
    
   • Promote and encourage ASA members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and SHARP. In addition, act as mentors to ASA members that aspire to excellence in safety and health.
   Events
   
   VPP Seminar, September 21, 2004, New Orleans, LA
   
   The Maritime VPP Seminar was developed through the ASA and NSRP Alliances. The seminar focused on the importance of applying for membership in OSHA's VPP program. ASA and NSRP member, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems - Avondale Operations in New Orleans, LA hosted the event. Employees and management from ASA and NSRP member, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems- Newport News shared first-hand knowledge about the program with the attendees. In addition, maritime companies and OSHA's National Office, Region III and Region VI discussed the application process, requirements and benefits of VPP from both the industry and government perspectives. Representatives from ASA, NSRP and SCA attended the event.
    
   • Create and update electronic assistance tools for OSHA's Web page that address shipbuilding safety and health hazards.
   OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages
   
   ASA's members are continuing to participate, review and provide comments on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:
    
   • Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page James Thornton, Director, Environment, Health & Safety, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA
     
     Bob Watson, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company; San Diego, CA
      
   • Ship Building and Repair Safety and Health Topics page James Thornton, Director, Environment, Health & Safety, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA
   Shipyard Employment eTool
   
   OSHA and ASA, together with the NSRP and SCA Alliances, are working to complete the development of OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool that provides information and guidance to help protect shipyard employees' health and safety by minimizing or eliminating exposure to shipyard safety and health hazards.
   
   The eTool describes common hazards and possible solutions for tasks performed during the maritime industries' ship repair, ship building, ship breaking, and barge cleaning processes. The Ship Building, Ship Breaking, and Barge Cleaning modules are under development and are expected to be completed and posted by Fall 2005.
    
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects for the maritime industry that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
     
     The OSHA and ASA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
    
   • Raise awareness through speeches and appearances by ASA leaders of their positive and successful worksite programs and their commitment to workplace safety and health.
     
     The OSHA and ASA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Convene and/or participate in roundtable discussions or other forums to discuss issues, as jointly identified as top priorities by ASA and OSHA, in order to develop innovative solutions to specific injury and hazard issues in shipyards.
     
     The OSHA and ASA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.

IV. Results

Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and ASA are continuing to work together to address important safety and health issues in the maritime industry. These activities will continue to help address goals within the 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan; including lowering injury and illness rates for high-risk/high severity industries (e.g. shipyards and ship building and repair). The OSHA and ASA Alliance implementation team is working jointly with the other maritime Alliances that have been signed with NSRP and SCA, on several projects This positive relationship has led to the development of many programs and projects. For example:

• The associations helped with the development OSHA's SHIPS that covers topics such as rigging and ship fitting and Shipyard Fatality Video 2, which is a computer animated hazard awareness video based on actual shipyard fatalities.
   
• ASA representatives continue to serve on the Maritime Industry and Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics pages' Editorial Boards and working with the Shipyard Employment eTool Editorial Board to complete development of the eTool's Ship Building and Ship Breaking modules.
   
• At the National Safety Congress in September 2004, a representative from the ASA Alliance participated in a Shipyard Alliances workshop. The workshop focused on the products developed for the maritime industry through the Alliance Program and featured speakers from NSRP, SCA and OSHA.
   
• ASA and NSRP developed, promoted and hosted the September 21, 2004 Maritime VPP Seminar that was held in New Orleans, LA. At the seminar, representatives from the organizations heard presentations from maritime companies and OSHA's National Office, Region III and Region VI and discussed the application process, requirements and benefits of VPP from both the industry and government perspectives. Representatives from SCA attended the event.

Finally, ASA will continue to hold joint Implementation Team meetings with NSRP and SCA and representatives from the Directorates of Cooperative and State Programs; Enforcement Programs, Science, Technology and Medicine; Standards and Guidance; Region III and Region IV in order to develop programs and projects to lower injury and illness rates for high-risk/high severity industries (e.g. shipyards and ship building and repair).

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the upcoming year, OSHA's and ASA's positive relationship, that was built through the Alliance Program, will continue to grow and the Implementation Team will undertake a number of activities and develop a number of products.

For example, the ASA, NSRP and SCA implementation teams have discussed working together to develop an OSHA 10-Hour course specifically for shipyards and a seminar on best practices for shipyards.

In addition, the groups are working with OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to review OSHA data in order to identify topics for Fatality Fact Sheets.

In addition, the implementation teams are completing development of the Ship Building, Ship Breaking, and Barge Cleaning modules that are expected to be completed and posted by Fall 2005. Additional modules of the Shipyard Employment eTool, that may be developed could cover topics such as Fire Protection.

Finally, ASA, NSRP and SCA have expressed interest in working with the American Society of Safety Engineers and American Industrial Hygienist Association Alliances to develop maritime related safety and health information e.g. safety notices on particular types of hazards such as slips, trips and falls and confined space within shipyards.


Report prepared by: Jess McCluer, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, July 15, 2005