ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA)
September 21, 2006

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

July 15, 2003

Date Renewed

January 13, 2006

Evaluation Period

July 16, 2005 - July 15, 2006

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

¹Member of the Implementation Team until July 2006.

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
   
   OSHA's Safety and Health Injury Prevention Sheets (SHIPS)
   
   The draft SHIPS, developed by OSHA's Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM), 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 completed reviewed the Shipfitting SHIP and are reviewing and providing comments on the Machining, Electrical and Handling SHIPS. Due to a lawsuit that is challenging the data module OSHA is using to develop the Shipfitting SHIPS, the development of the guide sheets has been put on hold until the lawsuit is settled.
   
   OSHA and ASA Alliance Web page
   
   OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and ASA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site. It includes links to the OSHA and ASA agreement, renewal agreement, news releases and events. This Web page is updated on a regular basis.
   
   Publications and Newsletters
   
   Information and news releases on the OSHA and ASA Alliance activities have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, OSHA Up to Date and American Shipbuilder - INDUSTRY NEWS. For more information on the articles, see "Alliance Program Reach."
   
   Events
   
   XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work and 2005 National Safety Council's Congress & Expo – September 17-23, 2005, Orlando, FL
   
   Debra Gabry and Steve Butler promoted OSHA's Fatality Videos during the NSC's Film and Media presentations on September 23, 2005 at the 2005 National Safety Council's Congress & Expo. The computer animated hazard awareness videos are based on shipyard fatalities. The ASA, NSRP and SCA Implementation Teams and OSHA Strategic Partnership program participants assisted in developing the videos. In addition, Steve Butler, Director, Office of Maritime Enforcement promoted the video on September 19, 2005 during a presentation to the National Safety Council's Maritime Industries Safety & Health Committee that was held in conjunction with the National Safety Council's 2005 Congress and Expo.
    
   • 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.
   Events
   
   Maritime Best Practices Seminar
   
   In the Fall 2005, the OSHA and ASA, NSRP and SCA Alliances agreed to pursue developing a two-day Maritime Industry Best Practices seminar focusing on lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and will include workgroup discussions on maritime industry best practices including shipfitting and welding, along with tours of a shipyard. The implementation teams agreed to schedule the workshop in conjunction with the SCA Safety Seminar in early March 2006 in Mobile, AL. However, OSHA's Regions IV and VI informed DCSP that they were focusing on hurricane recovery efforts, and as a result were unable to participate in the proposed seminar. As a result, the ASA, NSRP and SCA implementation teams agreed to follow up with OSHA Regions IV and VI in Fall 2006 to see when they would be able to participate in a Maritime Best Practices Seminar.
    
   • 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
   
   NSRP, ASA and SCA are working with OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to develop Fatality Fact Sheets. The implementation teams are reviewing OSHA data to determine the top three to four specific types of incidents (e.g. falls, electrocution), that result in shipyard fatalities to develop fact sheets for a 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.
     
     The OSHA and ASA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects this reporting period.
      
   • 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 on the following Safety and Health Topics pages' and eTools editorial boards are continuing to review and provide OSHA with feedback on the tools:
    
   • Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page
     
     James Thornton, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA
     Bob Watson, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO); San Diego, CA
     Shawn Wilkerson, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems-Avondale Operations; New Orleans, LA
      
   • Ship Building and Repair Safety and Health Topics page
     
     James Thornton, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA
      
   • Shipyard Employment eTool
     
     Jim Thornton, Director, Environmental, Health and Safety; North Grumman Corporation - Newport News; Newport News, VA
     Bob Watson; NASSCO; San Diego, CA
     Shawn Wilkerson; Northrop Grumman Ship Systems-Avondale Operations.; New Orleans, LA
   Shipyard Employment eTool
   
   The eTool provides information and guidance to help protect shipyard employees' health and safety by minimizing or eliminating exposure to shipyard safety and health hazards. The OSHA and ASA Alliance, and the OSHA and NSRP and SCA Alliances, provided OSHA with input during the development of the Agency's Shipyard Employment eTool's Shipbuilding, Shipbreaking and Barge Cleaning modules. The modules were completed and posted on OSHA's Web site in September 2005.
   
   In addition, the Alliances are reviewing and providing comments on a draft Fire Protection module for the Shipyard Employment eTool. It is expected to be completed and posted by Fall 2006.
    
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects for the maritime industry that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
   Safety Alert: Deadly Hydrogen Sulfide and Shipyard Sewage
   
   The OSHA and ASA Alliance, together with the NSRP and SCA Alliances are working with the OSHA and American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Alliance to develop the Safety Alert: Deadly Hydrogen Sulfide and Shipyard Sewage. The Alert is designed to make both shipyard employers and employees aware of the hazards of sewage systems on both ships and shipyard shore facilities and how to prevent accidents involving hydrogen sulfide gas. The Alert will be completed by August 2006.
   
   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.
2. Executive Summary
   
   Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and ASA are working together to address safety and health issues in the maritime industry. The OSHA and ASA Alliance is very successful and the organizations have developed a productive working relationship. This positive relationship has led to the development of many programs and projects. OSHA and ASA are also sharing regulatory, compliance assistance and cooperative program information. Further, the OSHA and ASA Alliance implementation team is working jointly with the other maritime industry related Alliances that have been signed with NSRP and SCA on several projects. For example:
    
   • ASA representatives are serving on the Maritime Industry and Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics pages' Editorial Boards and the Shipyard Employment eTool's Editorial Board.
      
   • At the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2005 and the National Safety Council's Congress & Expo in September 2005, representatives from the ASA Alliance implementation team promoted OSHA's Fatality Videos during the NSC's Film and Media presentations and Maritime Industries Safety & Health Committee.
      
   • The OSHA and ASA Alliance, together with the OSHA and NSRP and SCA Alliances developed a draft two-day Maritime Best Practices seminar focusing on lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and will include workgroup discussions on maritime industry best practices including shipfitting and welding, along with tours of a shipyard.
      
   • The OSHA and ASA Alliance, together with the OSHA and NSRP and SCA Alliances are working with OSHA and the AIHA, an Alliance Program participant to develop the Safety Alert: Deadly Hydrogen Sulfide and Shipyard Sewage.
      
   • ASA, NSRP and SCA are reviewing and providing comments on the draft Fire Protection module which will be added to the OSHA Shipyard Employment eTool.
      
   • The OSHA and ASA Alliance, together with the OSHA and the NSRP and SCA Alliances are working with the OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to review OSHA data in order to identify topics for Fatality Fact Sheets.
   Finally, ASA is continuing to hold joint Implementation Team meetings with NSRP and SCA and OSHA representatives from the Directorates of Cooperative and State Programs; Enforcement Programs; Science, Technology and Medicine; Standards and Guidance and Region III and Region IV. As a result of the successes the organizations realized through the Alliance Program, OSHA and ASA signed an Alliance renewal agreement on January 13, 2006.
    
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the upcoming year, OSHA's and ASA's positive relationship will continue to grow and the implementation team will undertake a number of activities and develop a number of products.

For example, the OSHA and ASA, NSRP and SCA Alliances 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 groups have discussed working together to develop an OSHA 10-Hour course specifically for shipyards.

The Implementation Teams are also reviewing and providing comments on the Fire Protection module for the Shipyard Employment eTool that is expected to be completed by Fall 2006. In addition, ASA, NSRP and SCA are working with the OSHA and AIHA Alliance to develop a Safety Alert: Deadly Hydrogen Sulfide and Shipyard Sewage. The Alert is designed to make both shipyard employers and employees aware of the hazards of sewage systems on both ships and shipyard shore facilities and how to prevent accidents involving hydrogen sulfide gas. The final version of the Alert will be completed by August 2006.

Finally, OSHA and the ASA, NSRP and SCA Alliances are working to develop a two-day Maritime Best Practices seminar focusing on lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and will include workgroup discussions on maritime industry best practices including shipfitting and welding, along with tours of a shipyard.


Report prepared by: Jess McCluer, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, September 21, 2006