ASA - Alliance Close-Out Report - October 11, 2010

OSHA and American Shipbuilding Association (ASA) Alliance
Close-out Report

On July 15, 2003, OSHA and ASA formed an Alliance to use their collective expertise to advance a culture of injury and illness prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge in the areas of shipbuilding and ship repair practices. The Alliance was renewed on January 13, 2006 and August 22, 2007.

Because OSHA is working with ASA, the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP), and the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) to sign one shipbuilding group Alliance that will address the same goals and topic areas, the organizations agreed to conclude the Alliance as of September 13, 2010. A number of successes resulted from the Alliance, including:

  • ASA worked with NSRP, SCA, American Industrial Hygiene Association and the American Society of Safety Engineers to develop a series of safety alerts focusing on safety issues in shipyard employment:

    • Safety Alert: Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout Procedures in Shipyard Employment
    • Safety Alert: Electrocution and Shock Hazards in Shipyard Employment
    • Safety Alert: Welding and Other Hot Work Procedures in Shipyard Employment
    • Safety Alert: Ventilation Procedures in Shipyard Employment

  • ASA reviewed and provided feedback on a number of OSHA-developed products, including a Safety and Health Information Prevention Sheet focusing on rigging and "Tool Box Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry."

  • ASA reviewed and provided feedback on the confined space flashpoint outreach document developed by the OSHA and the Gulf Coast Maritime Safety Association Alliance in Region IV.

  • ASA representatives serve on the Editorial Board for the OSHA Maritime Industry and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics page's and the Shipyard Employment eTool. The pages received 43,646 visits in Fiscal Year 2008.

  • ASA supported North American Occupational Safety and Health Week in 2008 and 2009.

  • ASA representative delivered a presentation focusing on safety and health issues of employees in small and medium-sized shipyards during the OSHA Small Business Forum: "Safety and Health Issues in the Maritime Industry," at the Department of Labor on September 14, 2007 in Washington, DC.

Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, October 11, 2010.