DOW - Annual Report - February 7, 2008

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and
The Dow Chemical Company (Dow)
February 7, 2008

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    January 13, 2003

    Dates Renewed

    May 26, 2004; May 12, 2006

    Evaluation Period

    January 13, 2007 – January 12, 2008

    Overview

    The OSHA and Dow Alliance focuses on using OSHA's and Dow's collective expertise to further enhance a culture of prevention while sharing proven practices and technical knowledge in the areas of, but not limited to, process safety management (PSM) and ergonomics.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    John Bugno
    Directorate of Standards and Guidance (DSG)
    Cathy Cronin
    Directorate of Training and Education (DTE)
    Kevin Cummins
    Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)
    Lee Anne Jillings
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Todd Jordan
    SLTC
    Mike Marshall
    Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP)
    Lisa Ramber***
    OOSA
    Rob Swick*
    OOSA
    Daniel Youhas**
    OOSA

    Dow:

    John Dizor
    Director, Personal Safety Expertise
    Dan Donovan
    Personal Safety Expertise Leader
    George King
    Process Safety Technical Leader
    Tim Overton
    Chief Process Safety Engineer
    Vicki Rupp
    Director, Environmental Health and Safety Regulatory Affairs
    Jeannine Sohayda
    Environmental Health and Safety Public Affairs
    Mark Spence
    Manager, Health and Safety Regulatory Affairs

    * Rob Swick served as the Alliance Coordinator until June 25, 2007.
    ** Daniel Youhas served as the Alliance Coordinator from June 25, 2007 to August 31, 2007.
    *** Lisa Ramber served as the Alliance Coordinator from August 31, 2007.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    April 2, 2007
    Implementation Team Meeting, Teleconference
    May 21, 2007
    Contractor Employee Safety Case Study Workgroup Meeting
    June 26, 2007
    Contractor Employee Safety Case Study Workgroup Meeting
    June 28, 2007
    Implementation Team Meeting, Teleconference
    July 17, 2007
    Contractor Employee Safety Case Study Workgroup Meeting

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

  3. Results

    1. Events and Products

      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 Dow's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.

      Products

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

      Through the Alliance, Dow representatives provided their expertise to review, maintain and update the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

      • Ammonia Refrigeration

        • Don Jones, PE, CSP, Plaquemine, LA

      • Chemical Reactivity Hazards

        • Kenan Stevick, Process Safety Technology Center, Midland, MI

      • Emergency Preparedness and Response

        • Susan Ripple, MS, CIH, Global industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, Midland, MI

      • Health Care Facilities

        • Susan Ripple, MS, CIH, Global industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, Midland, MI

      • Heat Stress

        • Karen M. Kearns, Senior Industrial Hygiene Specialist, Piscataway, NJ

      • Isocyanates
        • John Cikalo, Global Industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, Midland, MI

        • Mark Spence, Global Industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, Midland, MI

      • Motor Vehicle Safety

        • Andrew Lipkewycz, Emergency Services and Security Manager, Asia Pacific, Victoria, Australia

      • Process Safety Management

        • George King, Process Safety Technology Center, Freeport, TX

      OSHA Ammonia Refrigeration eTool

      Through the Alliance, Dow representatives serve on the editorial board of OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool and offer their expertise to review, maintain and update the eTool, which is a product of the OSHA and Dow Alliance:

      • Randy Estep, Houston, TX
      • Don Jones, Plaquemine, LA

      • Mark Spence, Midland, MI

      OSHA and Dow Alliance Web Page

      OSHA continues to update the OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page features links to the Alliance agreements and related documents, information on activities and events, and milestones and successes. During the evaluation period, the Web page was updated to include a slide presentation, "Overview of OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Case Studies," that provides a summary of the ergonomics and motor vehicle-related case studies developed through the Alliance agreement.

      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding Dow's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by Dow and through OSHA- or Dow-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

      Events

      OSHA Region I Compliance Assistance Specialist and On-site Consultation Project Managers Meeting, May 3, 2007, Mystic, Connecticut

      On May 3, 2007, Kevin Shaughnessy, Senior Process Safety Technology Leader, The Dow Chemical Company, presented "OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard: The Dow Approach," which discussed the various aspects of the PSM standard, including process safety information, process hazard analysis procedures, change management and Dow's implementation of the PSM standard in its workplaces.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on ergonomics and PSM that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

      Products

      OSHA and Industrial Minerals Association-North America (IMA-NA) Alliance Railyard Safety Manual

      Through the Alliance Program, Dow is currently assisting the OSHA and IMA-NA Alliance Implementation team by reviewing and providing feedback on the Railyard Safety Manual that is being developed as an Alliance-related product.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.

      Products

      Contractor Case Study

      The OSHA and Dow Alliance Implementation team began developing a Contractor Employee Safety Case Study tentatively titled, "Texas Operations Contractor Alliance for Safety (TOCAS)." The TOCAS case study focuses on how Dow worked with its contractors to improve their safety and health programs, resulting in a reduction in their injury and illness rates.

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ergonomics and PSM issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

      Products

      Process Safety Information

      Through the Alliance Program, Dow is currently assisting OSHA's Directorate of Training and Education (DTE) by sharing technical knowledge and process safety training materials. Dow provided examples of piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) training materials with DTE.

    2. Executive Summary

      During the 2007-2008 evaluation period, OSHA and Dow worked together to further enhance a culture of prevention while sharing proven practices and technical knowledge in the areas of, but not limited to, PSM and ergonomics. For example, Dow is providing resources and expertise in assisting OSHA to develop process safety training materials.

      As part of the OSHA and Dow Alliance's outreach efforts, Kevin Shaughnessy, Senior Process Safety Technology Leader, The Dow Chemical Company, presented "OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard: The Dow Approach" at the OSHA Region I Compliance Assistance Specialist and On-site Consultation Project Managers Meeting on May 3, 2007 in Mystic, Connecticut. The OSHA and Dow Alliance began working on the Texas Operations Contractor Alliance for Safety (TOCAS) case study; the study focuses on how Dow worked with its contractors to improve their safety and health programs, resulting in a reduction in their injury and illness rates.

      The OSHA and Dow Alliance also developed a slide presentation titled "Overview of OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Case Studies," that provides a summary of the ergonomics and motor vehicle-related case studies that were developed through the Alliance. In addition, representatives from Dow serve as members of a number of OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages editorial boards, including Ammonia Refrigeration, Chemical Reactivity, and Process Safety Management. Dow representatives also are members of the editorial board for OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool, which is a product of the Alliance.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site 296
      OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 8,566
      OSHA's Chemical Reactivity Hazards
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 8,566
      OSHA's Emergency Preparedness and Response
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 160,104
      OSHA's Health Care Facilities
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 52,674
      OSHA's Isocyanates
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 8,566
      OSHA's Motor Vehicle Safety
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 28,320
      OSHA's Process Safety Management
      Safety and Health Topics page      		 8,566
      OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool 14,190
      OSHA and Dow Alliance "Motor Carrier Safety Case Study: A Collaborative Approach to Reducing Motor Carrier Incidents" 8,566
      OSHA and Dow Alliance "Motor Vehicle Accident Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company's Use of Six Sigma Methodology" 8,566
      OSHA and Dow Alliance "Ergonomics Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma' Methodology" 9,081
      May 3, 2007: OSHA and Dow Alliance Workshop, Mystic, Conneticut, "OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard: The Dow Approach"

      Speaker: Kevin Shaughnessy, Senior Process Safety Technology Leader, The Dow Chemical Company      		 20
      TOTAL 316,081

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    As a result of the Alliance's successes in its first five years, OSHA and Dow will be renewing the agreement for another two years. Through the Alliance renewal agreement, the organizations will continue addressing safety and health issues to include, but not limited to the following:

    • Process Safety Management
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Employee-wellness programs

    • Ergonomics

    During the upcoming year, the Alliance Implementation Team members will also develop and finalize the Texas Operations Contractor Alliance for Safety (TOCAS) case study. Further, the Alliance will:

    • Support 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-10

    • Develop a case study highlighting Dow's use of the Six Sigma approach to improve the company's safety and health programs

    Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and Dow will continue to work with other Alliances such as the OSHA and Industrial Minerals Association-North America (IMA-NA) and the OSHA and Process Safety Alliance to develop compliance assistance resources. In addition, the Alliance Implementation team members will continue to maintain and update the OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web page. Finally, Dow representatives will provide their expertise to review, maintain, and update a number of OSHA's Safety and Health Topic pages to include the following:

    • Ammonia Refrigeration
    • Chemical Reactivity Hazards
    • Emergency Preparedness and Response
    • Health Care Facilities
    • Heat Stress
    • Isocyanates
    • Motor Vehicle Safety

    • Process Safety Management

Report prepared by: Tony Mapes, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, February 19, 2008.