GCCA - Alliance Annual Report - August 31, 2016

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) Alliance
August 31, 2016

  1. Alliance Background

    1. Date Signed

      July 30, 2010

    2. Dates Renewed

      July 28, 2014

    3. Evaluation Period

      July 30, 2012 – July 29, 2016

    4. Overview

      The OSHA and GCCA Alliance focuses on providing GCCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by working to reduce and prevent the reduction and prevention of exposure to hazards related to chemical releases from ammonia refrigeration systems, and improving the Process Safety Management (PSM) programs for these systems.

    5. Implementation Team Members

      OSHA

      Todd Briggs

      Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)

      GCCA

      Ryan Burr

      Director of Safety, Americold

      Mike Chapman

      Manager, PSM/RMP Services, Tyson Foods, Inc.

      Bob Hunt

      Vice Chairman, International Association for Cold Storage Construction (IACSC)

      Gene Dumas

      RETA

      James Marrella

      Coordinator of OSHA and EPA Compliance and Training, United States Cold Storage

      Lowell Randel

      Director of Government Affairs, GCCA (Guest)

      Gary Webster

      Refrigeration Engineer, Kraft

      Gary White

      Refrigeration Engineering Foreman, Bellingham Cold Storage

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    • December 4, 2012
    • May 4, 2013
    • August 7, 2013
    • November 14, 2014
    • June 4, 2015
    • November 17, 2015
    • April 28, 2016

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

  3. Results

    The following table summarizes the Alliance's activities in support of the goals in the Alliance agreement.

    Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives Goal 1: To share information on OSHA's National Emphasis Programs (NEP), Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Dissemination

    OSHA's Prevention of Falls Campaign

    • GCCA supported the Agency's national outreach campaign focusing on the prevention of falls in construction annually since 2013. GCCA promoted the campaign on its Website, in publications, and helped to disseminate safety and health outreach materials to employers and workers focusing on the prevention of falls in construction.
    		 Falls; General Industry; Hispanic/Latino Outreach Unknown
    Dissemination

    OSHA's Prevention of Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers

    • GCCA supported the Agency's national outreach campaign focusing on the prevention of heat illness in outdoor workplaces annually since 2013. GCCA promoted the campaign on its Website, in publications, and helped to disseminate safety and health outreach materials to employers and workers focusing on the prevention of heat illness in outdoor workers.
    		 Heat; Agriculture; Hispanic/Latino Outreach Unknown
    Dissemination

    North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week

    • GCCA supported and promoted North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week each year during the evaluation period. GCCA promoted the Week with a link to the Campaign Website from the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Webpage.
    		 General Industry Unknown
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 1: To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, emphasizing ammonia refrigeration, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the GCCA's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Product

    Ammonia Safety Poster: Emergency Action Plans

    • GCCA developed a Spanish version of the Alliance-developed poster focusing on emergency action plans in chemical facilities. (2013, May)
    		 PSM; Emergency Response; Hispanic/Latino Outreach Unknown
    Product

    Ammonia Safety Poster: Personal Protective Equipment for Refrigeration and Maintenance Technicians

    • GCCA developed a poster focusing on personal protective equipment for refrigeration and maintenance technicians, including examples of protective wear. (2013, May)
    		 PSM, Emergency Response Unknown
    Product

    OSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP) - PSM Covered Chemical Facilities: Documentation Checklist

    • GCCA developed a checklist focusing on PSM covered chemical facilities, which includes items addressing compliance audits, hazard analyses, and equipment inspection. (2013, May)
    		 PSM; Emergency Response Unknown
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 2: To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or GCCA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as American Safety Training Institute Ammonia Safety Days, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration conferences, and other GCCA conferences.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Speech

    GCCA Assembly of Committee Meetings, DOL, Washington, DC

    • OSHA staff provided an Agency update on various topics, including PSM, to members of GCCA participating in the association's annual Assembly of Committees Meeting, each year during the evaluation period.
    		 PSM; Hazard Communication; Emergency Response 55
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 3: To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ammonia refrigeration system good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, safety stand-downs, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Training

    ASTI "Ammonia Safety Days"

    • Representatives from OSHA Regional and Area Offices participated in the ASTI-sponsored "Ammonia Safety Days," which periodically featured a controlled ammonia release, and demonstrated effective emergency response protocols. The following events were held during the evaluation period:
      • Denver, Colorado – May 6, 2016
      • Honolulu, Hawaii – June 15, 2016
      • Atlanta, GA – June 24, 2016
      • Omaha, NE – June 30, 2016
    		 PSM; Emergency Response Unknown
    Training

    World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) Institute, February 3, 2016, Atlanta, Georgia

    • Representatives from OSHA Region IV, the Georgia On-site Consultation Program, and EPA participated in an ammonia refrigeration/PSM educational learning opportunity at the WFLO Institute on February 3, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia.
    		   18
     

    TOTAL

    		    

    Unknown

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, the OSHA and GCCA relationship will continue to grow, and the Alliance Implementation Team will undertake a number of activities and projects in an effort to meet the goals of the agreement. For example, GCCA will work to develop outreach products and materials, including a success story of a poultry-processing facility that implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system with the assistance of the Arkansas On-site Consultation Program.

    GCCA will invite representatives from OSHA Regional and Area Offices, including OSHA Region V, to participate in the ASTI-sponsored "Ammonia Safety Days," which periodically feature a controlled ammonia release, and demonstrated effective emergency response protocols.

    GCCA will continue to work with the Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners Alliance on joint projects, including the reviewing and providing feedback on OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool.

    GCCA, in cooperation with OSHA's Directorate of Training and Education, will deliver a Webinar for OSHA staff focusing on ammonia refrigeration/PSM, including best practices to help protect the health and safety of workers within the industry.

    GCCA will support OSHA's national outreach initiative focusing on the prevention of falls in construction, including support for National Safety Stand-Down Week. GCCA will also participate in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable to discuss a number of safety and health issues, including the prevention of falls in construction.

    GCCA will potentially deliver an educational training opportunity for OSHA staff at the annual IACSC Conference and Expo, November 10-12, 2016, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. OSHA staff will deliver a PSM-related update during the GCCA's Annual Assembly of Committees meetings in August 2017, in Washington, DC.

    Finally, GCCA will continue to promote the activities and outreach products of the Alliance through the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site, which is linked to from the OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 31, 2016.