IWLA - Alliance Annual Report - February 22, 2006

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and the
International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA)
February 22, 2006

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    February 17, 2004

    Overview

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and IWLA are providing the association's members and others, including owners and operators of public warehouses and other third-party warehouses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources. OSHA and IWLA are helping to protect employees safety and health, including hard-to-reach and youth workers, by addressing material handling, forklift safety and Hazard Communication (HAZCOM).

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:  
       
    Brett Besser
    James Dillard
    Kimberly Greenberg
    Elise Handelman
    Rick Harris
    Lee Anne Jillings
    Long Loo
    Lisa Ramber
    Doug Simon    		 Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)
    Region VI, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area Office
    Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA)
    Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    OOSA
    DSTM
    OOSA
    OSHA of Training and Education (OTE)
       
    IWLA:  
       
    Joel Anderson
    John Auger
    Paul Delp
    Eric Fabian
    Ernie Harben
    Forrest Henderson
    Whit Kendall
    Brian McCowan
    Nathan Noy
    Pat O'Connor
    Sandy Rilling
    Fred Schultz
    Jim Sheldon
    Jeffrey C. Tanner
    Don Wright    		 IWLA, President and CEO
    Brook Warehousing Corporation
    Lansdale Warehouse Company, Inc.
    GENCO
    Saddle Creek Corporation
    Inland Star Distribution Centers, Inc.
    Robertson-Johnson Warehouses, Inc.
    Allied Warehousing Services, Inc.
    IWLA, Director of Government and Legal Services
    Kent and O'Connor
    Terminal Warehouse Inc.
    Satellite Logistics Group
    Allied Warehousing Services, Inc.
    Kenco Group Inc.
    Wright Distribution Centers, Inc.

     

    Evaluation Period

    February 17, 2005 – February 16, 2006

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    February 24, 2005
    March 9, 2005
    May 4, 2005
    June 7, 2005
    June 9, 2005
    August 11, 2005
    February 1, 2006    		 Implementation Team Meeting
    Training Workgroup Conference Call
    Training Workgroup Conference Call
    Training Workgroup Conference Call
    Implementation Team Meeting
    Training Workgroup Conference Call
    Implementation Team Meeting

  3. Results

    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education Goal

      • Develop and make available training and education programs on material handling, forklift safety, HAZCOM and other health and safety issues targeted to the unique issues in the public warehouse industry.

      Product

      Industrial Truck Association Best Practices Seminar

      IWLA worked with the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), an Alliance Program participant, to help develop a powered industrial truck training seminar for OSHA staff. IWLA provided input on the seminar's agenda and curriculum. The training seminar was designed to provide a general overview of forklifts and also address specific safety issues such as, capacity, load handling and stability, and operator safety rules and best practices.

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Develop safety and health assistance tools for the warehouse industry, including:

        • Safety and health inspection checklist for warehouse managers.

        • Work with OSHA to provide expertise on the development of an eTool for the warehouse industry.

        During this reporting period, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.

      • Disseminate information through print and electronic media including newsletters and links from OSHA's and IWLA's Web sites.

      Products

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and IWLA Alliance have appeared in print and online publications, including: Logistics Management and This Week @ IWLA. In addition, a number of articles on OSHA and the Agency's compliance assistance resources appeared in IWLA's publications. For example, in the November 21, 2005 edition of This Week @ IWLA, the association highlighted OSHA's efforts to raise awareness of the prohibition against workers under 18 years of age operating forklifts. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      OSHA and IWLA Alliance Web Page

      OSHA continues to update the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and IWLA Alliance agreement, OSHA news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, activities and events, and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and IWLA Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      IWLA's Alliance and Government Affairs Web Page

      IWLA updated its Government Affairs Web page on the association's Web site. IWLA posted information on the OSHA and IWLA Alliance and added links to the OSHA and IWLA Alliance page on OSHA's Web site. In addition, IWLA added links to resources on the Agency's Web site such as, the OSHA Consultation Program; the Alliance Program; and OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages for Powered Industrial Trucks; Ergonomics; Hazardous and Toxic Substances; and Teen Workers.

      Events

      OSHA Warehouse Training Seminar, March 18, 2005 at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois

      In the February 21, 2005 edition of This Week @ IWLA, the association included information on OSHA's warehouse training seminar by distributing information on the seminar to IWLA members. The OSHA training course offered information to line supervisors, safety directors and warehouse operators to help protect warehouse industry employees from the material handling hazards that impact on the industry.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and IWLA educational seminars, chapter meetings and other events including IWLA's annual conference.

        During this reporting period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this goal.

      • Promote and encourage IWLA's members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

      Products

      OSHA Consultation Program

      IWLA published and distributed to its members, articles on OSHA's Consultation Program, "OSHA Free Consultations" in the June 20, 2005 edition of This Week @ IWLA and in the Winter 2005 edition of IWLA's magazine, 3PL, "OSHA's Consultation Program". In addition, IWLA created links on its Web site to OSHA's Consultation Program on the agency's Web site.

      Industrial Truck Association Best Practices Seminar

      IWLA worked with the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), an Alliance Program participant, to help develop a powered industrial truck training seminar for OSHA staff. See Training and Education Goal section of this report.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects, including warehouse material handling, forklift safety and HAZCOM, that are addressed and developed through the Alliance program.

      • Increase hard-to-reach and youth workers' access to safety and health information and training resources, including developing and providing materials in Spanish, through community based organizations.

        During this reporting period, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.

      Promoting the National Dialogue Goals:

      • Raise awareness of and demonstrate commitment to workplace safety and health whenever IWLA leaders address groups.

        During this reporting period, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.

      • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health programs such as warehouse material handling and forklift safety.

        During this reporting period, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on warehouse safety and health issues such as material handling, forklift safety and HAZCOM issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace.

        During this reporting period, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Implementation Team did not start work on programs or projects to address this goal.

    2. Executive Summary

      In the second year of the Alliance, OSHA and IWLA continued to work together through the Alliance on projects and activities to help reduce employees' exposure to workplace hazards that impact on the warehousing industry. The group also worked on developing an Alliance renewal agreement.

      For example, during the reporting period, OSHA continued to update the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. IWLA also created an Alliance Web page on its Web site. The association established links from its Government Affairs Web page to OSHA resources such as OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages for Powered Industrial Trucks, Ergonomics, Hazardous and Toxic Substances and Teen Workers.

      IWLA also published and distributed a number of OSHA-developed articles and information on OSHA resources, activities and projects. For example, IWLA published an article on OSHA's Consultation Program in the June 20, 2005 edition of This Week @ IWLA. In addition, IWLA promoted an OSHA training seminar on warehouse safety conducted at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois in its February 21, 2005 edition of This Week @ IWLA.

      Through the Alliance, IWLA collaborated with the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), an Alliance Program participant, to help develop the agenda and curriculum for a powered industrial truck training seminar for OSHA staff. The training seminar includes a general overview of forklifts and specific presentations addressing safety issues such as capacity, load handling and stability, and operator safety rules and best practices.

    3. Alliance Program Reach
      Type of Activity Number of Individuals Reached
      February 26, 2005, "OSHA Offering Warehouse Safety Course"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      March 1, 2005, "OSHA New Approach to Warehousing"
      nbmda.org      		 Data not available
      March 1, 2005, "OSHA's New Approach to Warehousing"
      Logisticsmgmt.com      		 30,000
      March 1, 2005, "OSHA New Approach to Warehousing"
      Logistics Management      		 77,000
      March 7, 2005, "IWLA Members Assisting OSHA on Safety and Health Topics"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      June 13, 2005, "OSHA Training Videos Available"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      June 20, 2005, "OSHA Offers Free Consultations"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      September 26, 2005, "Links to Important OSHA Documents"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      November 21, 2005, "IWLA/OSHA Alliance -Forklift Safety"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      November 21, 2005, "IWLA/OSHA Alliance -Warehouse Safety Training"
      This Week @ IWLA      		 2,000
      OSHA and IWLA Alliance Web page 4,800
      TOTAL 123,800

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, OSHA and IWLA will continue to work together on projects and activities to support the Alliance agreement and address safety and health issues that impact on the warehousing industry. In addition, OSHA and IWLA will sign an Alliance renewal agreement which will be signed in March 2006.

    The OSHA and IWLA Alliance will also work on the development of an OSHA eTool on powered industrial trucks. In addition, the organizations will work together to develop a safety and health inspection checklist for warehouse managers.

    OSHA will continue to promote the OSHA and IWLA Alliance by updating the OSHA and IWLA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site with activities, events, products and projects that the implementation team identifies and completes. IWLA will update its Web site with safety and health information from OSHA and other industry sources and will add additional links to OSHA's Web site as appropriate. IWLA will also to continue publishing OSHA-developed articles and information on OSHA's resources, products and activities in its publications; This Week @ IWLA and The 3PL Executive. Further, OSHA will continue to provide IWLA with OSHA-developed articles for distribution to IWLA's members.

    In addition, the OSHA and IWLA Alliance will educate and provide employees and employers with safety and health information for the warehousing industry. For example, OSHA and IWLA are working together on several initiatives and projects in conjunction with the IWLA 115th Annul Meeting March 19-22, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. OSHA will staff an Alliance Program exhibit booth and distribute safety and health information and answer questions from the association's members. Also, OSHA publications will be included on a memory stick that will be inserted in the attendees' registration packets. In addition, Paula White, Director, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, will give a presentation during a breakout session on March 20, 2006 about OSHA's cooperative programs and an update on the OSHA and IWLA Alliance during a breakout session at the conference. Further, as part of OSHA's and IWLA's continuing work together to promote OSHA's Forklift Initiative for Young Workers, IWLA will provide copies of an article on OSHA's initiative; an OSHA Safety and Health Bulletin: "Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts;" and the decal that OSHA, Employment Standards Administration (ESA), Wage and Hour and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed for the initiative in the attendees' registration packets.

    The Alliance implementation team also discussed developing case studies and success stories using information from IWLA's members' companies. For example, one case study would address how an IWLA member company was able to reduce the company's lost workdays figures by about 30%. A success story will be based on a warehouse safety best practice used by Saddle Creek Corporation.

    Report prepared by: Richard L. Harris, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services Alliances, February 22, 2006