NFIB - Alliance Annual Report - August 29, 2007

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Alliance
August 29, 2007

  1.  

    Date Signed

    June 14, 2004

    Date Renewed

    July 31, 2006

    Evaluation Period

    June 14, 2006 – June 13, 2007

    Overview

    The OSHA and NFIB Alliance recognizes the value of a collaborative relationship to foster safer, drug-free and more healthful American workplaces and protecting employees' health and safety. The Alliance is working to make health and safety information and compliance assistance resources available to all employers, especially small and independent businesses, and communicating the need for the implementation of safety and health management system programs in the workplace.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Sheila Arbury*
    Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)
    Lee Anne Jillings
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Russell Jones
    Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA)
    Jim Mitchell
    OSBA
    Lisa Ramber
    OOSA
    Bill Willson
    OOSA
    Don Wright
    DSTM

    Working Partners:

    Elena Carr
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP)
    Renee Tajudeen
    OASP

    NFIB:

    Susan FitzHenry
     
    Jeff Koch
     
    Kevin Scullen**
    Injured Workers Independent Fund
    Chad Wilson***
    NFIB/Ohio
    Jim Wirth
    GatesMcDonald
    George Yogurtian****
    NFIB/Arizona

    * Sheila Arbury was an implementation team member from June 2004 to January 2007
    ** Kevin Scullen joined the implementation team in May 2007
    *** Chad Wilson was an implementation team member from January 2006 to January 2007
    **** George Yogurtian was an implementation team member from June 2006 to March 2007

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    June 21, 2006
    Implementation Team Meeting
    September 27, 2006
    Project Meeting, Action Items Conference Call
    January 11, 2007
    Implementation Team Meeting
    May 8, 2007
    Implementation Team Meeting

  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 the NFIB's Web sites) to employers and employees, especially in small and independent businesses.

      Products

      OSHA and NFIB Alliance Web Page

      OSHA continues to update the OSHA and NFIB Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The page includes links to the Alliance renewal agreement and related documents, activities and events, OSHA's On-site Consultation Program and small business resources. In addition, there are links to articles developed by OSHA and posted on NFIB's Tools and Tips Web page and on NFIB's Member Benefits Web page. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and NFIB Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach Table.

      NFIB/OSHA Alliance Web Page

      NFIB continues to improve, update and post DOL-developed articles on the NFIB/OSHA Alliance Web page on the NFIB's Web site. For example NFIB posted the DOL-developed article "Drug-Free Work Week Offers Opportunity to Promote Safe, Healthy Workplaces," promoting the Agency's Drug-Free Work Week. The article included links to DOL's Working Partners safety and health information on substance abuse resources such as:

      • Drug-Free Work Week
      • Working Partners Drug-Free Workplace Advisor Program Builder
      • Training and Education Materials

      In February 2007, the NFIB moved the NFIB/OSHA Alliance information to its own Web page on the NFIB Member Benefits Web site. The Web page contains links to many safety and health resources including:

      • OSHA's Making the Business Case for Safety and Health Safety and Health Topics page
      • OSHA's Small Business Web page
      • OSHA's Small Business Success Stories

      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages

      The following members of the OSHA and NFIB implementation team continue to serve on the editorial board of OSHA's Motor Vehicle Safety Safety and Health Topics page. The board reviews and shares comments with OSHA's Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC) regarding the content of the page.

      • Jeff Koch, Vice President, Member Benefits; NFIB, Nashville, TN
      • Susan FitzHenry, Project Manager, Member Benefits; NFIB, Nashville, TN

      In addition, in June 2006 Jim Wirth, Manager, State Fund Safety Services, GatesMcDonald, Hilliard, Ohio and George Yogurtian, then Program Manager, NFIB/Arizona participated in the development of Making the Business Case for Safety and Health Safety and Health Topics page. Mr. Wirth is currently on the editorial board for the Topics page.

      NFIB's Tools and Tips Web Site

      During the reporting year, NFIB posted the following DOL-developed articles in the Tools and Tips section of its Web site:

      • "Making the Business Case for Safety and Health" by Barnett Lawrence, OOSA
      • "Drug-Free Work Week Offers Opportunity to Promote Safe, Healthy Workplaces" by Renee Tajudeen, ASP
      • "When Safety Is Your Business" by Renee Tajudeen, ASP

      The DOL-developed articles developed by OSHA and posted on NFIB's Tools and Tips Web site contains additional links to other OSHA safety and health resources.

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and NFIB Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: the IWSA Weekly Update, Occupational Hazards Magazine, BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, and MetalForming magazine. In NFIB's MyBusiness magazine February/March 2007 edition, the article "Workplace Posters: To Post or Not to Post" provided information regarding the required posting of OSHA posters. For a complete listing of media coverage, see the Alliance Program Reach section of this report.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or NFIB's conferences, seminars, local meetings or other events that address small business issues such as the NFIB National Small-Business Summit.

      Events

      2006 NFIB National Small Business Summit, Washington, DC, June 18-21, 2006

      Bill Willson, Program Analyst, OOSA, and Rebecca Skipper, ASP, shared an exhibit booth with NFIB during the 2006 NFIB National Small Business Summit in Washington, DC. Information promoting the OSHA and NFIB Alliance and other OSHA Working Partners compliance assistance resources and materials were distributed to conference attendees.

      NFIB Area Action Council (AAC) Workers' Compensation Meetings

      Through the Alliance, OSHA's Regional Area Office staff participated in the NFIB's AAC Workers' Compensation meetings. During the meetings, OSHA staff provided information on OSHA's compliance assistance and Hispanic outreach activities and the On-site Consultation Program. The meetings during the reporting period were held:

        • April 17, 2007, Lake Charles, Louisiana
        • April 24, 2007, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

      Event

      OSHA Region II Hispanic Family Health and Safety Fair, Rochester, New York, June 25, 2006

      Through the Alliance, the NFIB agreed to promote OSHA's Region II Hispanic Family Health and Safety Fair sponsored by its Region II, Buffalo, New York Area Office. The Fair addressed the safety and health training needs of Spanish-speaking employees. The NFIB identified its members near in the fair's location and sent 3,000 letters and informational flyers in English and Spanish to them. The Fair was held at Coca Cola Bottling Company's fair grounds June 25, 2006 in Rochester, New York.

      • Encourage NFIB State Offices to build relationships and establish links with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices where feasible, and promote the availability of OSHA's Compliance Assistance Specialists and Consultation Projects to address issues that impact small and independent businesses.

      Regional and Area Office Alliances

      The following OSHA Regional and Area Office and NFIB/State Chapter Alliances were signed before the current period and are ongoing:

      Region V, Columbus, Ohio Area Offices and the NFIB/Ohio State Chapter, signed September 22, 2005

      The Alliance is working to provide NFIB/Ohio members with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employee's health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to hazards in machine guarding, electrical, lockout/tagout and to address safety and health programs.

      Region IX, Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) Alliance and NFIB/Arizona State Chapter, signed August 20, 2004

      The Alliance is working to foster safer, drug-free and more healthful Arizona workplaces and protect employees' health and safety.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on safety and health issues and projects that impact small and independent businesses, especially safety and health management system programs, which are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

      Safety and Health Topics Page

      In June 2006 Jim Wirth, Manager, State Fund Safety Services, GatesMcDonald, Hilliard, Ohio and George Yogurtian, then Program Manager, NFIB/Arizona worked with other Alliance Program participants such as the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and reviewed and provided OSHA with comments during the development of Making the Business Case for Safety Safety and Health Topics page. Mr. Wirth is currently on the editorial board for the Topics page.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on small and independent business issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues, including drug-free workplace programs.

      Events

      2006 Annual Consultation Conference, Dallas, Texas, August 7-10, 2006

      During the 2006 Annual Consultation Conference, in Dallas, Texas, representatives from OSHA and NFIB delivered the workshop "On-site Consultation: Participating in Alliances."

      The workshop was presented on August 8 and 9, 2007 to 30 attendees. Presenting the workshop were:

      • Lee Anne Jillings, Director, OOSA, USDOL-OSHA
      • Andrew Langer, Director of Regulatory Affairs, NFIB
      • Joann Natarajan, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region VI, Austin, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA
      • Ron Tom, Manager, Texas Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program

      OSHA Business of Small Business Forum, Washington, DC, September 19, 2006

      Andrew Langer, Director of Regulatory Affairs, NFIB provided information about the OSHA and NFIB Alliance during the OSHA Business of Small Business Forum at DOL in Washington, DC, September 19, 2006.

    2. Executive Summary

      The OSHA and NFIB Alliance renewal agreement was signed on July 31, 2006. Through the OSHA and NFIB Alliance, the organizations have worked together during the past year to share compliance assistance materials and information with small businesses. In addition, the Alliance is continuing to share information on drug-free workplaces.

      For example, the OSHA and NFIB Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site links to many resources for small businesses, including OSHA's Making the Business Case for Safety and Health and Workplace Substance Abuse Safety and Health Topics pages. In addition, the page links to DOL's Working Partners for an Alcohol-and Drug-Free Workplace Web site. The page also includes links to OSHA and Working Partners developed stories that are posted on the NFIB's Tools and Tips Web page. On the NFIB's Tools and Tips Web page the NFIB has posted three additional Alliance developed articles which contain links to additional safety and health related resources. OSHA also provided additional links to its resources, including information on small business, substance abuse, drug-free workplaces and ready to use training materials.

      In addition, OSHA and NFIB participated together at a number of events such as the NFIB's AAC Workers' Compensation Seminars in Louisiana and OSHA shared NFIB's booth at the 2006 NFIB National Small Business Summit, June 18-21, 2006 in Washington, DC and distributed Alliance Program and compliance assistance materials to the attendees. In addition to OOSA staff at the booth, staff from DOL's Working Partners Program provided the attendees with information on drug-free workplace programs. The NFIB also helped promote OSHA's Region II Hispanic Family Health and Safety Fair in Rochester, New York.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and the NFIB Web page on OSHA's Web site 4,800
      NFIB and OSHA Alliance Web page on the NFIB's Web site Data Not Available
      August 3, 2006, "Hispanic Worker Outreach: OSHA Can Help," IWSA Weekly Update Data Not Available
      August 8, 2006, Annual Consultation Conference, Dallas, Texas
      Speakers: Lee Anne Jillings, Director, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs; Ron Tom, Manager, Texas Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program; Joan Natarajan, Compliance Assistance Specialist, OSHA Region VI and Andrew Langer, Director of Regulatory Affairs, NFIB      		 10
      August 9, 2006, Annual Consultation Conference, Dallas, Texas
      Speakers: Lee Anne Jillings, Director, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs; Ron Tom, Manager, Texas Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program; Joan Natarajan, Compliance Assistance Specialist, OSHA Region VI and Andrew Langer, Director of Regulatory Affairs, NFIB      		 20
      August 16, 2006, "OSHA Alliance Update," News for OSC Data Not Available
      October 5, 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health," ehsSuite Data Not Available
      October 5, 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health in New Safety and Health Topics Page on Web Site," GRAINNET Data Not Available
      October 11, 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Occupational Safety," Occupational Hazards Magazine Data Not Available
      October 12, 2006, "OSHA Topics Page Makes Business Case for Safety," BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter Data Not Available
      October 13, 2006, "Drug-Free Work Week Offers Opportunity to Promote Safe, Healthy Workplaces," NFIB Tools and Tips 6,000
      October 17, 2006, "Does Safety and Health Awareness Improve the Bottom Line?," Happenings from the Hill Data Not Available
      October 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health Agency Unveils New Safety and Health Topics Page," Centers for Education & Training eNews Data Not Available
      October 2006, "DoL Website Helps Small Businesses Develop Drug-Free Policies and Programs," MetalForming Data Not Available
      November 11, 2006, "OSHA and Alliance Launch Safety and Health Web Page," CLEANLINK Data Not Available
      November 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health," Legislative and Regulatory Update Data Not Available
      November/December 2006, "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health," ISSA Legislative Update Data Not Available
      February 6, 2007 "When Safety Is Your Business," NFIB Tools and Tips 6,000
      February 2007, "Making the Business Case for Safety and Health," NFIB Tools and Tips 6,000
      February/March 2007, "Workplace Posters: To Post or Not to Post," MyBusiness magazine 550,000
      April 17, 2007, NFIB's AAC Workers' Compensation Workshop, Lake Charles, Louisiana
      Speaker: Alex Novas, OSHA Region VI      		 12
      April 24, 2007, NFIB's AAC Workers' Compensation Workshop, Shreveport, Louisiana
      Speaker: Alex Novas, OSHA Region VI      		 14
      TOTAL 572,856

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    Through the OSHA and NFIB Alliance renewal agreement, the organizations will continue to build on their relationship and expand upon the programs developed through the Alliance to provide health and safety information and compliance assistance resources to all employers, especially small and independent businesses.

    The association also plans to continue informing its members about the benefits of the Alliance Program and the resources that are available to the small business community during meetings that may be scheduled throughout the year in a number of locations. Lastly, NFIB plans to continue improving its Web site to better provide safety and health information and resources including OSHA materials to its members.

Report prepared by: Bill Willson, Alliance Co-Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 29, 2007.