NIOSH-NHCA - Alliance Annual Report - March 20, 2012

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) and National Hearing Conservation
Association (NHCA)
March 20, 2012

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    February 21, 2008

    Overview

    The OSHA, NIOSH and NHCA Alliance provides NHCA members and others, including young workers and small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to noise and chemical ototoxic agents.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA

    Todd Briggs - Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)

    NIOSH/NHCA

    Carol Stephenson - Chief, Training Research and Evaluation Branch, Education and Information Division, NIOSH
    Mark Stephenson - Senior Research Audiologist Coordinator - NIOSH Hearing Loss Research
    John R. Allen - Program Executive, Crew Health and Safety Manager, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Joe Cissna - Industrial Hygienist, Portland General Electric
    Theresa Schultz - Hearing Conservation Manager, "Sperian Hearing Protection"

    Evaluation Period

    February 21, 2011 – February 20, 2012

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    May 12, 2011
    Implementation Team Meeting
    September 15, 2011
    Implementation Team Meeting
    January 23, 2012
    Implementation Team Meeting

    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from each respective organization spoke regularly to discuss and plan the activities and programs to help meet the goals of the cooperative agreement.

  3. Results

    1. Products and Events

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of hearing loss caused by 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, NIOSH's and NHCA's Web sites) to employers and employees in affected industries.

      OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance Web Page

      OSHA updates the OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site with information about the Alliance and its activities, including news releases and events. In addition, the page features links to resources developed by NIOSH/NHCA through the Alliance Program, including the "Hearing Protection-Emerging Trends: Individual Fit Testing" best practice guide and the "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry."

      NHCA/OSHA Alliance Web Page

      NHCA updates the NIOSH/NHCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the association's Web site. The page includes information about the Alliance and links to Alliance-developed products, including the "Hearing Protection-Emerging Trends: Individual Fit Testing" best practice guide and the "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry."

      *OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages

      A representative from the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance served on the editorial board of OSHA's Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety and Health Topics page and Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool on the OSHA Web site until OSHA suspended this activity in January 2012.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, NIOSH, or NHCA sponsored conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the annual NHCA conference.

      NHCA 36th Annual Conference

      NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representatives staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the NHCA 36th Annual Conference on February 24-26, 2011, in Phoenix, Arizona. Alliance representatives distributed Alliance-developed information focusing on hearing loss prevention, including the "Hearing Protection-Emerging Trends: Individual Fit Testing" best practice guide and the "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry." The theme for the conference was "Explore the World of Hearing Loss Prevention."

      The OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance Implementation Team started work on this project but have not completed any products or activities to address this goal.

      • Share information among OSHA and NIOSH personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding NHCA recommended best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by OSHA, NIOSH, and NHCA developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

      2011 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week

      On May 1-7, 2011, the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2011 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Association of Safety Engineers, an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for the 2011 NAOSH Week was "Celebrating a Century of Safety."

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

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

      OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Meeting, Department of Labor

      On September 20, 2011, a NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representative participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting at DOL in Washington, DC. During the meeting, Alliance Program participants discussed products developed through the Roundtable, including the next series of draft Construction Workplace Design Solutions, and identified potential projects and compliance assistance resources to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry, including noise.

    2. Results

      During the fourth year of the OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA cooperative agreement, the Alliance worked on a number of projects and activities to share information about reducing and preventing exposure to noise and chemical ototoxic agents. For example:

      NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representatives staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the NHCA 36th Annual Conference on February 24-26, 2011, in Phoenix, Arizona.

      A NIOSH/NHCA Implementation Team representative also participated in an Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting and provided feedback on a number of products, including the Construction Workplace Design Solutions. The group also identified potential projects and compliance assistance resources to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry, including noise.

      Further, the OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance, along with a number of other Alliance Program participants, supported and promoted the 2011 NAOSH Week, "Celebrating a Century of Safety."

      Members of the Alliance Implementation Team share their hearing protection expertise by serving on the editorial board of OSHA's Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety and Health Topics page and Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool on the Agency's Web site.

      Lastly, NHCA updated the NIOSH/NHCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the association's Web site. The page includes information about the Alliance and links to the Alliance-developed products, including "Hearing Protection-Emerging Trends: Individual Fit Testing" best practice guide and the "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry."

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity
      (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)

      Number of Individuals
      Reached or Trained

      NHCA/OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the NHCA Web site

      Data not available

      OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site

      4,021

      Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety and Health Topics page

      9,345

      Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool

      16,907

      February 24-26, 2011: NHCA 36th Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida

      Exhibit Booth

      100

      TOTAL

      30,373

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In 2012, the OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance will continue to provide NHCA members and others, including young workers and small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to noise and chemical ototoxic agents. For example:

    The Alliance will work to develop an outreach product for employers and workers that address
    hearing protection labeling after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues a final rule on
    this topic. The Alliance will also work to develop a slide presentation for workers and employers
    focusing on hearing protection in the workplace.

    Further, OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA will translate "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry" into Spanish, revise the toolbox talks for the construction industry, and develop a product focusing on updated age correction tables in the non-mandatory Appendix F of the OSHA standard focusing on noise.

    NIOSH/NHCA team members will work also with the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), an Alliance Program participant, to revise the toolbox talks for the landcare services industry.

    NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representatives will also staff an Alliance-Program exhibit booth at the 37th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference on February 23-25, 2011, in New Orleans, Louisiana. John Allen and a representative from OSHA Region VI will also deliver a workshop presentation focusing on hearing conservation and the activities and projects of the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance. OSHA and Alliance-developed products will be disseminated to the conference attendees at the workshop and the Alliance Program exhibit booth.

    In addition, a NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representative will continue to participate in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meetings to help address safety and health hazards in the construction industry, including noise.

    OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA will also explore the possibility of staffing an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the Department of Labor Safety Day, June 13, 2012, in Washington, DC.

    Lastly, the OSH/NHCA Alliance will join with other Alliance Program participants to promote and support 2012 NAOSH Week, "Safety, What Every Business Needs."

    Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, March 20, 2012.