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)
April 18, 2011

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)
   *Deborah Gabry - Health Scientist, Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management (DTSEM)
   
   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, 2010 – February 20, 2011
   
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   *Deborah Gabry retired from OSHA in February 2011.
2. Implementation Team Meetings
    
   • June 21, 2010 - Implementation Team Meeting
   • October 28, 2010 - Implementation Team Meeting
   • January 25, 2011 - 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.
      Products
      
      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 activities 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 is 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 OSHA Web site.
       
      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, NIOSH, or NHCA sponsored conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the annual NHCA conference.
      
      NHCA 35th Annual Conference, February 25-27, 2010, Orlando, Florida
      
      A NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representative staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the NHCA 35th Annual Conference on February 25-27, 2010, in Orlando, Florida. Alliance representatives distributed Alliance-developed information 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." Deborah Gabry, Health Scientist, DTSEM, USDOL-OSHA, hosted a breakfast meeting with eight conference attendees and discussed future projects of the OSHA and NIOSH/NCHA Alliance. The theme for the conference was "Explore the World of Hearing Loss Prevention."
       
      • 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).
        
        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.
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
      
      2010 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 2-8, 2010
      
      On May 2-8, 2010, the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported 2010 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Association of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for 2010 was "Mission NAOSH 2010: Safe Workplaces."
      
      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 (DOL), July 29, 2010, Washington, DC
      
      On July 29, 2010, a NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representative participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting at DOL in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Alliance Program participants discussed products developed through the Roundtable, including the 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.
      
      OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Meeting, Department of Labor, February 17, 2011, Washington, DC
      
      On February 17, 2011, NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representatives participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting at DOL in Washington, D.C. 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 third 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:
      
      A NIOSH/NHCA Alliance representative staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the NHCA 35th Annual Conference on February 25-27, 2010, in Orlando, Florida. Deborah Gabry, Health Scientist, DTSEM, USDOL-OSHA, hosted a breakfast with eight conference attendees and discussed the future projects of the OSHA and NIOSH/NCHA Alliance.
      
      A NIOSH/NHCA Implementation Team representative also participated in the Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meetings and provided feedback on a number of products, including the Construction Workplace Design Solutions, safety tips sheets, slide presentations, a toolbox talk focusing on the prevention of strains and sprains in the construction industry. 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 2010 NAOSH Week, "Mission NAOSH 2010: Safe Workplaces."
      
      Members of the Alliance implementation team are sharing 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	4,382
      Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety and Health Topics page	9,855
      Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool	15,898
      February 25-27, 2010: NHCA 35th Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida Exhibit Booth	200
      February 27, 2010, "Breakfast Chat – OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA Alliance," NHCA 35th Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida Speaker: Deborah Gabry, Health Scientist, DTSEM, USDOL-OSHA	8
      Total	30,342

4. Upcoming Milestones
   
   In 2011, 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 issues a final rule on this topic.
   
   NIOSH/NHCA representatives will staff an exhibit booth at the 36th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference on February 24-26, 2011, in Phoenix Marriott Mesa, Arizona. Copies of Alliance- developed products will be disseminated to the conference attendees.
   
   Further, OSHA and NIOSH/NHCA will work together to translate "Toolbox Talks: Hearing Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry" into Spanish. In addition, NIOSH/NHCA team members will revise the toolbox talks for the construction industry. NIOSH/NHCA team members will also work with the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), an Alliance Program participant, to revise the toolbox talks for the landcare services industry.
   
   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.
   
   In addition, the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance will join with other Alliance Program participants to promote and support OSHA's initiative focusing on distracted driving and 2011 NAOSH Week, May 1-7, "Celebrating a Century of Safety."
   
   Finally, a representative from the NIOSH/NHCA Alliance will continue to 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 OSHA Web site.

   Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, April 18, 2012.