NLBMDA - Alliance Annual Report - October 18, 2005

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and the
National Lumber and Building Materials Dealer Association (NLBMDA)
October 18, 2005

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    July 28, 2003

    Overview

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and NLBMDA are working together, and with other interested parties, to increase overall safety awareness in the lumber and building materials industry while specifically addressing recordkeeping issues and reducing or preventing forklift accidents and lifting strains. The Alliance is helping to raise awareness of OSHA's recordkeeping requirements by developing and providing information and training resources for the lumber and building material industry.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:  
       
    Mike Buchet
    Terry Meisinger
    Lisa Ramber
    Bill Willson    		 Directorate of Construction (DOC)
    Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA)
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    OOSA
       
    NLBMDA:  
       
    T.J. Cantwell
    John Smith
    Gary Raven
    Gregg Speed    		 Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs
    Risk Manager, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber, Co.
    VP ES & H, Builders First Source
    Safety Director, Hancock Lumber
       
    Contributors  
       
    Paul Murphy
    Kym Pond    		 Contractor, Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC)*
    Contractor, SLTC**

    *Paul Murphy was a contributor from July 2004, to April 30, 2005
    **Kym Pond became a contributor as of May 1, 2005

    Evaluation Period

    July 28, 2004 - July 27, 2005

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    November 5, 2004
    February 15, 2005
    March 15, 2005    		 Safety and Health Topics Page Meeting
    Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable
    Implementation Team Meeting

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

  3. Results

     

    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education Goals
       
      • Develop and make available training, education programs, and "tool box talks" on recordkeeping, forklifts, and safe lifting targeted to the unique issues in the lumber and building material industry.

        The OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      • Address language and literacy issues while producing lumber and building material industry safety and health training, education programs, and "tool box talks."

        The OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Develop and disseminate information on safety and health topics and achievements by speaking or exhibiting at industry conferences, local meetings, and through print and electronic media, including links from OSHA’s and NLBMDA’s Web sites.

      Events

      NLBMDA National Legislative Conference, March 15, 2005, Washington, DC

      Francis Yebesi, Team Leader, Outreach Services and Alliances, USDOL-OSHA, addressed the NLBMDA’s National Legislative Conference in Washington, DC on March 15, 2005. Mr. Yebesi made a presentation about OSHA’s compliance assistance activities. OSHA also had a tabletop exhibit.

      Products

      OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Web site

      OSHA continues to update the OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Web site that is posted on the Agency's Web page. The Web site includes the OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance agreement, news releases, and milestones and successes.

      NLBMDA Web site (www.dealer.org)

      NLBMDA continues to update its Regulatory Affairs Web page that has a number of links to OSHA’s Web site resources. The page includes a link to OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics page; Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry.

      Publications and Newsletters

      Information and news releases on the OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance activities have appeared in a number of publications produced by OSHA, the NLBMDA and other industry publications. An OSHA press release on June 10, 2005, had information about OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics page; Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry that was launched June 13, 2005 and another article appeared in OSHA’s bi-weekly e-newsletter, QuickTakes on June 15, 2005. In addition, an article "NLMBDA Teams with OSHA to Create New Web Page for Dealers," appeared in the July 2005 edition of the Lumber Industry News Express. Please see the chart in this report under "Alliance Program Reach" for additional information.

      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages

      Through the Alliance, NLBMDA representatives are participating on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

        • Motor Vehicle Safety

          T.J. Cantwell, Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs; NLBMDA, Washington, DC
           
        • Powered Industrial Trucks

          T.J. Cantwell, Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs; NLBMDA, Washington, DC
           
        • Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry

          T.J. Cantwell, Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs; NLBMDA, Washington, DC
          Shawn Conrad, President; NLBMDA, Washington, DC
          Gary Raven, Vice President, ES & H, Builders First Source; Dallas, TX
          John Smith, Risk Manager, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Co.; Dallas, TX
          Gregg Speed, Safety Manager; Casco, ME
      • Encourage NLBMDA chapters to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices to address safety and health issues, including forklift and lifting issues.

        The OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Implementation Team did not participate on programs or projects to address this goal during this report period.
      • Assist in the development of electronic assistance tools for OSHA’s Web page that address recordkeeping issues as well as safety and health hazards including reducing and preventing forklift accidents and lifting strains.

      Products

      Safety and Health Topics Page for the Lumber Dealer Industry

      During the Alliance’s second year, the OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance completed its work on the development of a Safety and Health Topics page for the Lumber and Building Materials Dealer Industry. Members of the Alliance’s implementation team reviewed and provided comments on the page as OSHA developed the electronic assistance tool. This page was posted on OSHA’s Web site on June 13, 2005.

      • Promote and educate NLBMDA’s members’ on the scope and benefit of OSHA’s Consultation Program and provide information on other cooperative programs such as the Voluntary Protection Programs, Partnerships, and SHARP.

      Events

      Eastern Building Material Association Chapter Meeting, September 30, 2004, Rocky Gap, Maryland

      Andrew Alcarese, Project Manager, Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program, addressed the NLBMDA’s federated association, Eastern Building Material Association Chapter Meeting, on September 30, 2004 in Rocky Gap, Maryland. Mr. Alcarese made a presentation about Maryland’s Consultation Program.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

      • Encourage NLBMDA’s members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA’s cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists.

      Products

      Promotion of Participation in VPP

      In August 2001, NLBMDA member the Curtis Lumber Company achieved Star status in VPP. The company is helping to educate NLBMDA’s members about the value of participating in VPP through speeches at executive management meetings and at the association’s events. The company’s VPP achievement also has been highlighted in NLBMDA’s publications. Currently, Curtis Lumber is mentoring another MLBMDA member, the Gregory Supply Company, to become a VPP participant.

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on forklift and lifting issues in the lumber and building materials industry to help forge innovative and practical solutions in the workplace and to provide information during the development of industry specific safety and health guidelines.

      Events

      OSHA Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable, Washington, DC, February 15, 2005

      T.J. Cantwell, NLBMDA’s Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs, participated on behalf of the association in OSHA’s Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable February 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. This roundtable provided Alliance Program participants with an opportunity to learn about the status of OSHA's Hazard Communication Initiative; share information about their own Alliances, including any activities related to Hazard Communication; and learn about what other Alliances are doing to address Hazard Communication issues. Representatives from 18 Alliances participated in the roundtable.

      At the meeting, the following workgroups were established and projects were identified for the Alliance Program participants to work on together to develop Hazard Communication related compliance assistance resources:

      • Hazard Communication and Awareness Training;
         
      • Developing Model Material Safety Data Sheets: and
         
      • Promoting the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
      Mr. Cantwell is a member of the Hazard Communication Awareness and Training workgroup.
       

    2. Executive Summary

      The OSHA and NLBMDA's Alliance continued its excellent working relationship that was established between the organizations during the first year of the Alliance. OSHA continues to learn more about this industry, which is composed primarily of small businesses, and the NLBMDA has learned more about the compliance assistance resources that the Agency has developed. In addition, through the Alliance, the NLBMDA members continued to have the opportunity to hear from OSHA’s national and regional staff. For example Francis Yebesi spoke about OSHA’s compliance assistance activities at the NLBMDA’s National Legislative Conference on March 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. In addition, Andrew Alcarese presented information about Maryland’s Consultation Program to the NLBMDA’s Eastern Building Materials Association’s Chapter Meeting on September 30, 2004 in Rocky Gap, Maryland.

      Also, the OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance continued its work to provide OSHA with comments and feedback on the Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry Safety and Health Topics page OSHA was developing. As a result, on June 13, 2005 OSHA posted the Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry page on its Web site. The page covers safety and health concerns that exist throughout the lumber and building material dealer industry, ranging from ergonomic issues to machine guarding. This page can help small businesses address workplace safety and health hazards and understand the regulatory issues that impact the industry.

      In addition, the NLBMDA continued to promote its participation in OSHA’s Alliance Program through an article in its publication, Lumber Industry News Express, on the OSHA Safety and Health Topics page; Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry.

      During the last year the T.J. Cantwell participated in the Alliance Program’s Hazard Communication Roundtable, in Washington, DC, February 15, 2005. In addition, NLBMDA implementation team members continue to serve on the editorial boards for the Safety and Health Topics pages on Motor Vehicle Safety, Powered Industrial Trucks, and the Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry.

      Finally, OSHA and the NLBMDA agreed to renew the Alliance agreement and began work on developing the renewal agreement which will be signed later in 2005.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

       

    Type of Activity
    (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)    		 Number of Individuals
    Reached or Trained
    OSHA and NLBMDA Alliance Web site on OSHA's Web page 1,500
    NLBMDA Web site - Safety and Health Page Data Not Available
    September 30, 2004, NLBMDA federated association, Eastern Building Material Association chapter meeting, Rocky Gap, Maryland
    Speaker: Andrew Alcarese, Project Manger, Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program    		 Data Not Available
    March 15, 2005, NLBMDA National Legislative Conference, Washington, DC
    Speaker: Francis Yebesi, Team Leader, Outreach Services and Alliances    		 100
    March 15, 2005, NLBMDA National Legislative Conference, Washington, DC
    OSHA Exhibit Table    		 75
    June 10, 2005, "OSHA Debuts Web Page for Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry Product of Alliance with National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association," OSHA Press Release 65 News Sources
    June 10, 2005, "OSHA Debuts Web Page for Lumber, Building Material Dealer Industry: Product of Alliance with National Lumber, Building Material Dealers Association," Yahoo! News Data Not Available
    June 15, 2005, "Safety and Health Topics Page Focuses on Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry," OSHA’s bi-weekly e-newsletter; QuickTakes 60,000
    June 22, 2005, "NLBMDA Teams with OSHA to Create New Web Page for Dealers," NLBMDA News Release 3,000
    July 5, 2005, "NLBMDA Teams with OSHA to Create New Web Page for Dealers," Lumber Industry News Express 3,000
    July 7, 2005, "OSHA Creates Web Page for Lumber, Building Material Dealer Industry," Society for Human Resources Management Online Data Not Available
    July 27, 2005, "OSHA Debuts Lumber Building Materials Webpage," CCH NetNews Data Not Available
    July 2005, "OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page Focuses on Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry," SAT-T- Gardian Newsletter Data Not Available
    Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry Safety and Health Topics page Data Not Available
    TOTAL 67,740

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    During the upcoming year, the OSHA and NLBMDA will continue its positive relationship and work on a number of projects that it started during its first two years. For example, the NLBMDA will be developing a back-lifting safety video for the lumber dealer industry and will ask OSHA to participate in a review of the product. NLBMDA staff will also continue to be a member of OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics pages’ editorial boards for Motor Vehicle Safety, Powered Industrial Trucks, and Lumber and Building Material Dealer Industry and review and provide comments on the pages.

    In addition, T.J. Cantwell will continue to participate on the Alliance Program’s Hazard Communication Roundtable that is addressing hazard communication awareness and training. Mr. Cantwell will also participate in OSHA’s Small Business Roundtable that is scheduled to be held on September 8, 2005. The roundtable will allow Alliance Program participants to provide feedback on OSHA’s compliance assistance tools for small business.

    Further, the implementation team will finalize and sign the Alliance Renewal agreement.

    Finally, OSHA may be invited to speak and exhibit during several upcoming NLBMDA events including the NLBMDA’s Legislative Conference on April 3-5, 2006 in Washington, D.C. and the NLBMDA’s risk management meeting that will be held in Chicago in May 2006. The association may also invite OSHA representatives to speak at NLBMDA’s federated association’s chapter meetings.

    Report prepared by: Bill Willson, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, November 9, 2005.