ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA)
March 20, 2007

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed

   January 31, 2003

   Date Renewed

   June 16, 2005

   Evaluation Period

   January 31, 2006 – January 30, 2007

   Overview

   The Alliance focuses on using OSHA's and SCA's collective expertise to help advance a culture of injury and illness prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge and promoting safe and healthful working conditions for shipyard employees.

   Implementation Team Members

   OSHA:

   Steve Butler

   Office of Maritime Enforcement

   Debra Gabry

   Office of Science and Technology Assessment

   Jim Maddux

   Office of Maritime Standards

   Jess McCluer

   Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)

   Carl Halgren

   Region X, Portland, Oregon Area Office Director

   Tom Pope*

   Region III, Norfolk, Virginia Area Office Director

   SCA:

   Terry Preston

   Atlantic Marine, Inc.

   Daniel Youhas

   Manager, Government Affairs

   Contributors:

   Kristi Dearing

   Contractor for OSHA, Salt Lake Technical Center

   *Member of the Implementation Team until July 2006.

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   February 8-9, 2006

   Shipyard Employment eTool Editorial Board meeting – Fire Protection module, Norfolk, VA

   February 10, 2006

   Joint Meeting with American Shipbuilders Association (ASA) and the National Shipbuilders Research Program (NSRP) Alliances, Teleconference

   April 11, 2006

   Safety Alert: Shipyard Sewage and Hydrogen Sulfide, Teleconference

   May 10, 2006

   Joint Meeting with ASA and NSRP Alliances, Teleconference

   October 21, 2006

   Joint Meeting with ASA and NSRP Alliances, Teleconference

   October 25, 2006

   Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable's Promoting the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Workgroup, Washington, DC

3. Activities and Products

   1. Events and Products

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Develop and disseminate injury and hazard information at conferences, events and/or through print and electronic media, including informational links from OSHA's and SCA's web sites.

      Products

      OSHA and SCA Alliance Web site

      OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and SCA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site. It includes the OSHA and SCA Alliance agreements, news releases, activities and events and milestones and successes.

      SCA Website (www.shipbuilders.org)

      SCA continues to update its Web site which includes information on the OSHA and SCA Alliance, OSHA Region X and SCA Alliance and the OSHA Region VI Houston North and South Area Offices – SCA Strategic Partnership. During the reporting period, SCA posted the Safety Alert: Shipyard Sewage and Hydrogen Sulfide, that was developed through the OSHA and SCA, ASA, NSRP and American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Alliances, on its Web site.

      Publications and Newsletters

      Articles on the OSHA and SCA Alliance activities have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: OSHA's Alliance Quarterly Report, BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, BNA Daily Labor Report, CCH Safety NetNews, Occupational Health & Safety E-news, Occupational Health & Safety Magazine and SCA's Shipyard Chronicle. For more information see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

      In addition, SCA includes information on OSHA compliance assistance resources in its quarterly publication, Shipyard Chronicle. A number of these articles were based on DOL-developed articles and e-mail alerts OOSA send to the Alliance Program participants for their use in disseminating information, OSHA compliance assistance resources and cooperative programs.

      OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages

      The following OSHA and SCA Alliance implementation team members are continuing to participate on OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages' and eTools' editorial boards.

      • Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page

        Terry Guidry, Director of Safety, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.; Lockport, LA

        Byron Johnson, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Manager, Gunderson, Inc.; Portland, OR

        Terry Preston, Safety, Environmental & Quality Director, Atlantic Marine, Inc.; Mobile, AL

        Daniel K. Youhas, Manager, Government Affairs, SCA, Washington, DC

      • Ship Building and Repair Safety and Health Topics page

        Terry Guidry, Director of Safety, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.; Lockport, LA

        Byron Johnson, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Manager, Gunderson, Inc.; Portland, OR

        Pat Killeen, Manager, Environmental Health & Safety, Signal International LLC; Pascagoula, MS

        Roy Martin, Jr., Corporate Manager, Safety Compliance, VT Halter Marine, Inc.; Pascagoula, MS

        Terry Preston, Safety, Environmental & Quality Director, Atlantic Marine, Inc.; Mobile, AL

        Al Rainsberger, Environmental/Occupational Safety Manager, Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc.; Seattle, WA

        Daniel K. Youhas, Manager, Government Affairs, SCA, Washington, DC

      • Shipyard Employment eTool

        Terry Guidry, Director of Safety, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.; Lockport, LA

        Byron Johnson, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Manager, Gunderson, Inc.; Portland, OR

        Terry Preston, Safety, Environmental & Quality Director, Atlantic Marine, Inc.; Mobile, AL

        Daniel K. Youhas, Manager, Government Affairs, SCA, Washington, DC

      Shipyard Employment eTool

      Fire Protection Module

      Through the Alliance, OSHA and SCA, together with the OSHA and ASA and NSRP Alliances, provided input to OSHA during the development of OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool Fire Protection module. The module, which was completed and posted on OSHA's Web site in September 2006, addresses the Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment Standard (29 CFR 1915 Subpart P).

      Marine Hanging Staging (MHS) Module

      SCA, ASA and NSRP are working with OSHA to provide expertise and input into the development of the draft MHS module for the Shipyard Employment eTool. The module will help employers design, assemble, use, and dismantle MHS in a manner that is safe for employees. It is expected to be completed in Summer 2007.

      Safety Alert: Shipyard Sewage and Hydrogen Sulfide

      Through the Alliance, OSHA and SCA, and the OSHA and ASA and NSRP Alliances worked with the OSHA and AIHA Alliance to develop the Safety Alert: Shipyard Sewage and Hydrogen Sulfide. The Safety Alert is designed to make shipyard employers and employees aware of the hazards of sewage systems on ships and shipyard shore facilities and how prevent accidents involving hydrogen sulfide gas. It was posted on SCA's Web site and a link to it was added to the OSHA and SCA Alliance Web page in July 2006.

      Events

      SCA Safety Seminar, September 28, 2006, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

      On September 28, 2006, Mel Lischefski, Director, Region V, Appleton, Wisconsin Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, updated 25 attendees on the on the revised hexavalent chromium standard during SCA's Safety Seminar in Sturgeon Bay, WI. In addition, Amy Wangdahl, Office of Maritime Standards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA, updated the attendees on maritime regulatory issues.

      • Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health practitioners in SCA's best practices or effective approaches; as jointly defined by OSHA and SCA.

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

      • Share up-to-date shipyard information, such as injury, hazard and workforce trends, with OSHA to help identify the top priorities for the development of employee safety and health training and outreach programs for SCA members.

      Products

      Root Cause of Accidents Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB)

      Through the Alliance Program, the Office of Science and Technology Assessment is developing a SHIB, Root Causes of Accidents in Shipyards based on information provided to it by SCA. SCA drafted an information sheet based on the organization's quarterly injury and illness surveys. A majority of the incidents on the sheet focus on personal protective equipment, proper use of tools and struck-bys/near misses.

      • Promote and encourage SCA members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation and SHARP. In addition, act as mentors to SCA members that aspire to excellence in safety and health.

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

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Share information on the best practices of SCA members/worksites, as jointly determined by OSHA and SCA, with others in the industry through OSHA or SCA developed programs and materials.

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

      • Raise awareness through speeches and appearances by SCA leaders of their positive and successful worksite programs and their commitment to workplace safety and health.

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

      • Convene and/or participate in stakeholder groups, roundtable discussions or other forums to discuss issues, as jointly identified as top priorities by SCA and OSHA, in order to develop innovative solutions to specific injury and hazard issues in shipyards.

      Promoting the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Workgroup, October 25, 2006, Washington, DC

      An SCA representative participated in the October 25, 2006 Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable's Promoting the GHS Workgroup meeting, in Washington, DC. During the Workgroup meeting, representatives from 15 Alliance Program participants identified compliance assistance tools and products to educate the public, particularly small businesses, about the GHS. They also provided recommendations on the target audiences, subjects and formats of and methods for distributing the information. The meeting was held as a follow-up to the February 15, 2005 Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable and the August 1, 2005 promoting the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals Workgroup meeting.

      2006 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH)

      Through the Alliance Program SCA partnered with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, to promote ASSE's 2006 NAOSH Week, May 1-5, 2006. During the week, US, Canadian and Mexican organizations coordinated events devoted to promoting workplace safety and health and the safety, health and environmental professions.

   2. Executive Summary

       

      Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and SCA are working together to address safety and health issues in the maritime industry and continue their productive working relationship. Further, the OSHA and SCA Alliance implementation team is working jointly on several projects with the other maritime industry-related Alliances that have been signed by the Agency with ASA and NSRP. In addition, OSHA and SCA, together with the ASA and NSRP Alliances worked with the OSHA and AIHA Alliance to develop a Safety Alert: Shipyard Sewage and Hydrogen Sulfide. The Safety Alert is designed to make both shipyard employers and employees aware of the hazards of sewage systems on both ships and shipyard shore facilities and how to prevent accidents involving hydrogen sulfide gas.

      SCA provided input to OSHA during the development of OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool Fire Protection module which was posted on the Agency Web site in September 2006 and is currently working with OSHA to develop a Marine Hanging Staging (MHS) module for the eTool.

      OSHA and SCA representatives are also sharing their expertise through participation on OSHA's electronic assistance tools' editorial boards and speaking opportunities. For example, SCA representatives are continuing to serve on the Maritime Industry and Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics pages' editorial boards and the Shipyard Employment eTool's editorial board.

      In addition, Mel Lischefski, Director, Region V, Appleton, Wisconsin Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, provided an update on the hexavalent chromium standard and Amy Wangdahl, Office of Maritime Standards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA, updated 25 shipyard safety and health professionals on maritime regulatory issues at SCA's Safety Seminar.

      SCA also participates on the Alliance Program's Hazard Communication Roundtable's Promoting the GHS Workgroup. The Workgroup is discussing the development and distribution of resources to promote the GHS to small business in anticipation of OSHA's revising its Hazard Communication Standard to adopt the GHS. In addition, SCA partnered with ASSE, an Alliance Program participant, to promote the 2006 NAOSH Week.

      The association is also promoting the activities of the OSHA and SCA Alliance and compliance assistance programs through articles in its quarterly publication, Shipyard Chronicle. The articles focused on a number of topics such as the Shipyard Employment eTool Fire Protection module and the Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable.

      SCA is continuing to hold joint Implementation Team meetings with ASA and NSRP and OSHA representatives from the Directorates of Cooperative and State Programs; Enforcement Programs; Science, Technology and Medicine; Standards and Guidance; Region III and Region IX.

      Finally, as a result of the successes, SCA is working with the Agency to develop an Alliance renewal agreement.

   3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and SCA Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site	6,115
      SCA Web site – Link to OSHA/SCA Alliance	1,000
      Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page	41,581
      Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics page	25,542
      Shipyard Employment eTool	16,289
      January 25, 2007 – "SCA Partners With ASSE To Promote NAOSH Week," SCA Web page – News and Public Information section	28,500
      January 23, 2007- "SCA Secures Grant To Aid Hispanic Worker Safety," SCA Web page – News and Public Information section	28,500
      January 12, 2007 – "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health," SCA Web page – News and Public Information section	28,500
      January 5, 2007 – "OSHA Issues Shipyard Abrasive Blasting Guidance Document," SCA Web page – News and Public Information section	28,500
      Winter 2007 – Shipyard Chronicle "OSHA Updates Guidance on Avian Flu," "OSHA Makes the Business Case for Safety and Health" "OSHA Issues Shipyard Abrasive Blasting Guidance Document "	300
      December 2006 – Alliance Quarterly Review "Workgroup Identifies Compliance Assistance Tools for Labeling of Chemicals" "New eTools, Safety and Health Topics Pages Highlight OSHA's Alliance Program Workplace Safety and Health Products Development"	300
      Fall 2006 - Shipyard Chronicle "OSHA Posts Fire Protection Module" "OSHA Seeks Comments On Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)" "SCA Member Bay Shipbuilding Co. Hosts Fall Safety Seminar"	300
      October 23, 2006 – "OSHA Adds Fire Protection Module to Shipyard Employment eTool," CCH Safety NetNews	Data Not Available
      October 5, 2006 – "MACOSH Focuses on Falls, Traffic, Guidance, Health Issues," BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter	Data Not Available
      October 4, 2006 - Maritime Committee Focuses on Falls, Traffic, Guidance, Industrial Health Issues," BNA Daily Labor Report	Data Not Available
      September 28, 2006 – "Foulke Says Committee Recommendation Resulted in Shipyard Fire Protection Module," BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter	Data Not Available
      September 28, 2006, SCA Safety Seminar, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Speakers: Mel Lischefski, Director, Region V, Appleton, Wisconsin Area Office, USDOL-OSHA Amy Wangdahl, Director, Office of Maritime Standards, USDOL-OSHA	25
      September 18, 2006 – "Fire Protection Module Added to OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool," Occupational Health & Safety Magazine	Data Not Available
      September 15, 2006 – OSHA includes information on the Shipyard Employment eTool's Fire Protection module in its bi-weekly e-newsletter; QuickTakes	52,805
      September 14, 2006 – "OSHA Adds Fire Protection Module to Shipyard Employment eTool," OSHA News release	69 News Services
      August 2, 2006 – "AIHA and Partners Release H2S Guidance for Shipyard Workers," Occupational Health & Safety E-News	Data Not Available
      August 1, 2006 – "AIHA and OSHA Partner on Safety Alert," AIHA Press Release	Data Not Available
      Summer 2006 – "SCA Joins Industry and Regulatory Groups to Produce Hydrogen Sulfide Alert," Shipyard Chronicle	300
      Spring 2006 – "SCA Members Join OSHA to Write eTool Module," Shipyard Chronicle	300
      TOTAL	258, 857

4. Upcoming Milestones

   In the upcoming year, OSHA's and SCA's positive relationship will continue to grow and the implementation team will undertake a number of activities and develop a number of products. In addition, OSHA and SCA will sign an Alliance renewal agreement.

   The association will also work with OSHA to finalize the development of the MHS module for the Shipyard Employment eTool in Summer 2007. In addition, SCA members will continue to serve on the Maritime Industry and Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics pages' editorial boards and the Shipyard Employment eTool editorial board.

   Further, OSHA and SCA Alliance will continue to work with the OSHA and ASA, NSRP and AIHA Alliances to develop safety alerts addressing incidents related to falls, electrocution and confined space.

   SCA will continue to participate on the Alliance Program's Hazard Communication Roundtable's Promoting the GHS Workgroup. The Workgroup will discuss developing and distributing resources to promote the GHS to small businesses. SCA will also support the 2007 NAOSH Week.

   OSHA and SCA will also be promoting the Alliance Program and the Agency's compliance assistance materials. SCA plans to continue to promote OSHA compliance assistance materials, cooperative programs and the OSHA and SCA Alliance through articles in their quarterly publication, Shipyard Chronicle. In addition, OSHA will promote the products the Alliance produces in its Alliance Quarterly Review and through sending the information to OSHA's Regional, Area Office, On-site Consultation Program and State Plan State Representatives.

   Finally, Dorinda Folse, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region VI, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, will provide an update on the revised hexavalent chromium standard to shipyard safety and health professionals during the SCA Safety Seminar March 21, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Report prepared by: Jess McCluer, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, March 20, 2007