OSHA and Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS)
Close-Out Report
October 30, 2008

On October 26, 2004, OSHA and SDMS formed an Alliance to provide SDMS members and others in the medical community with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). OSHA and SDMS renewed the Alliance for an additional two years on January 29, 2007.

Because the OSHA and SDMS Alliance achieved the goals of the Alliance, the organizations agreed to conclude the Alliance as of October 26, 2008. A number of successes resulted from the agreement including:

• Through the OSHA and SDMS Alliance, SDMS provided OSHA with their expertise to develop a Sonography Module for the Agency Hospital eTool. The Module was posted on the OSHA Web site on September 30, 2008.
• SDMS developed and maintained a SDMS and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the SDMS Web site. The page included the goals of the Alliance, links to the OSHA and SDMS Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site and articles related to the Alliance. In addition, the Web page linked to OSHA Compliance Assistance, Voluntary Protection Programs and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Web pages on the Agency Web site.
• SDMS added information on the Alliance Program and the OSHA and SDMS Alliance to several SDMS ergonomic presentations. For example, Joan Baker, Chair, WRMD Task Force, made the following presentations to numerous healthcare facilities and organizations throughout the United States:

  Occupational Injury in Sonographers
  Minimizing Sonographer Injury
  Ergonomic Challenges in Echocardiography
  Tools for Worker Safety the Stakes are High
  Ultrasound Technology: The Picture is Changing
  Ergonomic Challenges in Echocardiography

• Joan Baker, Founder, SDMS gave a presentation, "OSHA Update," to 1,300 conference attendees during the Plenary Session at the 2006 SDMS Annual Conference, October 12-15 2006, in Denver, Colorado, In addition, Brett Besser, Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Professional Ergonomist, SLTC, USDOL-OSHA, Pam Baptiste, Industrial Hygienist, Region VIII, Federal and State Programs, USDOL-OSHA, Megan Meagher, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region VIII, Denver, Colorado Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, and Joanna Shulsky, Training Officer, Region VIII, USDOL-OSHA, staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth and distributed copies of the OSHA and SDMS Alliance Activities Summary, Alliance Program brochure and "All About OSHA.
• Joan Baker, Founder, SDMS, gave a presentation, "Ergonomic Hazards in Ultrasonography," that included ergonomic hazards associated with the sonography profession, SDMS best practices and information on the OSHA and SDMS Alliance at the May 25, 2006 OSHA Journal Club.
• SDMS representatives served on the editorial boards of the OSHA Hospital eTool and the Healthcare Facilities Safety and Health Topics page

Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, October 30, 2008.