Atlanta Region - Alliance Annual Report - February 15, 2025

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
And the
Interactive Community Alliance

February 15, 2025

  1. Alliance Background
    1. Date Signed
      February 23, 2024
    2. Evaluation Period
      February 23, 2024, to February 23, 2025
    3. Overview:
      The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Fort Lauderdale Area Office and the Interactive Community Alliance, Inc. (ICA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and ICA hereby form an Alliance to provide ICA members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect vulnerable1 workers by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards in the agricultural2 and construction3 industries and understand the rights or workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).
    4. Implementation Team Members OSHA

      Condell Eastmond, Area Director, Fort Lauderdale Area Office
      Leny Chango, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Fort Lauderdale Area Office

      Alliance participants
      Claudia Patricia Vega – Executive director ICA
  2. Implementation Team Meetings
    • December 15, 2023 (Planning/Development Meeting)
    • January 16, 2024 (Planning/Development Meeting)
    • January 18, 2024 (Planning/Development Meeting)
    • January 23, 2025

    The Alliance implementation meetings were held in-person, virtually, and/or by phone. A minimum of two implementation meetings were conducted by the Alliance group, during which the Interactive Community Alliance shared valuable safety information. This included updates on the services provided by OSHA, our partnership with Career Services, FIU, and USF. Additionally, health and safety materials were distributed via mass emails and social media to promote positive trends in worker health and safety.

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

  3. Results

    The following table summarizes the Alliance's activities in support of the goals in the Alliance agreement.

    Dissemination: Alliance Program participant shared information on OSHA-developed or OSHA Alliance Program-developed tools and resources, OSHA standards/rulemakings, enforcement, or outreach campaigns.

Dissemination Type

Date

Description

Emphasis Area(s)

Number Reached
Dissemination 02-23/24 to 02/23/25 During this period, the Interactive Community Alliance shared OSHA updates and safety newsletters via email on a quarterly basis. The Alliance also hosted webinars on OSHA updates and safety best practices. Additionally, the Interactive Community Alliance shared emails with OSHA, provided advice on social media posts, newsletter articles, and other publications. It also included visits to the Alliance participants' or OSHA's web pages. Safety and Health Management System, Small Business, Construction, as well as Heat Illness and Fall Prevention 15,000 +
Dissemination 02-23/24 to 02/23/25 Throughout the year, ICA, through its Salud Familiar en Acción program, invited a presenter every Saturday to speak on various topics related to health and safety at work. Participants during this period have included the following: Ms. Lenny Chango - OSHA, Elsy Diaz Izquierdo - Community Consul of Mexico, Ray Padron and Claudia Aborda - RCASF, Victoria Tomas from FIU Moss School, Claudia Gonzalez and Maria Carmona from the Florida Agricultural Workers Association, Michael Barnett from District 3 Commissioner, Elsy Vasquez from the Consulate of El Salvador, Gerardo Reyes from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Ariel Laureano from Career Services, Miriam Escobar from USF, Lina Bockar - Workers Compensation. Safety and Health Management System, and Small Business, 50,000 +
Dissemination From 5-2-24 to 1-17-25 During this period, ICA participate once a month in the Vision Latina Radio Show. Topics presented have included the following: OSHA’s Alliance Program; Workplace Hazard Prevention; Psychosocial Risk; Fall Risk; and Cybersecurity in collaboration with FIU and private organizations. The group also discussed accident and fatality statistics, as well as promoting trench and excavation safety training. Safety and Health Management System, and Small Business 50,000 +
Dissemination 08-01-24 to 10-1-24 During this period, the ICA Alliance group also participated in radio interviews through the Latin-network, to promote the Alliance, in the following locations: New York, New York; Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; McAllen, Texas; as well as Fresno and Los Angeles, California. Safety and Health Management System, and Small Business 50,000+
Dissemination 9-30-24 During this period, the ICA Alliance group was featured on the front page of the ACCION newspaper in West Palm Beach, which informed the community about the importance of workplace health and safety. Safety and Health Management System, and Small Business 25,000+

Outreach Events and Training for non-OSHA Staff: Alliance Program participant or OSHA participation in events, which includes speeches/presentations, exhibits, roundtables, conferences, informational webinars or other meetings or training in support of the Alliance or an OSHA initiative.

Activity Type

Date

Event Name

Representative Name and Affiliation

Title of Presentation, if applicable

City

State

Emphasis Area(s)

Number Reached
Training/ Education 8-10-24 and 9/7/24 Training in Trenching and Excavation Juan Abdel Aziz – Adjunct Professor, MOSS Department of Construction Management, FIU During this period, the Alliance group conducted a trenching and excavation course, which addressed the following: OSHA standards; Competent Person; Soil Types and Testing Methods; as well as Protective Systems. West Palm Beach FL Trenching and Excavation 74
Training/ Education 9/5/24 Mental Health at work Claudia Vega, Program Director of ICA and Karolina Lama – Psychologist and Writer. During this period, the Alliance group conducted a mental health presentation. “Take Care to Succeed: The Connection Between Self-Care, Motivation, and Success,” which focused on the prevention of stress, burnout, depression, and anxiety. West Palm Beach FL Safety and Health Management System, Small Business and Mental Health 23
Training/ Education 10/5/24 Educational Symposium Claudia Vega, Program Director of ICA, And different representations from OSHA, USF WHD, EBSA, and other Safety & Health organizations from the USA and Latinoamerica Institutions. During this period, the Alliance group conducted a conference focused on workplace safety and health, “First Symposium on Health and Safety.” Lake Worth FL Safety and Health Management System, Small Business and Construction 275
Training/ Education 2/15/24 Trade training Ms. Victoria Tomas, FIU During this period, the Alliance group conducted several safety and health training courses for workers in the construction industry. Lake worth FL Safety and Health Management System, and Construction 64

Report Prepared by: Leny Chango, OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist

1 Vulnerable Workers include low-wage and immigrant workers.
2 Agricultural Hazards include falls, amputations, suffocations, burns, toxic exposure, struck-by, and heat illness.
3 Construction Hazards include falls, struck-by, electrical, caught-in, and heat illness.