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ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
ISSA Alliance
October 30, 2008

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    August 5, 2005

    Date Renewed

    August 16, 2007

    Evaluation Period

    August 5, 2007 – August 4, 2008

    Overview

    The OSHA and ISSA Alliance focuses on providing ISSA’s members and others, including small businesses and general industry, with information, guidance, and access to training resources on hazards in the cleaning, maintenance and warehousing industries, such as slips, trips and falls and hazard communication.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Lee Anne Jillings Office of Outreach Services and Alliance (OOSA)
    Barney Lawrence OOSA
    Tony Mapes** OOSA
    Lisa Ramber OOSA
    Bill Willson* OOSA

    ISSA:

    Bill Balek Director of Legislative Affairs
    Dan Wagner Manager of Regulatory Compliance

    * Bill Willson served as the Alliance Coordinator until January 22, 2008.
    ** Tony Mapes has been serving as the Alliance Coordinator since January 22, 2008.

     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings
     
    • April 15, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
    • April 17, 2008 Workgroup conference call to discuss Slip and Fall Symposium
    • May 6, 2008 Workgroup conference call to discuss Slip and Fall Symposium
    • May 29, 2008 Workgroup conference call to discuss Slip and Fall Symposium
    • July 15, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
    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
     
    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education
       
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for cleaning, maintenance, and warehousing industry employers and employees regarding slips, trips, and falls and HAZCOM.

        Event

        Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention Symposium, ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 8-11, 2008

        Through the OSHA and ISSA Alliance, ISSA is working with the National Floor Safety Institute to develop a Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention Symposium that will be conducted during the ISSA/INTERCLEAN® Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 8, 2008. The symposium will help attendees better understand the scope of the issues related to slips, trips and falls, while providing practical guidance on how to best promote floor safety by controlling and reducing the incidence of slips, trips and falls.

        Outreach and Communication
         
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of 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 and ISSA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.

        Products

        Small Business Resources Module on ISSA Safety and Health Portal

        Through the Alliance, ISSA developed a Small Business Resources module on the ISSA Safety and Health Portal. The page includes links to OSHA resources that are available for small businesses. In addition, ISSA maintains and updates its Safety and Health Portal on the ISSA Web site, which was developed for ISSA’s members, employers, and employees in the cleaning industry. The Portal contains the following modules in addition to the Small Business Resources module:
        • Bloodborne Pathogens
        • Cleaning Chemicals in the Workplace (Hazard Communication)
        • Injury and Illness Recordkeeping
        • Personal Protective Equipment
        • Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace
        • Spanish Resources
        Publications

        Information on the activities of the OSHA and ISSA Alliance has appeared in ISSA’s Legislative and Regulatory Update, BNA’s Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, and the Building Services Management magazine. For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach Table."

        Cleaning Industry Safety and Health Topics page

        Through the Alliance, ISSA representatives provided their expertise to OSHA during the agency’s development of the Cleaning Industry Safety and Health Topics page. The topics page provides information on potential hazards, such as slips, trips and falls, OSHA standards, and links to free resources from OSHA and other organizations and was posted on the agency’s website in December 2007. OSHA issued a news release about the product, "New Cleaning Industry Topics Page Provides Important Safety and Health Resources," on December 11, 2007.

        OSHA Electronic Assistance Tools

        Representatives from ISSA serve on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, providing OSHA with their expertise and technical review:
        • Cleaning Industry
          • William C. Balek, Director of Legislative Affairs, ISSA, Lincolnwood, IL
          • Daniel S. Wagner, Directory of Facility Service Regulatory Affairs, ISSA, Lincolnwood, IL
        • Powered Industrial Trucks
          • Daniel S. Wagner, Directory of Facility Service Regulatory Affairs, ISSA, Lincolnwood, IL
          • Walking/Working Surfaces
        • William C. Balek, Director of Legislative Affairs, ISSA, Lincolnwood, IL
      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's and ISSA's conferences and workshops, including various ISSA training seminars and forums such as ISSA’s annual convention, ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America.

        Events

        Promotion of OSHA and ISSA Alliance by ISSA

        During the reporting period, ISSA representatives made presentations on the successes and activities of the OSHA and ISSA Alliance at 21 different conferences and meetings that they attended. As a result of the updates, 985 people were reached. The updates included information on the ISSA Safety and Health Portal, which is a product of the OSHA and ISSA Alliance. In addition, they encouraged the audiences to look at the OSHA and ISSA Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site to see the successes and activities of the Alliance first-hand.

        ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, October 23-26, 2007, Orlando, Florida

        Bill Willson, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliance, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, USDOL-OSHA, staffed the OSHA and ISSA Alliance exhibit booth, October 23-26, 2007 and distributed OSHA safety and health information and answered questions from the conferences’ attendees. There were over 14,833 attendees at the conference. In addition, Carol Jones, then Acting Director, Office of Biological Hazards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA, presented "Pandemic Preparedness" to six attendees on October 26, 2007.
         
      • Promote and encourage ISSA members’ or worksites’ participation in OSHA’s cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the On-site Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

        During the reporting period, OSHA and ISSA did not work on projects to address this goal.
         
      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on cleaning, maintenance, and warehousing industry hazards, such as slips, trips and falls and HAZCOM that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

        Events

        Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) Spring Meeting, April 5-9, 2008, Atlanta, Georgia

        Through the Alliance Program, Bill Balek presented "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) Across North America" on April 8, 2008 at the SCHC Spring Meeting.

        National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

        Events

        2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008, Washington, DC.

        ISSA joined with more than 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week. NAOSH Week, sponsored by ASSE, an Alliance Program participant, focuses on increasing the understanding of the positive benefits of investing in occupational safety, health and environmental programs among employers, employees and the public; raising awareness of the role and contribution of safety, health and environmental professionals; and reducing workplace injuries and illness by encouraging new safety and health activities at all companies and organizations. ISSA published a news release in support of NAOSH Week and linked to the release and the NAOSH Week Web page from the ISSA Safety and Health Portal.
         
    2. Executive Summary

      Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and ISSA are working together to develop resources for employers in the cleaning, maintenance and warehousing industries to address the hazards associated with slips, trips, falls and hazard communication (e.g., hazard classification, precautionary labeling, material safety data sheets, and personal protective equipment). The positive relationship that that ISSA has developed over the past three years has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the team has produced or is currently working on.

      For example, through the Alliance, ISSA has developed the Safety and Health Portal on the ISSA Web site, and during the reporting period the Small Business Resources Module was added to the Portal.

      In addition, ISSA representatives provided OSHA with their expertise during the agency’s development of the Cleaning Industry Safety and Health Topics page. The page features information from OSHA and other organizations on the types of hazards common in the cleaning and maintenance industry. In addition, ISSA representatives are sharing their expertise with OSHA through participation on the editorial boards for the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:
      • Cleaning Industry
      • Powered Industrial Trucks
      • Walking/Working
      Finally, as part of their outreach efforts, ISSA and a number of Alliance Program participants supported 2008 NAOSH Week, May 4-10.
       
    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and
      Electronic Distribution, etc.)      		 Number of Individuals
      Reached or Trained
      OSHA and ISSA Alliance Web page on OSHA Web site 2,940
      ISSA and OSHA Alliance Web page on ISSA’s Safety and Health Portal Data not available
      OSHA Cleaning Industry Safety and Health Topics page 11,995
      OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics page 94,163
      OSHA Walking/Working Surfaces Safety and Health Topics page 30,408
      August 2007 – OSHA Case Study Highlights Benefits of Safety and Health Program," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      August 16, 2007 – "OSHA and ISSA renew Alliance," OSHA Trade News Release 69 News Services
      August 16, 2007 – "OSHA and ISSA Renew Alliance," Compliance Home Data not available
      August 17, 2007 – "ISSA Renews Alliance With OSHA," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      August 17, 2007 – "OSHA and ISSA Renew Alliance," Jordo Media Data not available
      August 20, 2007 – "ISSA/OSHA Alliance Renewed," CleanLink News Data not available
      August 22, 2007 – "ISSA Renews Alliance With OSHA," ICS Magazine Data not available
      August 23, 2007 – "OSHA and ISSA Renew Alliance for Workplace Safety Info," ThomasNet – Industrial Newsroom Data not available
      August 23, 2007 – "OSHA and ISSA Renew Alliance," ThomasNet – Industrial Newsroom Data not available
      August 23, 2007 – "OSHA Renews Alliance With Cleaning Association," BNA, Inc. Occupational Safety and Health Reporter Data not available
      September 4, 2007 – "ISSA Renews Alliance with OSHA," CleanLink News Data not available
      September 2007 – "Association establishes web page portal addressing worker safety," Alliance Quarterly Review 300
      October 2007 – "ISSA Renews Alliance with OSHA," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      October 2007 – "OSHA Alliances," OSHA Up To Date 69 News Services
      October 26, 2007 – ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, October 23-26, 2007, Orlando, Florida

      Speaker: Carol Jones, then Acting Director, Office of Biological Hazards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA, presented "Pandemic Preparedness."      		 6
      December 13, 2007 – "New Cleaning Industry Topics Page Provides Important Safety and Health Resources," OSHA Trade News Release 69 News Services
      December 13, 2007 – "OSHA Provides New Cleaning Industry Topics Page," CleanLink News Data not available
      December 31, 2007 – "New Cleaning Industry Topics Page Provides Important Safety and Health Resources," ThomasNet – Industrial Newsroom Data not available
      January 10, 2008 – ISSA and OSHA Create New Cleaning Industry Web Page," ICS Magazine Data not available
      February 2008 – "Building Services Workers Get Helping Hand from OSHA," Building Services Management Data not available
      February 2008 – "ISSA Assists OSHA in Developing Cleaner Safety," Building Services Management Data not available
      March 2008 – "New OSHA web page provides key safety and health information to cleaning industries," Alliance Quarterly Review 300
      April 2008 – "ISSA Adds Small Business Resources to Safety and Health Portal," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      April 8, 2008 – Society for Chemical Hazard Communication Spring Meeting, April 5-9, 2008, Atlanta, Georgia

      Speaker: Bill Balek, Director of Legislative Affairs, ISSA, presented "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) Across North America."      		 40
      April 17, 2008 – "ISSA Supports 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-10," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      May 2008 – "Industry Study Identifies Most Disabling Workplace Injuries," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      May 30, 2008 – "New OSHA and Alliance Program Participant Products," ASSE Government Affairs Updates 5,500
      June 2008 – "OSHA Unveils New Flood and Tornado Cleanup and Recovery Web Page and OSHA Offers Safety Tips for Working in Summer Heat," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      August 2008 – "ISSA Members Encouraged to Participate in Drug-Free Work Week," ISSA Legislative and Regulatory Update 2,225
      TOTAL 163,659

       
  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, OSHA and ISSA are planning to undertake several activities and projects through the Alliance to promote safety and health in the cleaning, manufacturing and warehousing industries. For example, through the Alliance, ISSA will be conducting a Slip and Fall Prevention Symposium on September 8, 2008 at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN® 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, the Alliance will begin developing a warehouse safety module for the ISSA Safety and Health Portal.

    As part of the Alliance’s outreach efforts, ISSA representatives will be joining with other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26. In addition, ISSA representatives will continue to provide OSHA their expertise in serving on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topic pages: Cleaning Industry, Powered Industrial Trucks, and Walking/Working Surfaces.

    Finally, ISSA will work with other Alliance participants through the Alliance Program on joint projects.

    Report prepared by: Tony Mapes, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, October 30, 2008