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ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP)
July 15, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

July 15, 2003

Evaluation Period

July 15, 2004 – July 14, 2005

Overview

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

Implementation Team Members
 
OSHA:  
   
Steve Butler
Debra Gabry
Carl Halgren
Earl Hicks
Jim Maddux
Jess McCluer
Tom Pope		 Office of Maritime Enforcement
Office of Science and Technology Assessment
Region X, Portland, Oregon Area Office
Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
Office of Maritime Standards
OOSA
Region III, Norfolk, Virginia Area Office
   
NSRP:  
   
Dan Nadeau
Thresa Nelson		 Vice-Chair, Safety and Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
Chair, SHAC
   
Contributors  
   
Kristi Dearing Contractor for OSHA, Salt Lake Technical Center

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 
July 26, 2004


December 9, 2004

March 31, 2005		 Joint Meeting with the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA) and the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) Alliance, Washington, DC

Joint Meeting with ASA and SCA Alliances Meeting, Norfolk, VA

Joint Meeting with ASA and SCA Alliances Meeting, Washington, DC

III. Results
  1. Events and Products

    Training and Education

    • Provide recommendations on how to improve shipbuilding-related training and education courses.

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

    • Develop and disseminate information, including injury and hazard information, at conferences, events, or through print and electronic media, including links from OSHA's and NSRP's Web sites.
    Products

    Safety and Health Injury Prevention Sheets (SHIPS)

    The SHIPS, developed by OSHA's Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM), are designed to identify the prevalent types of injuries (e.g. falls, strains and burns) by processes such as shipfitting, shipboard machining, shipboard electrical and shipboard handling. The NSRP, ASA and SCA implementation teams reviewed the Shipfitting Prevention sheet along with the Machining, Electrical and Handling sheets. DSTM is expected to complete the project by Fall 2005.

    Shipyard Hazard Fatality Video

    The Shipyard Fatality Videos, developed by DSTM are computer animated hazard awareness videos based on actual shipyard fatalities. The NSRP, ASA and SCA Implementation Teams, along with OSHA Strategic Partnership Program's participants in the maritime industry, completed the storyboard and script for Shipyard Fatality Video 2. The final copies of the video were distributed to the maritime industry in Fall 2005.

    Publications and Newsletters

    Information and news releases on the OSHA and NSRP Alliance activities have appeared in a number of printed and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter and the National Safety Council's Business & Industry Division Newsletter. For more information on the articles, see the ‘Alliance Program Reach" table on pages 6-7.

    Events

    2004 National Safety Congress & Expo – "Shipyard Alliances with OSHA" Workshop, September 13, 2004, New Orleans, LA

    During the National Safety Congress and Expo, the OSHA and NSRP, ASA and SCA Alliances had a workshop, "Shipyard Alliances with OSHA." The workshop updated safety and health professionals on the products developed through the NSRP, ASA and SCA Alliances and included information on OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool, SHIPS and Shipyard Fatality Videos.

    The following Alliance members were part of the workshop panel:

      • Tom Pope, Area Director, OSHA Region III, Norfolk, Virginia Area Office
      • Capt. Teresa Preston, Director, Safety, Environment & Quality, Atlantic Marine, Inc. (SCA)
        • David Pivarnik, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Director of Environmental, Health & Safety (ASA and NSRP)
    • Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals in NSRP's best practices or effective approaches, as jointly determined by OSHA and NSRP.

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

    • Promote and encourage NSRP team members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance and the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) , Consultation, and SHARP as appropriate.
    Events

    VPP Seminar, September 21, 2004, New Orleans, LA

    The Maritime VPP Seminar was developed through the NSRP and ASA Alliances. The seminar focused on the importance of applying for membership in OSHA's VPP program. NSRP and ASA member, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems – Avondale Operations in New Orleans, LA hosted the event. Employees and management from NSRP and ASA member, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems- Newport News shared first-hand knowledge about the program with the attendees. In addition, maritime companies and OSHA's National Office, Region III and Region VI discussed the application process, requirements and benefits of VPP from both the industry and government perspectives. Representatives from NSRP, ASA and SCA attended the event.

    • Create and update electronic assistance tools for OSHA's Web page that address shipbuilding and ship repair safety and health hazards.
    OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages

    NSRP's members are continuing to participate, review and provide comments on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

    • Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page

      G. "Doug" Howard, Business Representative/Organizer, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 733; Pascagoula, MS

      W.D. "Chico" McGill, Business Manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 733; Pascagoula, MS

      Thresa Nelson, CHMM, CSP, Manager, Health & Safety, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA

      Shawn Wilkerson, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems-Avondale Operations; New Orleans, LA

    • Ship Building and Repair Safety and Health Topics page

      Thresa Nelson, CHMM, CSP, Manager, Health & Safety, Northrop Grumman-Newport News; Newport News, VA
    Shipyard Employment eTool

    OSHA and NSRP, together with the ASA and SCA Alliances, are working to complete the development of OSHA's Shipyard Employment eTool that provides information and guidance to help protect shipyard employees' health and safety by minimizing or eliminating exposure to shipyard safety and health hazards.

    The eTool describes common hazards and possible solutions for tasks performed during the maritime industries' ship repair, ship building, ship breaking, and barge cleaning processes. The Ship Building, Ship Breaking, and Barge Cleaning modules are under development and are expected to be completed and posted by Summer 2005.

    • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects for the maritime industry that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
    Fatality Fact Sheets

    NSRP, ASA and SCA are working with OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to develop Fatality Fact Sheets. The implementation teams are in the process of reviewing OSHA data to determine the top three to four specific types of incidents (e.g. fall or electrocution), that result in shipyard fatalities, in order to develop fact sheets for that particular type of incident.

    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    • Share information on NSRP team members' worksites best practices, as jointly determined by OSHA and NSRP, with others in the maritime industry through outreach by NSRP and through OSHA or NSRP developed training programs and materials.

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

    • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings to help develop innovative solutions to shipbuilding and ship repair hazards in the workplace and to provide input on safety and health issues.

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

Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and NSRP are continuing to work together to address important safety and health issues in the maritime industry. These activities will continue to help address goals within the 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan; including lowering injury and illness rates for high-risk/high severity industries (e.g. shipyards and ship building and repair). The OSHA and NSRP Alliance implementation team is working jointly with the other maritime Alliances that have been signed with ASA and SCA on several projects This positive relationship has led to the development of many programs and projects. For example:
  • The associations helped with the development OSHA's SHIPS that covers topics such as rigging and ship fitting and Shipyard Fatality Video 2, which is a computer animated hazard awareness video based on actual shipyard fatalities.

  • NSRP representatives continue to serve on the Maritime Industry and Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics pages' Editorial Boards and working with the Shipyard Employment eTool Editorial Board to complete development of the eTool's Ship Building and Ship Breaking modules.

  • At the National Safety Congress in September 2004, a representative from the NSRP Alliance participated in a Shipyard Alliances workshop. The workshop focused on the products developed for the maritime industry through the Alliance Program and featured speakers from ASA, SCA and OSHA.

  • NSRP and ASA developed, promoted and hosted the September 21, 2004 Maritime VPP Seminar that was held in New Orleans, LA. At the seminar, representatives from the organizations heard presentations from maritime companies and OSHA's National Office, Region III and Region VI and discussed the application process, requirements and benefits of VPP from both the industry and government perspectives. Representatives from SCA attended the event.
Finally, NSRP will continue to hold joint Implementation Team meetings with ASA and SCA and representatives from the Directorates of Cooperative and State Programs; Enforcement Programs, Science, Technology and Medicine; Standards and Guidance; Region III and Region IV in order to develop programs and projects to lower injury and illness rates for high-risk/high severity industries (e.g. shipyards and ship building and repair).
 
Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
OSHA and NSRP Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site 4,284
Maritime Industries Safety and Health Topics page 33,480
Ship Building and Ship Repair Safety and Health Topics page Data not available since Web page is not in the Top 50 Safety and Health Topics pages visited
Shipyard Employment eTool 11,684
May 2005 – "Shipyard Safety Video to Debut at World Safety Congress," National Safety Council - Business & Industry Division Newsletter Data Not Available
April 15, 2005- "Training Video to Reduce Shipyard Fatalities to Debut at World Safety Congress," Oklahoma Safety Council News Data Not Available
November 11, 2004 – "MACOSH to Discuss Chromium Rule at Meeting in December in Norfolk," BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter Data Not Available
September 21, 2004 – VPP Seminar, New Orleans, LA

Speakers:

Jim Thornton, ASA
Thresea Nelson, NSRP
David Pivarnik, ASA
Jim Cavessa, USWA Local 8888
John Miles, OSHA Region VI Administrator
Peter Brown, OSH Region III Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Area Office
Jennifer Kim, OSHA Office of Partnerships and Recognition
Bruce Starks, OSHA Region VI VPP Manager – Louisiana;
Mike Guillory, Monsanto – VPP Special Government Employee		 45
September 14, 2004, 2004 National Safety Congress - "Shipyard Alliances with OSHA Workshop," New Orleans, LA

Speakers:

David Pivarnik, ASA and NSRP
Terry Preston, SCA
Tom Pope, OSHA Region III – Norfolk, Virginia Area Office		 40
TOTAL  

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the upcoming year, OSHA's and NSRP's positive relationship, that was built through the Alliance Program, will continue to grow and the Implementation Team will undertake a number of activities and develop a number of products.

For example, the NSRP, ASA and SCA implementation teams have discussed working together to develop an OSHA 10-Hour course specifically for shipyards and a seminar on best practices for shipyards. In addition, the groups are working with OSHA's Office of Maritime Enforcement to review OSHA data in order to identify topics for Fatality Fact Sheets.

In addition, the implementation teams are completing development of the Ship Building, Ship Breaking, and Barge Cleaning modules that are expected to be completed and posted by Fall 2005. Additional modules of the Shipyard Employment eTool, that may be developed could cover topics such as Fire Protection.
Finally, NSRP, ASA and SCA have expressed interest in working with the American Society of Safety Engineers and American Industrial Hygienist Association Alliances to develop maritime related safety and health information e.g. safety notices on particular types of hazards such as slips, trips and falls and confined space within shipyards.


Report prepared by: Jess McCluer, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, July 15, 2005