I. Alliance Background

Date Signed.

March 5, 2003

Alliance Overview.

The Northwest Ohio Carpenters Alliance provides union leaders and others in the construction industry with information and guidance that will help protect the health and safety of their members. Goals of the Alliance include:

Training and Education

• Develop training and education programs based on best practices for working safely in the construction industry and give recognition to the members for taking said training. Share information on best practices, as jointly determined by OSHA and Northwest Ohio Carpenters and their employers through jointly developed training programs and materials. Promote their implementation through print or electronic media, at conferences, or by other means of outreach.
  
  
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of educational courses specific to the construction industry.

Outreach and Communication

• Provide OSHA with access to Northwest Ohio Carpenters newsletters, meetings, and other resources as the means to disseminate information and guidance on workplace safety and health issues.
  
  
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other events.
  
  
• Appoint a compliance officer to act as a liaison between Northwest Ohio Carpenters and OSHA to answer compliance questions, discuss current jobsite findings, and current violation trends.
  
  
• Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals on the Northwest Ohio Carpenters best practices or effective approaches.

Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

• Increase others' awareness of and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health whenever Northwest Ohio Carpenters leaders address groups.
  
  
• On a quarterly basis, convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings to discuss safety and health issues and topics of importance to both OSHA and the Northwest Ohio Carpenters.

Implementation Team Members

Carpenters

Dwight Smith, Executive Regional Director
Tim Moran, Business Representative
Ron Rothenbuhler, Business Representative

OSHA

Jule Jones, Area Director
Laura Ulczynski, Compliance Assistance Specialist
Walt Visage, Compliance Safety and Health Officer

II. Implementation Team Meetings

• April 22, 2004 Quarterly meeting, Carpenters Union Hall, Rossford, OH
• July 22, 2004 Quarterly meeting, Carpenters Union Hall, Rossford, OH
• October 7, 2004 Meeting with AGC attending, Carpenters Union Hall
• January 20, 2005 Quarterly meeting, Carpenters Union Hall, Rossford, OH

III. Activities and Products

Evaluation Period

March 5, 2004 - March 5, 2005

Alliance Activity

• Training and Education
  • CAS spoke to classes of apprentices about OSHA inspections and their employee rights.
• Outreach and Communication
  • Several of the Toledo OSHA office's compliance officers attended a week long scaffolding class held for carpenter apprentices. CSHO's obtained hands on experience erecting and dismantling a scaffold.
  • The Carpenters business representative was a member of the Residential Construction Committee which drafted the 10 Hr and 30 Hr Residential Construction training course materials and curriculum. The training materials produced is being used in conjunction with OSHA's Residential LEP and subsequent settlement agreement training language.

Alliance Products

• Training opportunities provided by the Carpenters Center have been extended to include all Ohio OSHA offices

IV. Results

1. The OSHA/Northwest Ohio Carpenter Alliance provided an opportunity to increase the safety and health knowledge of union construction workers in Northwest Ohio. OSHA personnel have made presentations to union members at meetings and classes to improve hazard recognition skills and understand employee safety and health rights.
    
2.  

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   Apprenticeship classes	50
   AGC, Carpenter, OSHA meeting	18
   TOTAL	68

3. Open communication continues between the Northwest Ohio Carpenters and the Toledo OSHA office. The Northwest Ohio Carpenters participation in OSHA's Residential Construction LEP for Northern Ohio was helpful in the development of a training curriculum.

V. Upcoming Milestones

The OSHA/Northwest Ohio Carpenters Alliance implementation team has discussed activities for the upcoming year. For this upcoming year, the Carpenters have opened up their training facility to allow all of OSHA's Region V personnel to attend any of their Continuing Education Classes. In addition, the Toledo OSHA office will be submitting safety and health articles for publication in the Northwest Ohio Carpenters quarterly newsletters.

Report Prepared by: Laura A. Ulczynski, Compliance Assistance Specialist

For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to OSHA's website.