ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
And the
Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation Program at Indiana University of PA
And the
Lehigh Valley Safety Committee
A Consortium of
Northampton Community College (NCC)
And
The American Society of Safety Engineers
(Lehigh Valley Chapter)
December 12, 2018

Report Prepared by: Scott G. Shimandle, CAS, Allentown Area Office

1. Alliance Background

   1. Date Signed

      December 10, 2015

   2. Evaluation Period

      December 16, 2017 – December 15, 2018

   3. Overview:

      The purpose of this Alliance is to continue the efforts in assisting LVSC members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address construction hazards, emergency preparedness and planning, hazard recognition and control programs, healthcare industry hazards and work and life wellness programs.

   4. Implementation Team Members

      OSHA

      Scott G. Shimandle, Compliance Asst. Specialist, Allentown Area Office

      Alliance participants

      Thomas Barnowski, Director Corporate & Public Safety, Northampton Comm. College
      Cynthia J. Mellen, Consultant, PA/OSHA Consultation at Indiana University of PA
      Heather Ehritz, Secretary, NCC
      Jennifer Kszak, Center for Business and Industry, NCC
      Lee Cunningham, Vice President – West Side Hammer Electric
      Jenelle Perich, Administrator, KidsPeace
      Monaca Flexer, Environmental/Health/Safety Engineer, Wacker Chemical Corporation
      Linda Sanchez, Loss Control Consultant, Risk Assist
      Fred Koeck, Sales Manager, Derby Supply Chain Solutions
      Jodi Simon, Occ. Health Nurse/Workers Comp. Manager, Americold Logistics
      Richard Fetzer, NCC
      Catharine Bliss, NCC
      Tim Duncan, Safety Manager, Sands Casino
      Carissa Eyman, Manager, Environment, Health & Safety, Crayola, LLC

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   • January 8, 2018
   • February 27, 2018
   • April 17, 2018
   • May 23, 2018
   • June 7, 2018
   • July 17, 2018
   • August 21, 2018
   • October 23, 2018
   • December 11, 2018

   February 20, 2018
   March 20, 2018
   May 17, 2018
   June 4, 2018
   June 26, 2018
   July 19, 2018
   September 11, 2018
   November 13, 2018

   With the development of a Sub-Committee, dealing with Safety Training – Comprehension and Literacy, additional meetings had been held over the evaluation period. In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from OSHA and Northampton Community College maintained regular contact (email and phone calls) 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.

   Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives: To share information on OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process. To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers. To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on construction hazards, work and life wellness programs and emergency preparedness to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Meetings Dissemination	Over the past year, at every meeting and outreach event, this CAS provided an update on OSHA initiatives (nationally, regionally and locally), standards, trends (injuries, fatalities, violations issued) and regulatory agenda.	Silica, Falls, Construction hazards, Temp. Workers, Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements, Hazard Communication, Safety and Health Programs, Beryllium and Trenching	309
   Training and Education: To develop effective training and education programs for LVSC members and others regarding construction related hazards, emergency preparedness, healthcare industry hazards and work and life wellness programs, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers. To deliver or arrange for the delivery of such courses as: Emergency Preparedness, including National Incident Management System and Incident Command Systems; Healthcare industry hazards, including Bloodborne Pathogens and Ergonomic issues; Job Safety Analysis; Construction hazards; Personal Protective Equipment; and Safety Committee operations.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Training/Speech Presentation Meetings	January 18, 2018 – Safety Comprehension and Literacy Planning March 20, 2018 – Quarterly Event – "Safety Committee Operations" Feb. 27, 2018 – Safety Comprehension and Literacy Planning March 20, 2018 - Safety Comprehension and Literacy Planning March 20, 2018 – Silica in Construction April 17, 2018 – Safety Expo Planning May 17, 2018 – Safety Expo May 23, 2018 – OSHA 30 Hour June 4 and 7, 2018 – Economics of Risk Management and Safety Compliance Planning Meeting, To be co-presented with HMK Insurance June 26, 2018 – Safety Comprehension and Literacy Planning: Follow-up meeting and discussion June 26, 2018 – Expo Recap and Alliance Planning Meeting July 17, 2018 – Economics of Risk Management and Safety Compliance Planning Meeting, To be co-presented with HMK Insurance July 19, 2018 – Economics of Risk Management and Safety Compliance, Co-presented with HMK Insurance Aug. 21, 2018 – OSHA Q & A Sept. 11, 2018 – Improving the Safety Culture, presented by Sands Casino Safety Director October 23, 2018 – Quarterly Event - The Big Three: Navigating the ADA/FMLA/Worker's Comp Minefield, presented by KingSpry Attorney Nov. 13, 2018 – Construction Risk Management, presented by representatives of Borden Perlman Dec. 11, 2018 – Slips, Trips and Falls, presented by Sands Casino Safety Director	Safety/Health Training Safety & Health Programs, Accident Investigations Safety/Health Training Safety/Health Training Silica Med. Marijuana, OSHA Consultation, PPE, Safety Programs As listed above, plus – Safety Committees, Hazard Identification and Accident Investigations Inspections, Enforcement and Emphasis Programs Safety Pay$ Safety/Health Training Safety/Health Committees, Safety Programs, JSA's, PPE Safety Pay$ Safety Pay$ Hot Topics, LEP's, NEP's, Silica, WWS Safety Culture/SHMS Injury/Illness Management Injury/Illness Management and Costs WWS	12 25 6 8 45 8 104 12 8 6 16 4 65 27 30 20 28 28
   Dissemination	Through the use of Corporate and Public Safety eNewsletter Northampton Community College and the Center for Business and Industry, continues to promote all of the various LVSC Alliance activities, update on OSHA regulations, OSHA guidelines, and any of the latest OSHA News Releases, as well as the multitude of safety/health training courses that are offered through NCC and the OSHA Training Institute (Mid-Atlantic).	Recordkeeping, Update on Reporting Requirements, Regulatory Updates, Silica Regulation, Safety and Health Committees, Crane Standard Update, Top Violations	600*
   Outreach and Communication: To develop ways of communicating the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the LVSC's, NCC's and/or the American Society of Safety Engineers – Lehigh Valley Chapter's local emails and newsletter) to employers and workers in the industry. To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or LVSC meetings, local ASSE meetings, or other safety related events (e.g. Safety Expo 2018). To continue to work collectively on any newly identified or recognized safety and health issue or OSHA initiative, in an effort to improve workplace safety and health.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Training/Speech Presentation Meetings	In addition to the multitude of outreach activities and meetings listed above, efforts to promote this Alliance and its activities had been promoted with and through other outreach activities, including: CarePlex – Safety Peer Group ASSE – Lehigh Valley Chapter Society of Human Resource Management Upper Bucks County Technical School Lehigh Career and Technical Institute Safety Peer Group of Lehigh Valley - HealthWorks Warehouse Partnership Members St. Luke's University Health Network Numerous emails and phone conversations with various members and stakeholders	OSHA Update, including WWS, 1904 Updates and Top Violations	350
   Dissemination	May 17, 2018 – Safety Expo – booth exhibit		*
   TOTAL			*1711

   *The Total Number reached is conservative (low), as this assessment does not truly (with 100% accuracy) reflect the total number of participants reached for the dissemination of information through email distribution, as there is no mechanism to measure the sharing of materials beyond the initial alliance participants, and the dissemination of information at the 2018 Safety Expo has been captured (recorded) in the Training and Education Activity, which was previously listed.

4. Evaluations

   In summary, the activities (meetings and outreach events) that were provided during this evaluation period were very well received. However, as previously mentioned in prior evaluations the attendance continues to be a slight challenge as the meetings are held in the afternoon and some of the members have indicated it becomes difficult to attend when workplace activities warrant their attention, as most of the members are responsible for safety and health within their respective organizations. Additionally, a few meetings had been postponed due to weather conditions and since meetings are held at the College, any delay or cancelation of classes, results in a cancelation (or postponement) of LVSC activities.

   The individuals reached by the outreach/communication activities represent various sized companies, unions, insurance agents and brokers, youth and family service centers, healthcare industry and temporary staffing agencies all of which have employees and/or members that would be directly affected by the various safety and health information that has been provided.

   The working relationship between the Alliance signatories and the feedback on the Alliance continues to be extremely positive. Additionally, it should be noted that NCC is looking to extend the efforts and activities of this Alliance northeast Pennsylvania. Conversations had been had with the OSHA Area Office located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania as well as a few community colleges and a local Safety Council. Although not directly related to this Alliance, this effort illustrates the success and working relationship developed with the stakeholders.

5. Upcoming Milestones

   Efforts are currently being developed to hold a full day "Safety Committee" Workshop. This workshop/seminar will focus on how to get Pennsylvania Safety and Health Committee Certification, and will include all of the required training topics for the attendees to obtain certification and/or recertification of their Committee, as training is required every year. The topics which will be covered (and are required for Committee certification) include: Safety Committee Operations, Workplace Hazard Identification and Accident/Incident Investigations.

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Philadelphia Area Office
Philadelphia Area Office ~ American Mushroom Institute
October 2018

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed: September 28, 2007

   Date Renewed: September 25, 2017

   Alliance Overview:

   The American Mushroom Institute (AMI) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) entered into an Alliance in September 2007 to maintain a collaborative relationship to create safer workplaces. The Alliance was renewed in 2017 with an emphasis on the development and maintenance of safety and health programs. The goal of the AMI/OSHA Alliance is to develop and provide training and education programs for the mushroom growing industry to prevent falls and amputations, and to reduce or eliminate chemical, electrical and physical hazards. Other goals include the development and implementation of effective safety and health programs and providing expertise in communicating safety and health information to employers and employees. The AMI Alliance Committee meets regularly in Pennsylvania to plan OSHA programs geared to the mushroom farm community. The committee is responsible for promoting worker safety on mushroom farms. Members share ideas, lessons learned and other information to this end. A representative from OSHA participates in the meetings and provides updates for committee members regarding OSHA laws and regulations. The AMI/OSHA Alliance holds an annual meeting each spring to share key information with all interested members. The Alliance continued to be productive and successful in the tenth year of the agreement.

   Implementation Team Members:

   Committee Members:

   • Eugene Richard – AMI/MFPA
   • Chris Alonzo – Pietro Industries
   • Katie Locke – Pietro Industries
   • Randy Hertzler – Giorgi/Gaspari
   • Monica Rocha – Country Fresh
   • Guy Braxton – Giorgi Mushroom Co
   • Bill Green – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Peter Gray – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Daniel Beltran – Masda Mushrooms
   • Robert Cantarera – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Jose Sanchez – C.P. Yeatman & Sons
   • Daniel Rahn – AMI
   • Laura Phelps – AMI
   • Richard Rush – Kaolin Mushrooms
   • Fred Recchiuti – Basciani Foods
   • Luke Dowell – Basciani Foods
   • Chris Lafferty – Mushroom Spawning
   • John Hillard – Murray Securus
   • Maria Gorgo-Gourovitch – PSU Ext.
   • Jodi Gauker – C.C. Econ. Dev. Council
   • Iris Ayala – Southmill Mushroom Sales
   • John Bush – Bella Mushrooms
   • Scott Wood – Marson Mushrooms
   • Leanna Patterson – Giorgi Fresh Chester
   • Annette Moyer – Giorgi Mushroom Co.
   • Diego Torres – Pietro Industries
   • Nancy Rodriguez – Basciani Foods
   • Saloman Ortiz – S&P Conveyors
   • Rosa Ortiz – S&P Conveyors
   • Thomas Brennan – BB&T/Addis Group
   • Elizabeth Figueroa – Mother Earth*
   • Nancy Mora – First Generation Farms**
   • Cristina Castillo – Oakshire Mushrooms

   • James Harrity – OSHA
   • Sam Wilson – Needhams Mushrooms
   • Kevin Eller – E & H Conveyor Inc.
   • David Sampson – Country Fresh
   • Chris Buckley – Giorgi Fresh
   • Rick Wright – To-Jo Mushrooms
   • Karen Eichman – Karen Eichman Esq. PLLC
   • Todd Cullen – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Olivia Camacho – C-N-B Mushroom Co.
   • John Harris – Oakshire Mushrooms
   • Chad LaFazia – Kaolin Mushrooms
   • Tim Murray – Murray Securus
   • Cindy Beck – Production Systems Automation
   • Meghan Klozbach – CP Yeatman & Sons
   • Nicole Sheets – Production Systems Automation
   • David Bottomley – Kennett Square Spec.
   • Cindy Hindman –Kennett Square Spec.
   • Thomas Samuels – C-N-B Mushroom Co.
   • Hilary Fox – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Kelleanne Smith – Mush. Spawning
   • Nancy Rodriguez – Basciani Foods
   • Sonya Beltran – First Generation Farms
   • David Grashof – BB&T/Addis Group
   • John Ashbaugh – Premier Mushrooms
   • Ed Miller – C.P. Yeatman & Sons
   • Bev King – AMI
   • Jessica Chandler – ATI Worksite Solutions
   • Geoff Price – Giorgi Mushroom Co.
   • Michael Silver – Foley Cat*
   • Meghan Klotzbach – Mother Earth*
   • Priscila Hernandez – Country Fresh**
   • ^* New Company
   • ^** New Company Representative

   Contributors:

   • Theresa Downs – Area Director, OSHA Philadelphia Area Office
   • Daniel Rahn – AMI
   • Laura Phelps- AMI
   • Lori Harrison – AMI
   • Amy Ducharme – AMI
   • Gene Richard - AMI
   • Kari Piatt- AMI
   • Maria Gorgo-Gourovitch – Penn State University Extension
   • David Schmidt – OSHA National Office, Directorate of Evaluation and Analysis, Office of Statistical Analysis

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   Implementation Meetings held at the American Mushroom Institute facility located in Avondale (Kennett Square), PA.

   • October 19, 2017
   • December 14, 2017
   • January 18, 2018
   • February 15, 2018
   • September 20, 2018

   • March 15, 2018
   • April 19, 2018 (General)
   • May 17, 2018
   • August 18, 2018

3. Results of Alliance Activities in Support of Agreement Goals

   Evaluation Period: September 28, 2017 through September 27, 2018

   Events and Products

   Training and Education

   Product- The Ergonomics Subcommittee worked with ATI Worksite Solutions and developed a stretch and flex program that was distributed to all AMI member companies in the spring of 2017. The intention was to create a practical ergonomics program for the mushroom industry that focuses on all areas of work. This course was conceived by the Ergonomics Subcommittee of AMI's MESH Committee and presented by ATI Worksite Solutions and ATI Physical Therapy. Courses were offered in person in Landenberg, PA in both English and in Spanish in the fall of 2017. At the English session, 9 individuals were trained from 6 companies. At the Spanish session, 18 people were trained from 8 companies. In total, 27 people were trained from 12 companies. Related materials were compiled, translated and distributed to AMI members nationally. The program was based on developing safe body positions for different jobs, including both behavioral and engineering adjustments and the continued use of the stretching program designed to target specific job hazards. Pre-designed materials in PDF format were provided to all AMI member farms and include posters, handouts and pocket cards to improve the success of the on-farm stretching program. Several AMI member companies have reported the implementation of this stretching program.

   Product – The Alliance designed, developed and disseminated an abridged OSHA 300 injury/illness Log template in an effort to standardize work departments and job titles. Standardizing the departments allow the AMI Alliance participants to obtain and maintain more concise injury/illness records by providing more uniform and meaningful data for their members. The model continues to help alleviate clerical errors on the log. For several years, AMI has been voluntarily collecting and compiling members' OSHA 300 data and has been sharing this cumulative data with its members through presentations at AMI/OSHA Alliance meetings and dissemination in the Mushroom News. When the program started in 2009, only twenty-nine (29) companies submitted injury data representing 4,246 employees. Fifty-nine (59) companies responded to the request for 2017 data, representing 8,489 employees. This represents a 100 percent increase in the number of employees represented. The increased participation has resulted in a better cross-section of the workforce and a more accurate representation of the injuries sustained. The model ensures that the data is more consistent and reliable and will serve to both assist in identifying injury/illness trends as well as set a benchmark for the mushroom growing industry. This benchmark allows for individual employers to measure the effectiveness of their safety & health management systems. OSHA's Labor Liaison facilitated communications between the AMI representatives and OSHA's National Office who provided assistance in the review of the Recordkeeping Model for consistency with the standard's requirements. The AMI/OSHA 300 Log Recordkeeping Model Designed for Mushroom Industry can be found at the following link: http://americanmushroom.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/OSHA-300-Log-and-300A-Form.xlsx

   Product - The AMI/OSHA Alliance offers online training apps to educate and train mushroom farm and packinghouse employees on worker safety best practices, in light of new OSHA initiatives and the ever-changing workforce. This set of interactive apps on worker safety are available in English and Spanish. Employees take a short quiz at the end of each module to demonstrate their knowledge of key topics. The apps are available to download for free from Google Play or the Apple Store to play on your computer, tablet or smart phone (iOS and Android systems). In addition, the links to the apps are available on the American Mushroom Institute website. This worker safety training app highlights five areas of onsite hazards including: 1) Caught-In Hazards; 2) Struck-By Hazards; 3) Sprain & Strain Hazards; 4) Fall Hazards; and 5) Electrical Hazards. Each section has a run time of 3-5 minutes. Each app takes approximately 25 minutes to complete and includes quiz questions.

   Training– In the summer of 2018, the AMI/OSHA Alliance team coordinated First Aid/CPR Training sessions with AED training included. The six training sessions were conducted in both English (4 sessions) and Spanish (2 sessions) by Zee Medical staff in Landenberg, PA. Funding for this training was provided by the Mushroom Farmers of Pennsylvania, a committee of the AMI. More than 77 people were trained with participants from 12 mushroom farms. Topics included automated external defibrillator (AED), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and general first aid.

   Product- The Alliance also maintains 19 various safety videos at their Avondale, PA headquarters for their members to use to train their staff and employees. Ten (10) of the videos are in English and nine (9) are in Spanish.

   Outreach and Communication

   On April 19, 2018, the eleventh General Meeting of the AMI/OSHA Alliance was held at the Hartefeld National Golf Club in Avondale, PA. There were fifty-six (56) attendees representing thirty-one (31) different companies or organizations. Topics for the full day event included: an OSHA Update, Fall Protection Standards, and the Walking/Working Surfaces Standard by James Harrity, OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist, Philadelphia Area Office; OSHA 300/300A Update by Kari Piatt, Director of Member Services, AMI and John Hillard, Safety Manager, Giorgi Mushroom Company; "Research Report" by Dr. Amy Snipes, Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University; "Violence in the Workplace – Active Shooter" by Lydell Nolt, Chief of Police, Kennett Township Police Department; "Workers' Compensation and Illness/Injury Case Management" by Iris Ayala, Human Resources Director, South Mill Mushroom Sales.

   Communications between the AMI and OSHA continues throughout the year in the form of technical assistance and OSHA Updates that affect the mushroom growing industry. Topics discussed in the past year included: OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Campaign; OSHA's Silica and Walking/Working Surfaces Standards; Fall Protection; and Focus Four Campaigns; and Electronic Recordkeeping, including a data entry demonstration with the OSHA "Sandbox Site." Reporting and Recording requirements and the proper determination of a North Atlantic Industrial Classification System Code were covered in detail at meetings. The intent of the Safe & Sound Campaign and the resources available were reviewed and sent to all participants. The toolbox talks from the Regional Focus Four Campaign were distributed to all members each month of the campaign for each of the month's hazard topics. The electronic reporting requirements complete with a table of current reporting dates were sent to all AMI members. AMI members were also encouraged to develop an active shooter plan and coordinate with their local police department to look for other security vulnerabilities on their farm properties.

   The Alliance has opened a line of communications with Dr. Amy Snipes, Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. She has experience with the safety behavioral modification of agricultural farmworkers by encouraging the use of personal protective equipment using a mobile phone app. Dr. Snipes plans to conduct research with mushroom farms to motivate a safety related culture by responding to the farmworkers cultural beliefs about safety. She attended several implementation meetings and emphasized the importance of remaining cognizant about cultural beliefs in terms of safety on the farm.

   The AMI/OSHA Alliance and the AMI Human Resources (HR) Task Force continued meeting twice annually to discuss common issues faced between safety and HR professionals on mushroom farms. In winter 2018, the groups formed a Case Management Subcommittee which met for the first time in August 2018.

   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

   In an effort to make resources more readily available to their members, the AMI continued to post all of their safety materials on the AMI website under the "Workplace Safety" tab. As a result, the AMI's sample safety and health programs as well as articles generated by the Alliance are currently available to the mushroom industry and the general public on the American Mushroom Institute's website. The safety and health programs, as well as the worker safety training apps and other tools, are available for free download at www.americanmushroom.org/.

   From October 2017 to September 2018, seven (7) additional articles were published by the Alliance members in the Mushroom News, the American Mushroom Institute's national monthly magazine. These seven (7) articles were added to the thirty-five (35) prior Alliance related articles printed since the initiation of the Cooperative Agreement. These articles are available upon request:

   • October 2017 - Safety Seconds, "Safety Obligations Get Everyone Involved," Richard Rush
   • February 2018 – Safety Seconds, "Q & A with the MESH Committee," Lori Harrison
   • March 2018 – Mind Your Business, "Protect Your Farm and Business – Know Your Drivers," Dave Grashof
   • April 2018 – Safety Seconds, "Encouraging Personal Protective Use," John Hillard
   • May 2018 – Safety Seconds, "Safety Challenge: Dealing with the Chronic Violator," Richard Rush
   • June 2018 – Safety Seconds, "2017 Injury Statistics," John Hillard and Kari Piatt
   • August 2018 – Safety Seconds, "Safe and Sound: A Safe Workplace is Sound Business," James Harrity

4. Results

   The Alliance continued to have success in the tenth year of the agreement. The implementation team has continued to grow in the past year adding members representing several new companies. As was with the first ten years of the agreement, the Alliance group has continued to voluntarily provide individual company injury/illness data. This statistical information has allowed the localized industry to share in their trends and respond by targeting specific hazards. The injury/illness data has shown to be consistent from year to year and more statistically reliable for use because of higher rates of submission among U.S. mushroom farms. The gathering of this information will continue to develop measurable benchmarks for the industry to utilize in future years. The Alliance group continues to develop "Mushroom Industry" specific sample safety programs, which have been disseminated among member companies.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   AMI Implementation Team Meetings (9)	193
   Mushroom Industry Worker Safety Training Program Online App (English)	217
   Mushroom Industry Worker Safety Training Program Online App (Spanish)	174
   Alliance General Meeting	56
   First Aid/CPR Training (English and Spanish)	77
   Mushroom News National Distribution	800
   Ergonomics Training	27
   TOTAL:	1,544

   The annual activities of the Alliance group continue to have a major impact on the Mushroom industries' Hispanic Workforce. It is estimated that 90% of the estimated 12,000 employee workforce in this industry are Hispanic.

5. Upcoming Milestones

   The focus of the Alliance's twelfth year is the continuation of the development of safety programs and tools for the Mushroom Industry. In the last year, the Alliance improved the submission rate of OSHA injury log data, which improves the detailed injury/illness data log analysis that is used as a resource to target additional safety and health program needs.

   In the upcoming year, the AMI will look to move beyond just compliance-based programming by focusing on "best practices in the industry" that have successfully reduced or eliminated hazards at individual AMI member workplaces. The Fall Protection Subcommittee will continue their efforts with the assistance of the contractors they have consulted with to develop comprehensive programs for the mushroom industry. A small group within the committee plans to develop a set of best practices for front-end loader training. The Case Management Subcommittee will continue their efforts to develop a toolkit, which can be used for case management and serve as a way to prevent incidents as well. The Alliance will re-focus efforts on identifying trends and areas of improvement through the application of the 300 Log data, which will include adding positions and locations specific to compost wharves and spawn facilities. Finally, we should look back to provide additional training opportunities for key areas touched on in prior years (i.e. LOTO and Confined Space).

   The AMI Alliance will also continue to encourage individual industry employers to translate site-specific safety programs into Spanish for their predominantly Hispanic workforce.

   Report Prepared by: James Harrity, Compliance Assistance Specialist

   For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to www.osha.gov.

AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
ALLENTOWN AREA OFFICE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE LEHIGH VALLEY SAFETY COMMITTEE
A CONSORTIUM OF
THE LEHIGH VALLEY AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS OF THE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY
NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Lehigh Valley Safety Committee (LVSC), a consortium consisting of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, the Lehigh Valley Area Labor-Management Council and the Northampton Community College, recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and the LVSC hereby form an Alliance to provide LVSC members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to construction related hazards, including fall hazards, struck by hazards, caught between hazards, and electrical (arc flash) hazards, as well as motor vehicle safety issues and pandemic influenza programs. Additionally, this Alliance will attempt to address emergency preparedness planning, safety and health committees, personal protective equipment issues and the economics of safety and health programs. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and the LVSC recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and the LVSC will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Provide expertise to develop training and education programs for construction and general industry employers regarding such issues as: construction related hazards, motor vehicle safety programs, emergency preparedness programs, safety and health committees and appropriate personal protective equipment for emergency response activities, and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in these industries.
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of developed courses.
• Provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health curricula on emergency preparedness and identifying the costs of implementation of effective safety and health programs.

OSHA and the LVSC will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and the individual member organizations Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or LVSC conferences, local meetings, or other sponsored events.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding LVSC best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by LVSC and through OSHA or LVSC developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Promote and encourage LVSC members' or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, On-site Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
• Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects such as arc flash protection, safety and health committees and emergency preparedness planning that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

OSHA and LVSC will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on: electrical safety issues, including arc flash protection; safety and health committees; emergency preparedness and appropriate personal protective equipment for responders; construction hazards; motor vehicle safety issues and other hazards, to discuss safety and health issues and to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health. These Alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of all organizations will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least three times per year to track and shareinformation on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team member will include a representative of the Allentown OSHA's Area Office. OSHA will encourage OSHA On-site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of all signatories.

AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
ALLENTOWN AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
LEHIGH CAREER & TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Allentown Area Office (AAO) and the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute (LCTI), hereinafter referred to collectively as “the Participants”, continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, the Participants hereby renew the Alliance signed August 27, 2003 and last renewed on December 18, 2014 with a continued emphasis on youth safety education. Specifically, the Participants are committed to providing LCTI’s students, faculty, administrators and Occupational Advisory Council members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the Participants will continue to address hazards associated with the various skilled and technical trades including but not limited to: construction, healthcare, manufacturing and service related industry clusters.

This renewal agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance Participants will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.

Through the Alliance, the Participants may use relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, within the school and community when appropriate to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and LCTI recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives related to raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, as resources permit:

• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on youth safety to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education objectives, as resources permit:

• To review and provide input on effective training and education curricula for youth entering the workforce to promote understanding of workers’ rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers.
• To deliver various safety and health related topics including but not limited to: understanding worker rights, fall, struck-by, caught between, electrical hazards, material handling hazards, use of personal protective equipment and hazards associated with chemicals.

Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication objectives, as resources permit:

• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA’s and the LCTI’s Web sites) to students, faculty, employers serving on Occupational Advisory Councils and other academic (career and technical) institutions.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or LCTI’s conferences, local meetings, or other Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel, academia and industry safety and health professionals regarding LCTI’s best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the Participants.

OSHA’s Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. These Alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of Participants will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the Participants. In addition, they will meet at least three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Allentown Area Office. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for five years. Either signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 19^th day of January, 2017.

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
ERIE AREA OFFICE, REGION III
ERIE INSTITUTE of TECHNOLOGY
July 29, 2014

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed: June 13, 2013

   Date Renewed: June 13, 2015

   Alliance Overview:

   The Participants have established a collaborative relationship to provide Erie Institute of Technology (EIT) with outreach training programs for students, faculty, business, labor and community leaders in the Erie area. The Alliance participants will provide training, information, guidance and access to OSHA resources and help reduce workplace injuries and illnesses in Northwest Pennsylvania.

   Implementation Team Members:

   • Paul Fitzgerald, EIT Director
   • Kate Hushon, Director of Education
   • Mark Harmon, USDOL/OSHA Erie Area Office

2. Implementation Team Meetings/Activities

   • June 13, 2013 - Discussed the content of OSHA material relating to student course work.
   • July 31, 2013 - Posted OSHA material on the school bulletin board highlighting several OSHA emphasis programs pointed toward young workers rights.
   • May 12, 2014 - Planned future OSHA outreach sessions with new Student Coordinator, Kim Clark.

3. Activities and Products

   Evaluation Period.

   June 13, 2013 through June 13, 2014

   Alliance Activity.

   • Training and Education

     Provide "Intro to OSHA" to students entering the workforce regarding hazards associated with their trade(s). This training includes resources that will help attendees gain a better understanding the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers. This knowledge will protect the health and safety of workers, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to occupational safety and health hazards.

   • Outreach and Communication

     We continue to discuss possible training options for the local Erie OSHA compliance staff at EIT over the two day period when classes end and before the start of a new term.

   • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health

     EIT promoted and hosted a public event for the 2014 OSHA National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign. Students were provided information and material about the dangers of falls in the workplace.

     Alliance Products

     No Alliance specific products developed during this evaluation time frame.

4. Results

   A. The table below lists each of the outreach activities and the number of individuals reached during the reporting period. NOTE: the table below does not include the various meetings held over the last year and the numerous participants that benefited from the varied safety and health discussions at each of these meetings.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   "Intro to OSHA" Training (Summer term) July 31, 2013	90
   "Intro to OSHA" Training (Fall term) Oct 31, 2013	90
   "Intro to OSHA" Training (Winter term) Jan 30, 2014	45
   "Intro to OSHA" Training (Spring term) May 12, 2014	60
   OSHA National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign public event June 5, 2014	50
   TOTAL	335

5. Upcoming Milestones

   Participants are pleased with the first year’s accomplishments of the Alliance. They agree to continue the Alliance and work together to improve the overall safety & health knowledge of young workers. The implementation team will encourage OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

Report Prepared by: Mark Harmon, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Erie Area Office

For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to www.osha.gov.

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
PITTSBURGH AREA OFFICE
THE CONSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
December 13, 2010

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed:

   December 19, 2005

   Date Renewed:

   December 14, 2007; December 15, 2009

   Alliance Overview.

   The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Pittsburgh Area Office and The Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania aligned to provide Council members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to the hazards associated with the heavy and highway construction industry.

   Implementation Team Members.

   John Gulisek – President, CAWP (Past)
   Chuck Niederriter – President, CAWP (Present)
   Richard Barcaskey – Executive Director, CAWP
   Jason Koss – Director of Industry Relations, CAWP
   Robert Szymanski – Area Director, OSHA Pittsburgh Area Office
   Robert Carroll – CAS, OSHA Pittsburgh Area Office

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   December 15, 2009 In-person Dormont, PA
   January 11, 2010 Conference Call
   April 15, 2010 In-person Dormont, PA
   July 29, 2010 Conference Call
   August 18, 2010 In-person Dormont, PA
   October 12, 2010 In-person Dormont, PA
   November 4, 2010 In-person Dormont, PA
   December 13, 2010 Conference Call

3. Activities and Products

   Evaluation Period.

   December 11, 2009 to December 13, 2010.

   Alliance Activity.

   December 15, 2009 – Alliance Renewal Agreement signing ceremony. January 28, 2010 – An OSHA Representative presented information on construction standards, policies/procedures, fatality inspection statistics from the local area office, and OSHA’s internet site during a 10 hour OSHA training course hosted by the Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP).

   April 15, 2010 – The Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania held a Safety and Risk Committee meeting with member safety representatives (three of the representatives are card carrying members of the local Laborers, Carpenters, and Teamsters unions). Highway safety construction information was discussed. In addition, Bob Carroll (Pittsburgh AO CAS) presented information on OSHA updates specifically relating to emphasis programs and upcoming proposed standards.

   April 21, 2010 – CAWP, PennDOT, and OSHA held a press conference to promote Workzone Awareness Week. The event was held in an active workzone, at the location of one of the billboards designed by CAWP utilizing winning entries of the Kids Construction Safety Calendar. A local TV news station and Pittsburgh newspaper were present. Also in attendance were two children (winners of the calendar contest in their age groups) and their parents. The event was to draw attention to the importance of Workzone Awareness Week.

   August 18, 2010 - The CAS participated in a youth event promoting the importance of safety in the heavy and highway construction industry. The CAS was one of the judges in the Kids Construction Safety Calendar Contest. Participants were asked to color a picture showing their parent or relative working safely on a heavy and highway construction project. Before the children began to draw, parents or relatives were encouraged to talk to their children about the importance of safety on a project they had worked on, and the measures that were taken to ensure a safe working environment. Examples may have included discussions on the importance of personal protective equipment, highway work zone safety, trench safety, working around heavy equipment, fall protection, maintaining a drug-free workplace, and general safety awareness. This was a great opportunity to provide a positive outlet for discussion on what construction safety, as well as general safety, means for the entire family. Many of the participating children had relatives that were members of the Laborers and Operating Engineers. In addition to the various company members, the Laborers and Operating Engineers Unions participated as sponsors of the Safety Calendar.

   October 7, 2010 – CAS participated in an informational meeting with the Director of Safety for CAWP, the Carpenter’s Regional Council Apprenticeship Coordinator, and instructors from three of the Building Trades Union Apprenticeship Schools (Carpenters, Pile Drivers, Operating Engineers) on specifics of the new crane standard. The meeting focused on the training requirements in the standard.

   October 12, 2010 – CAS participated in a webinar (put on by AGC – Associated General Contractors) on the new crane standard hosted by CAWP for representatives of member companies, union craftspeople and other heavy/highway construction companies. Following the webinar the CAS presented information clarifying the requirements for the signal person and qualified rigger in the standard.

   November 4, 2010 – CAS participated in a webinar (put on by ARTBA – The American Road & Transportation Builders Association) on the new crane standard hosted by CAWP for representatives of member companies, union craftspeople, and other heavy/highway construction companies. Following the webinar the CAS presented interpretation information on the new crane standard. In addition, the Crane instructor from the Operating Engineers presented an update on Pennsylvania’s pending operator certification requirements.

   The Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania has monthly Safety and Risk Committee meetings. These meetings not only work on planning future events, they act as a forum to exchange safety and health technical information and best practices. In addition, CAWP provides safety educational opportunities throughout the year for both members and non-members in the following areas: OSHA 10 hour, First Aid/CPR/AED, Mobile Crane Safety, Rigging, Trenching/Excavation, Fall Protection, Flagger Train-the-Trainer, Accident Prevention for Supervisors, Defensive Driving, and DOT Compliance.

   The Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania is represented on all heavy and highway union joint apprenticeship committees operating in western Pennsylvania. The Association accomplishes this by appointing contractor members to each of these programs, which include the six basic trade unions: Carpenters, Cement Masons, Laborers, Operating Engineers, Pile Drivers and Teamsters. These committees are responsible for providing skilled construction workers through apprenticeship and training programs. Safety and Health information is promoted, supported and conveyed through these programs.

   Alliance Products

   CAWP website was utilized to provide safety information and promote the various safety activities the organization conducts.

   In an effort to promote and educate viewers on the new crane standard, the website has a page titled “OSHA’s New Crane Rule”. This site provides links to guidance documents and training resources and products. In addition to specific CAWP guidance documents, included are links to OSHA, International Laborers Health & Safety Fund, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), and Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The site also promotes and references the following Union training programs: Operating Engineers – CCO Operator Certification and Signal Person, Carpenters/Pile Drivers – Rigging & Signal Person and Rigger Refresher, Laborers – Rigging and Signal Person.

   The Kids Construction Safety Calendar promoting the importance of safety in the heavy and highway construction industry has been a popular product. In addition, the photos from this calendar were placed on highway billboards throughout the Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania areas during Workzone Awareness Week this past April.

4. Results

   The activities provided during this evaluation period were well received. The member representatives and the recipients of the safety and health outreach activities/communications found the information valuable in assisting them in promoting and improving their safety and health efforts at their heavy and highway construction jobsites.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   OSHA 10 hour construction training course	43
   Safety and Risk Committee Meeting	12
   Kids Construction Safety Calendar Press Conference	15 attended; In addition it was estimated by the event advertising company that approx. three million people would have seen the billboards and news stories (Television and Newspaper)
   Kids Construction Safety Calendar Distribution	1500
   Informational meeting on new crane standard with Carpenters, Pile Divers, and Operating Engineers Reps.	10
   Hosted AGC Webinar on new crane standard and local OSHA presentation	25
   Hosted ARTBA Webinar on new crane standard and local OSHA and Operating Engineers updates	15
   Website page titled “OSHA’s New Crane Rule”	Approximately 25,000 Construction employees would have access (per CAWP Director of Safety)
   TOTAL	26,620 + Kids Construction Safety Calendar Promotions (Event advertising company estimated approx. three million people would have seen the billboards and news stories(Television and Newspaper)

   The individuals reached by the outreach activities/communication activities represent companies/unions with many employees/members that would be directly affected by the safety and health information provided.

   The working relationship between the Alliance Signatories and the feedback on the Alliance continues to be very positive.

5. Upcoming Milestones

   The Alliance is continually looking into future opportunities in providing information for affected parties through internet use, roundtable discussions and training sessions. The Alliance signatories will continue to work to address the safety and health needs of the affected parties.

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
And the
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
August 30, 2017

1. Alliance Background

   1. Date Signed

      Original agreement signed on August 23, 2003.
      Renewals: August 23, 2005; March 27, 2008; April 19, 2010; September 6, 2012 (rewrite/renewed); December 12, 2012; December 18, 2014; and January 19, 2017

   2. Evaluation Period

      August 27, 2016 - September 27, 2018

   3. Overview

      The purpose of this Alliance is to provide Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) students, staff members and others, including public and private volunteer members of the Safety Occupational Advisory Council (Safety OAC) with information, guidance, and access to training resources in order to provide safety and health education to staff and students (young workers entering the workforce), to help promote safe work practices on and off LCTI campus and to ensure that youth understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act0.

   4. Implementation Team Members

      • Tim Rushton LCTI
      • Kurt Adam, LCTI
      • Scott G. Shimandle, USDOL/Allentown Area Office

      Alliance participant

      • Daniel Kotran, LCTI
      • Holly Custodio, LCTI
      • Claude Kohl, retired
      • Craig Berrier, Phillips Pet Foods and Supplies
      • Tom Civic, Merck Sharpe and Dohme, retired
      • James Casey, Praxair Distribution Inc.
      • Bill Horn, Lutron Inc.
      • James Rutt, Just Born Incorporated
      • Anthony Naradko, Parkland School District

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   • October 20, 2016 - Safety Occupational Advisory Council Meeting
   • December 15, 2016 - Safety Occupational Advisory Council Meeting
   • January 19, 2017 - Safety Occupational Advisory Council Meeting
   • February 16, 2017 - Safety Occupational Advisory Council Meeting
   • May 18, 2017 - Safety Occupational Advisory Council 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

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

   Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives: To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Alliance Product	No product developed at this time
   Training	An Introduction to OSHA and Most Common Workplace Hazards in Construction and General Industry (2 Sessions)	Youth Safety Construction Falls Electrical LO/TO	30
   Speech/Presentation	OSHA's New Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protection Regulation	New regulation Falls Youth Safety	7
   Dissemination	Youth related safety news articles PA Dept. of Labor and Industry Notices NIOSH articles (3-D Printers) Bloodborne Pathogen Training Information	Youth Safety Construction Falls Workplace Violence BBP	200 (estimated based on specific school programs)
   Other	Email Communications		Unknown
   Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives: To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on youth safety to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Meetings	5 Safety Occupational Advisory Meetings held over the evaluation period	Numerous S/H topics discussed including Safety Committees, SHMS's, Accident Investigations, Machine Guarding and S/H training	33 (11 Committee Members) Note: Not all members were attendance at each meeting
   Training and Education: To review and provide input on effective training and education curricula for youth entering the workforce to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers. To deliver various safety and health related topics including but not limited to: understanding worker rights, fall, struck-by, caught between, electrical hazards, material handling hazards, use of personal protective equipment and hazards associated with chemicals.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Training	An Introduction to OSHA and Most Common Workplace Hazards in Construction and General Industry (2 Sessions)	Youth Safety Construction Falls Electrical LO/TO	30
   Speech/Presentation	OSHA's New Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protection Regulation	New regulation Falls Youth Safety	6
   Outreach and Communication: To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the LCTI's Web sites) to students, faculty, employers serving on Occupational Advisory Councils and other academic (career and technical) institutions. To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or LCTI's conferences, local meetings, or other Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education events. To share information among OSHA personnel, academia and industry safety and health professionals regarding LCTI's best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the Participants.
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Meetings	See above
   Training	See above
   Speech/Presentation	See above
   TOTAL			Approx. 270 (relisted events not counted twice)

4. Evaluations

   As noted in previous evaluations the only issue that has some significant bearing on the Alliance's implementation is that the Safety OAC only meets during the academic school year. Therefore, the insight, technical assistance and expansion of safety and health promotion beyond the school may be somewhat limited. However, the AAO CAS continues to be in constant contact with LCTI officials throughout the entire year, as Building Maintenance and Services are year round functions. Additionally, as new articles or resources are identified, the AAO CAS continues to forward information to LCTI's administrators and faculty as relevant and pertinent to their programs.

5. Upcoming Milestones

   Plans for the next school year include, a review and critique of "Essential Elements of Safety and Health Programs: A Checklist for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teachers", and to increase the number of Safety Occupational Advisory Council meetings and attendance.

   Report prepared by: Scott G. Shimandle, CAS, Allentown Area Office, August 30, 2017.

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Philadelphia Area Office
Philadelphia Area Office ~ American Mushroom Institute
September 30, 2016

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed: September 28, 2007

   Date Renewed: September 29, 2014

   Alliance Overview:

   The American Mushroom Institute (AMI) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) entered into an Alliance in September 2007 to maintain a collaborative relationship to create safer workplaces. The Alliance was renewed in 2014 with an emphasis on the development and maintenance of safety and health programs. The goal of the AMI/OSHA Alliance is to develop and provide training and education programs for the mushroom growing industry to prevent falls and amputations, and to reduce or eliminate chemical, electrical and physical hazards. Other goals include the development and implementation of effective safety and health programs and providing expertise in communicating safety and health information to employers and employees. The AMI Alliance Committee meets regularly in Pennsylvania to plan OSHA programs geared to the mushroom farm community. The committee is responsible for promoting worker safety on mushroom farms. Members share ideas, lessons learned and other information to this end. A representative from the OSHA Region III office participates in the meetings and provides updates for committee members regarding OSHA laws and regulations. The AMI/OSHA Alliance holds an annual meeting each spring to share key information with all interested members. The Alliance continued to be productive and successful in the ninth year of the agreement.

   Implementation Team Members:

   Committee Members:

   • Eugene Richard – AMI/MFPA
   • Chris Alonzo – Pietro Industries
   • Katie Locke – Pietro Industries
   • Randy Hertzler – Giorgi/Gaspari
   • Monica Rocha – Country Fresh
   • Guy Braxton – Giorgi Mushroom Co
   • Bill Green – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Peter Gray – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Daniel Beltran – Masda Mushrooms
   • Robert Cantarera – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Jose Sanchez – C.P. Yeatman & Sons^**
   • Daniel Rahn – AMI^*
   • Jerry Yeatman – C. P. Yeatman & Son
   • Richard Rush – Kaolin Mushrooms
   • Fred Recchiuti – Basciani Foods
   • Gus Carozzo – Mush. Spawning Services
   • Chris Lafferty – Mushroom Spawning
   • John Hillard – Murray Securus
   • Maria Gorgo-Gourovitch – PSU Ext.^**
   • Jodi Gauker – C.C. Econ. Dev. Council^**
   • Iris Ayala – Southmill Mushroom Sales
   • Martin Ortiz – Liberty Mushrooms
   • Scott Wood – Marson Mushrooms^**
   • Leanna Patterson – Giorgi Fresh Chester^**
   • Annettee Moyer – Giorgi Mushroom Co.^*
   • Diego Torres – Pietro Industries^**
   • Nancy Rodriguez – Basciani Foods
   • Bev King – AMI^**
   • Rosa Ortiz – S&P Conveyors

   • James Harrity – OSHA
   • Sam Wilson – Needhams Mushrooms
   • Kevin Eller – E & H Conveyor Inc.
   • David Sampson – Country Fresh
   • Chris Buckley – Giorgi Fresh
   • Rick Wright – To-Jo Mushrooms
   • Karen Eichman – Karen Eichman Esq. PLLC
   • Todd Cullen – Phillips Mushrooms
   • Olivia Camacho – C-N-B Mushroom Co.^*
   • John Harris – Oakshire Mushrooms
   • Joanna Osborne – S&P Conveyors
   • Chad LaFazia – Kaolin Mushrooms
   • Laura Phelps – AMI
   • Viviana Cordero – CP Yeatman & Sons
   • Meghan Klozbach – CP Yeatman & Sons
   • Luke Dowell – Basciani Foods
   • David Bottomley – Kennett Square Spec.
   • Cindy Hindman –Kennett Square Spec.
   • Thomas Samuels – C-N-B Mushroom Co.^*
   • Hilary Fox – Phillips Mushrooms^**
   • Kelleanne Smith – Mush. Spawning
   • John Bush – Bella Mushrooms^**
   • Sonya Beltran – First Generation Farms^**
   • David Grashof – BB&T/Addis Group^*
   • John Ashbaugh – Premier Mushrooms^**
   • Ed Miller – C.P. Yeatman & Sons^**
   • Patty Foss-Bennie – AMI^**
   • Saloman Ortiz – S&P Conveyors
   • Geoff Price – Giorgi Mushroom Co.^**
   • ^* New Company
   • ^** New Company Representative

   Contributors:

   • Nicholas DeJesse – Area Director, OSHA Philadelphia Area Office
   • Laura Phelps – AMI
   • Daniel Rahn – AMI
   • Patty Foss-Bennie – AMI
   • Sara Manning – Mushroom News
   • Bev King – Mushroom News
   • Hector Nunez-Contreras – Penn State University Extension
   • Katie Poppiti – Chester County Penn State University Extension
   • Jodi Gauker – Chester County Industrial Development
   • David Schmidt – OSHA National Office, Directorate of Evaluation and Analysis, Office of Statistical Analysis

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   Implementation Meetings held at the American Mushroom Institute facility located in Avondale (Kennett Square), PA.

   • October 15, 2015
   • January 21, 2016
   • March 17, 2016
   • May 19, 2016
   • August 18, 2016

   • December 10, 2015
   • February 18, 2016
   • April 14, 2016^*
   • June 23, 2016
   • September 15, 2016

   ^* General Meeting

3. Activities and Products

   Evaluation Period: September 28, 2015 through September 27, 2016

   Events and Products

   Training and Education

   Product – Part of the AMI/OSHA Alliance mission is to compile data from the OSHA 300 and OSHA 300A worker injury logs each year on an aggregate basis to gauge how well farms are doing in fostering worker safety and preventing injuries and identify areas of concern. The Alliance designed, developed and disseminated an abridged OSHA 300 injury/illness Log template in an effort to standardize work departments and job titles. Standardizing the departments allow the AMI Alliance participants to obtain and maintain more concise injury/illness records by providing more uniform and meaningful data for their members. Another innovative component of the Model is that the electronic form has embedded limitations added to the document which set parameters for data input. An example of this would be the 180 day case limit for the Days Away/Restricted- Duty. If a user attempted to enter a total in excess of the 180 day limit the user would receive an error message. This function of the model will help alleviate clerical errors on the log by eliminating the opportunity to over record days away and restricted/transferred for an OSHA recordable injury, as well as eliminates the opportunity to check multiple case types. For several years, AMI has been voluntarily collecting and compiling members' OSHA 300 Data and has been sharing this cumulative data with its members through presentations at AMI/OSHA Alliance meetings and dissemination in the Mushroom News. When the program started in 2009, only twenty-nine (29) companies submitted injury data representing 4,246 employees. Forty-one (41) companies responded to the request for 2016 data, representing 5,185 employees. This represents an 18 percent increase in the number of employees represented. The increased participation has resulted in a better cross-section of the workforce and a more accurate representation of the injuries sustained. The model ensures that the data is more consistent and reliable and will serve to both to assist in identifying injury/illness trends as well as setting a benchmark for the mushroom growing industry. This benchmark allows for individual employers to measure the effectiveness of their safety & health management systems. OSHA's Labor Liaison facilitated communications between the AMI representatives and OSHA's National Office who provided assistance in the review of the Recordkeeping Model for consistency with the standard's requirements. The AMI/OSHA 300 Log Recordkeeping Model Designed for Mushroom Industry can be found at the following link: http://www.americanmushroom.org/pdfs/new_osha_log.xlsx

   Product - The AMI/OSHA Alliance team launched a new set of training apps to educate and train mushroom farm and packinghouse employees on worker safety best practices, in light of new OSHA initiatives and the ever-changing workforce. This set of interactive apps on worker safety, are available in English and Spanish. Employees take a short quiz at the end of each module to demonstrate their knowledge of key topics. The apps are available to download for free from Google Play or the Apple Store to play on your computer, tablet or smart phone (iOS and Android systems). In addition, the links to the apps are available on the American Mushroom Institute website. This worker safety training app highlights five areas of onsite hazards including: 1) Caught-In Hazards; 2) Struck-By Hazards; 3) Sprain & Strain Hazards; 4) Fall Hazards; and 5) Electrical Hazards. Each section has a run time of 3-5 minutes. The entire app takes approximately 25 minutes to complete and includes quiz questions. Volunteers from two farms completed the initial trial testing using both the English and Spanish versions. Employees enjoyed the exercise and thought the apps were easy to use. Several comments indicated that the individualized experience was preferred to group training sessions because employees can compete against themselves and receive immediate feedback from the tests at the end of each session.

   Product – In February, 2016, the AMI/OSHA Alliance teamed up with Zee Medical to conduct individual medical evaluations and respirator fit tests for mushroom growers at Hartefeld National Golf Club in Avondale, PA. To comply with the new EPA regulations regarding Pesticides and Hazardous Chemicals, employees who are in contact with certain materials need to use proper PPE, including respirators. Effective respiratory protection consists of several essential elements. OSHA requires all employers to provide a medical evaluation to determine an employee's ability to use a respirator prior to fit testing or respirator use occurring in the workplace. The program offered by the AMI/OSHA Alliance was a quick, inexpensive and reliable online medical evaluation designed for businesses and governmental agencies to help comply with OSHA requirements. The program included respirator medical evaluations for all brands and types of respirators, the completion of a medical evaluation from a web-enabled program, and an instant notification certificate to confirm the results of the evaluation. These evaluations were conducted prior to the qualitative fit testing offered by Zee Medical. Each employee was assigned a time to appear and assessed on the proper fit, usability and care of the respirator equipment.

   Product – In September 2015 and March and April 2016, the AMI/OSHA Alliance team partnered with the Chester County Economic Development Council to conduct First Aid/CPR Training with AED training included. These training sessions were conducted in both English and Spanish by Zee Medical staff in West Grove, PA. Funding for this training was supported by a Specialty Crop Block Grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. More than 150 people were trained with participants from 15 mushroom farms. Topics included automated external defibrillator (AED), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and general first aid.

   Product – In May and June 2016, the AMI/OSHA Alliance team asked Dr. Sergio Nieto-Montenegro, Food Safety Consulting & Training Services to conduct Supervisor Training in Spanish at Hartefeld National Golf Club in Avondale, PA. Twenty-nine mushroom farm employees attended this training session. The complete eight (8) hour training session was split over two sessions, approximately ½ day each. This workshop was interactive and designed to lead the attendee to realizing and appreciating the appropriate steps and actions to be taken in certain circumstances. The Supervisor Training included the following topics: Introduction to Supervision, Transitioning from Employee to Foreman/Forewoman, Good Documentation Practices, Corrective Actions, Leadership, Communication, Setting Goals & Objectives, Time Management Skills, Correcting Crew Members, and Employee Motivation.

   The Alliance also maintains 19 various safety videos at their Avondale, PA headquarters for their members to use to train their staff and employees. Ten (10) of the videos are in English and nine (9) are in Spanish.

   Outreach and Communication

   On April 14, 2016, the ninth general meeting of the AMI/OSHA Alliance was held at the Hartefeld National Golf Club in Avondale, PA. There were sixty (60) attendees representing twenty-five (25) different companies or organizations. Topics for the full day event included: "OSHA Update" and Electric Arc Flash" by James Harrity, OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist Region 3; "OSHA 300 and 300A Update" by Daniel Rahn, Project Manager, American Mushroom Institute; "Fall Protection Subcommittee Update" by Richard Rush, Safety Manager, Kaolin Mushroom Farms; "Ergonomics Subcommittee Update" by Meghan Klotzbach, Regulatory Manager, C.P. Yeatman & Sons; "General Duty Clause – Importance for Agriculture" by John Hillard, Risk Control Consultant, Murray Securus; "Onsite Hazard Training App for Mushrooms Update" by Katie Poppiti, Agriculture and Smart Energy Initiative Program Coordinator, Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC); and "Effective Communication" by Richard Wright, Director of Food Safety, To-Jo Fresh Mushrooms, Inc.

   Communications between the AMI and OSHA continues throughout the year in the form of technical assistance and OSHA Updates that affect the mushroom growing industry. Topics discussed in the past year included: Recordkeeping, Electric Arc Flash, OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, OSHA's Expanding Reporting Requirements, Fall Protection and various other safety and health issues.

   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

   In an effort to make resources more readily available to their members, the AMI continued to post all of their safety materials on the AMI website under the "Workplace Safety" tab. As a result, the AMI's sample safety and health programs as well as articles generated by the Alliance are currently available to the mushroom industry and the general public on the American Mushroom Institute's website. The safety and health programs, as well as the worker safety training apps and other tools, are available for free download at www.americanmushroom.org/.

   From October 2015 to July 2016, four (4) additional articles were published by the Alliance members in the Mushroom News, the American Mushroom Institute's national monthly magazine. These four (4) articles were added to the twenty-five (25) prior Alliance related articles printed since the initiation of the Cooperative Agreement. These articles can also be found on the AMI's website:

   • October 2015 – Safety Seconds, "Ammonia Training and Site Visit Findings," John Hillard
   • November 2015 – Ready, Set, Grow! "First Aid Training Sessions Held," Katie Poppiti
   • May 2016 – Safety Seconds, "A Challenge to Those in Charge," John Hillard
   • July 2016 – New OSHA Rule Requires Safety Log Submission

4. Results

   The Alliance continued to have success in the ninth year of the agreement. The implementation team has continued to grow in the past year adding members representing several new companies. As was with the first nine (9) years of the agreement, the Alliance group has continued to voluntarily provide individual company injury/illness data. This statistical information has allowed the localized industry to share in their trends and respond by targeting specific hazards. The injury/illness data has shown to be consistent from year to year and more statistically reliable for use because of higher rates of submission among U.S. mushroom farms. The gathering of this information will continue to develop measurable benchmarks for the industry to utilize in future years. The Alliance group continues to develop "Mushroom Industry" specific sample safety programs which have been disseminated among member companies.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   AMI Implementation Team Meetings (10)	200
   Mushroom Industry Worker Safety Training Program Online App (English)	217 (200 iOS & 17 Android)
   Mushroom Industry Worker Safety Training Program Online App (Spanish)	174 (163 iOS & 11 Android)
   Alliance General Meeting	60
   First Aid/CPR Training (English and Spanish)	150
   Supervisor Training (Spanish)	29
   TOTAL:	830

   The annual activities of the Alliance group continue to have a major impact on the Mushroom industries' Hispanic Workforce. It is estimated that 90% of the estimated 12,000 employee workforce in this industry are Hispanic.

5. Upcoming Milestones

   The focus of the Alliance's tenth year is the continuation of the development of safety programs and tools for the Mushroom Industry. In the last year, the group has developed bilingual, electronic-based training apps to individualize worker safety training for mushroom farm employees. As noted above, the Alliance also improved the submission rate of OSHA injury log data, which improves the detailed injury/illness data log analysis that is used as a resource to target additional safety and health program needs.

   In the upcoming year, the AMI will look to move beyond just compliance based programming by focusing on "best practices in the industry" that have successfully reduced or eliminated hazards at individual AMI member workplaces. The Alliance will re-focus efforts on identifying trends and areas of improvement through the application of the 300 log data. Finally, we should look back to provide additional training opportunities for key areas touched on in prior years (i.e. LOTO and Confined Space).

   The AMI Alliance will also continue to encourage individual industry employers to translate site specific safety programs into Spanish for their predominantly Latino workforce.

   Report Prepared by: James Harrity, Compliance Assistance Specialist

   For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to www.osha.gov.