Through the OSHA and BIA Alliance, the organizations will work together to provide the association's members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing ergonomics injuries, and preventing exposure to hazardous levels of silica. The Alliance's goals include:
Outreach and communication
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and the BIA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
- Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding BIA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by BIA and through OSHA- or BIA- developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum including outreach events).
- Promote and encourage BIA members' or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
(L to R) Melissa Low, Director, Industry Resources and Legislative Services, Club Managers Association of America; Michaela Rydstrom, Assistant, Environmental Health and Safety, Brick Industry Association; Robin Crawford, Marketing Manager, American Heart Association; David Hicks, Manager/Technical Initiatives, American Industrial Hygiene Association; Karen Orso, Director, National Accounts and Commercial Markets, American Heart Association; Patrick Voight, President-Elect, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses; Kevin Cannon, Safety Specialist, National Association of Home Builders; and Bill O'Connell, Manager, Government Affairs, National Safety Council; attended the 2008 NAOSH Week Kick-off event on May 5, 2008 at the Department of Labor.
Products and Resources
Alliance Program Participant Developed Products
- Fact Sheet "Silicosis: What you need to know". Through the OSHA and Brick Industry Association (BIA) Alliance, BIA developed the fact sheet "Silicosis: What you need to know." The fact sheet provides workers who are exposed silica dust with information about silicosis and tips to protect themselves from exposure to it.
- Occupational Health Program for Exposure to Crystalline Silica in the Brick Industry. Through the OSHA and Brick Industry Association (BIA) Alliance, BIA developed "Occupational Health Program for Exposure to Crystalline Silica in the Brick Industry." The document provides the brick industry with a monitoring and medical surveillance program to control occupational exposures and associated respiratory health effects of respirable crystalline silica. (2008, April).
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages
Publications and Newsletters
- Brick News Online, May 8, 2008. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "Making the Business Case for Safety and Health," by then-Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. about the impact of safety and health on a company's bottom line.
- Brick News Online, April 10, 2008. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "NAOSH Week," highlighting 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week's goals and the importance of workplace safety.
- Brick News Online, February 14, 2008. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "BIA Joins OSHA in Staging Silicosis Prevention Program at NBRC," about the OSHA and BIA Alliance-developed Silicosis Prevention Seminar that was held on February 5, 2008 in Clemson, South Carolina.
- Brick News Online, November 8, 2007. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "OSHA's Comprehensive Ergonomics Plan Features Targeted Guidelines and Tough Enforcement," that describes OSHA's comprehensive ergonomic plan.
- Brick News Online, September 27, 2007. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "Hispanic Worker Outreach: OSHA can Help," that describes the ways to conduct outreach to Hispanic Workers to ensure their safety and health.
- Brick News Online, December 13, 2006. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "Consultation Helps Small Businesses Establish Safety and Health Programs," that describes the services and benefits of the On-site Consultation Program for small businesses.
- Brick News Online, October 12, 2006. This edition of BIA's bi-monthly e-newsletter includes an article, "OSHA Alliance-Provided Information," that, describes the features of the OSHA Web site including compliance assistance resources and electronic assistance tools.
Additional Resources
- BIA/OSHA Alliance page.