ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
American Foundry Society (AFS)
June 13, 2007

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

March 22, 2004

Date Renewed

April 28, 2006

Evaluation Period

March 22, 2006 - March 21, 2007

Overview

Through the Alliance, OSHA and AFS are providing AFS members and others, including small businesses in the metal casting industry, with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees' health and safety. The Alliance specifically addresses workplace issues, including personal protective equipment, ventilation and reducing and preventing exposure to silica.

Implementation Team Members

*Jess McCluer was the OSHA and AFS Alliance coordinator until December 5, 2006.

II. Implementation Team Meetings

III. Results

1. Events and Products
   
   Training and Education Goals
    
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for the metalcasting industry regarding PPE, ventilation and silica, and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.
     
     The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health curricula on the foundry workplace issues including, PPE, ventilation and silica.
     
     The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • 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 AFS's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
   Products
   
   Publications and News Releases
   
   A number of articles appeared in print and electronic media, including publications such as Modern Casting, US Newswire, and OSHA Up to Date. In addition, OSHA and AFS issued news releases on the Alliance's renewal during the reporting period. For more information on publications and electronic media, please see the Alliance Reach table.
   
   OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page
   
   OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site. It includes the OSHA and AFS Alliance agreements, news releases, events and milestones and successes. In addition, the Web page links to the AFS guide, "Guide for Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment and Special Clothing for Foundry Operations", which is a product of the OSHA and AFS Alliance, on the AFS Web site.
   
   OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics page
   
   The following OSHA and AFS Alliance implementation team member continues to serve on the editorial board for OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics page:
    
   • • Jack Schuldt, AFS, President, Safety Specialties, Inc.; Mulberry, FL
   • Speak, exhibit, and/or appear at OSHA and AFS conferences, local meetings, and other events such as the annual Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) conference and the Washington Conference.
   Events
   
   2006 AFS Government Affairs Conference, Old Executive Office Building, April 26 - 28, 2006, Washington, DC
   
   On April 28, 2006, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, made a presentation, "OSHA Update and the OSHA and AFS Alliance Update," to 75 people during the 2006 AFS Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC. Following the presentation, OSHA and AFS representatives signed the OSHA and AFS Alliance renewal agreement.
   
   110th Metalcasting Congress, April 18-21, 2006, Columbus, Ohio
   
   On April 18-21, 2006, the Alliance Program exhibited at the 110th Metalcasting Congress in Columbus, OH. The following OSHA Region V representatives from the Columbus, Ohio Area Office and Ohio OSHA On-site Consultation Program staffed the exhibit booth and answered attendees' questions during the conference:
    
   • Chris Matthewson, Compliance Assistance Specialist
   • David Wilson, Lead Safety Specialist
   • Gerald Miller, Safety Specialist
   • John Sahayda, Lead Safety Specialist
   • Larry Johnson, Safety Specialist
   • Vanessa Martin, Safety Specialist
   • David Roll, Ohio OSHA On-site Consultation Program
   18th AFS Environmental, Health and Safety Conference, September 17-20, 2006, Nashville, Tennessee.
   
   On September 17-20, 2006, representatives from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TOSHA) staffed the Alliance Program exhibit booth during the 18th AFS Environmental, Heath and Safety Conference. Sandy Bennett, Manager of Training and Education, TOSHA and Jan Cothron, Manager of Health Compliance, TOSHA, distributed safety and health information and answered questions for the conference's attendees.
   
   Ohio Cast Metal Association Meeting, January 16, 2007, Columbus, OH
   
   On January 16, 2007, AFS representatives Fred Kohloff and Jack Schuldt with Nancy Newman, Assistant Area Director, OSHA Region V, Cleveland, OH Area Office participated in a panel discussion during the Ohio Cast Metal Association Meeting in Columbus, OH. The discussion focused on topics which specifically impact the foundry industry in Ohio.
    
   • Share information among OSHA personnel, including Compliance Safety and Health Officers, and industry safety and health professionals regarding AFS's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by AFS and through OSHA- or AFS-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
     
     The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Promote and encourage AFS chapters 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.
     
     The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
      
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects regarding PPE, ventilation and silica issues that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
   Promoting the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Workgroup, October 25, 2006, Washington, DC
   
   Stephanie Salmon, an AFS 10Q Safety Committee member and AFS Washington, DC representative, participated in the October 25, 2006 Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable's Promoting the GHS Workgroup meeting, in Washington, DC. During the Workgroup meeting, representatives from 15 Alliance Program participants identified compliance assistance tools and products to educate the public, particularly small businesses, about the GHS. They also provided recommendations on the target audiences, subjects and formats of and methods for distributing the information. The meeting was held as a follow-up to the February 15, 2005 Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable and the August 1, 2005 promoting the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals Workgroup meeting.
   
   OSHA Alliance Program Small Business Roundtable, February 1, 2007, Washington, DC
   
   On February 1, 2007, AFS representative Stephanie Salmon along with representatives from five other Alliance Program participants attended the OSHA Alliance Program Small Business Roundtable. During the meeting, OSHA and On-site Consultation Program representatives updated the Alliance Program participants on the status of the recommendations to enhance OSHA's small business compliance assistance resources that were made during the Alliance Program Small Business Roundtable held September 8, 2005.
    
   • Encourage AFS chapters and worksites to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.
     
     The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.
2. Executive Summary
   
   OSHA and AFS continued to work together through the OSHA and AFS Alliance. As a result of the successes of the OSHA and AFS Alliance in its first two years, the organizations signed an Alliance renewal agreement on April 28, 2006, during the 2006 AFS Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC.
   
   Through the Alliance, OSHA and AFS are continuing to share compliance assistance information and resources with the foundry industry. For example, OSHA and Ohio OSHA On-site Consultation Program staff exhibited at the 110th Metalcasting Congress, April 18-21, 2006 in Columbus, OH and distributed safety and health information and answered questions from the conference's attendees. In addition, representatives from the TOSHA staffed an OSHA and AFS Alliance exhibit booth September 17-20, 2006, in Nashville, Tennessee. Further, OSHA and AFS representatives participated in a panel discussion, addressing topics that impact employees in the metalcasting industry in Ohio at an Ohio Metal Casting Association meeting, January 16, 2007, in Columbus, OH.
   
   In addition, an AFS representative is sharing his expertise through participation on the editorial board for OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics page. Further, a number of articles on the OSHA and AFS Alliance appeared in print and electronic media, including publications such as Modern Casting, US Newswire, and OSHA Up to Date.
   
   An AFS representative also participates on the Alliance Program's Hazard Communication Roundtable, Globally Harmonized Systems (GHS) for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals Workgroup. The Workgroup is discussing the development and distribution of resources to promote the GHS to small business in anticipation of OSHA's revising its Hazard Communication Standard to adopt the GHS. Finally, an AFS representative attended the OSHA Alliance Program Small Business Roundtable, February 1, 2007 in Washington, DC.
    
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

The OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team have discussed a number of activities that will be undertaken in the upcoming year.

The OSHA and AFS Alliance will continue to promote OSHA's compliance assistance resources and cooperative programs including the Alliance Program through speaking and exhibiting opportunities. For example, representatives from OSHA's Region VI and Texas On-site Consultation Program will staff the OSHA and AFS Alliance Program exhibit at the 111th Metalcasting Congress in May 2007 in Houston, Texas.

AFS will also continue to promote OSHA compliance assistance materials and outreach resources and the OSHA and AFS Alliance through its Web site and articles in their monthly publication, Modern Casting.

Further, representatives of the association will continue participating on the Alliance Program's Hazard Communication Roundtable Globally Harmonized Systems for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals Workgroup.

OSHA and AFS will work together, through the Alliance, to complete a guide book on silica hazards in the foundry industry. In addition, OSHA and AFS may work together to revise the AFS Health and Safety Guide and AFS will explore developing case studies to reduce and prevent workers' exposure to silica within the foundry industry.

AFS also will explore opportunities to work with other Alliance Program participants such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association to develop safety and health compliance assistance resources. Finally, AFS will encourage its chapters to invite OSHA representatives to speak at their meetings on OSHA cooperative programs and compliance assistance resources.


Report prepared by: Rick. Harris, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, March 26, 2007