ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
American Foundry Society (AFS)
April 22, 2008

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

March 22, 2004

Date Renewed

April 28, 2006

Evaluation Period

March 22, 2007 - March 21, 2008

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

* Rick Harris served as the Alliance Coordinator until October 1, 2007.
** Lisa Ramber served as the Alliance Coordinator from October 1, 2007 to January 21, 2008.
*** Tony Mapes serves as the Alliance Coordinator since January 21, 2008.

II. Implementation Team Meetings

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.

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.
     
     Event
     
     OSHA and AFS Compliance Training Course, November 12-16, 2007, Schaumburg, IL
     
     John Grzywacz, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Safety and Health Training, Directorate of Education and Training, USDOL-OSHA, and Terry Krug, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Safety and Health Training, Directorate of Education and Training, USDOL-OSHA, presented an "OSHA and AFS Compliance Training Course," November 12-16, 2007 at AFS Headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois to 25 attendees.
      
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health curricula on the foundry workplace issues including, PPE, ventilation and silica.
     
     During the evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance 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
   
   OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page
   
   OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. It includes links to the OSHA and AFS Alliance agreements, news releases, milestones and successes and products developed through the OSHA and AFS Alliance. In addition, the Web page is updated with information on AFS-related events that included OSHA speakers or an Alliance Program exhibit booth.
   
   OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages
   
   AFS representatives serve on the editorial boards of the following Safety and Health Topics Pages, providing OSHA with their expertise and technical review:
    
   • Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
     • Jack Schuldt, President, Safety Specialties, Inc., Mulberry, FL
   • Heat Stress
     • Bob Scholz, Project Manager, RMT Inc., Brookfield, WI
   • Lead
     • Gary Mosher, CIH, Mosher Environmental and Occupational Health Consulting, Inc.; Arlington Height, IL
   • Powered Industrial Trucks
     • Bob Forrester, Neptune Technology Group, Tallahasee, AL
   • Silica, Crystalline
     • Gary Mosher, CIH, Mosher Environmental and Occupational Health Consulting, Inc.; Arlington Height, IL
   • Ventilation
     • Gary Mosher, CIH, Mosher Environmental and Occupational Health Consulting, Inc.; Arlington Height, IL
   Draft OSHA Powered Industrial Truck (PIT) eTool
   
   AFS representatives serve on the editorial board of OSHA's draft PIT eTool, providing OSHA with their expertise and technical review. On October 10, 2007, Glenn Huneycutt, AFS, participated in a conference call to discuss the tool with a number of other Alliance Program participants.
    
   • • Bob Forrester, Neptune Technology Group, Tallahassee, AL
     • Glenn Huneycutt, AFS
   • 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
   
   Safety in the Foundry XX Safety Seminar, March 18, 2008, Nashville, Tennessee
   
   On March 18, 2008, Sandy Bennett, Manager of Training, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, presented "OSHA Recordkeeping" to 35 attendees at the Safety in the Foundry XX Safety Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee.
   
   19th Environmental, Health and Safety Conference, October 8, 2007, Nashville, Tennessee
   
   On October 8, 2007, Jan Cothron, Industrial Hygiene Manager, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development participated on a workshop panel "AFS/OSHA Alliance Update...Top Compliance Issues Found in Foundries" and shared her information with 85 attendees during the 19th Environmental, Health and Safety Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
   
   111th Metalcasting Congress, May 15-18, 2007, Houston, Texas
   
   On May 15-18, 2007, Jeffrey C. Rucker, Safety and Health Manager, Region VI, Dallas, Texas Regional Office, USDOL-OSHA, and James J. Shelton, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region VI, Houston North, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, staffed the OSHA and AFS Alliance exhibit booth during the 111th Metalcasting Congress in Houston, Texas.
    
   • 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).
   Products
   
   AFS Heat Stress White Paper, "Establishing a Foundry Heat Stress Management Program"
   
   Through the Alliance, AFS is developing a Heat Stress White Paper, "Establishing a Foundry Heat Stress Management Program." The White paper will address heat-related illnesses and can be used by employers in the foundry industry to help implement a heat stress management program.
   
   "Control of Silica Exposure in Foundries'" Manual
   
   Through the Alliance, AFS developed the "Control of Silica Exposure in Foundries" manual. The manual provides foundries with information that can help control the potential hazards of respirable crystalline silica. It focuses on the elements of an air contaminant exposure control program: management commitment; worker involvement; hazard assessment and communication; exposure monitoring; operational and maintenance procedures for the process and its ventilation; housekeeping; respiratory protection and medical monitoring. AFS promoted the manual by placing a link to it on the AFS and OSHA Alliance Web page. In addition, a link to the manual was added to the OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page and the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page on the Agency's Web site.
   
   "Guide for the Selection & Use of Personal Protective Equipment & Special Clothing for Foundry Operations"
   
   Through the Alliance, AFS promoted the "Guide for the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment and Special Clothing for Foundry Operations" to its members. The guide was developed through the OSHA and AFS Alliance by the AFS Safety and Health Committee (10Q), it describes special considerations for selection and use of personal protective equipment and special clothing for work situations that present a risk of exposure to foundry hazards.
   
   AFS Video, "The Process of Metalcasting"
   
   AFS provided a copy of the video, "The Process of Metalcasting" to OSHA's Directorate of Training and Education. The video was incorporated into the OSHA Training Institue (OTI) 1250 course "Introduction to Health Standards for Industrial Hygienists."
    
   • 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.
     
     During the evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance 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.
   2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008
   
   AFS representatives are working with more than 40 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week that will be held May 4-10. 2008 NAOSH Week is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), another Alliance Program participant, and focuses on illustrating how safety is good business. The theme of this year's event is "Safety is Good Business."
    
   • Encourage AFS chapters and worksites to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area offices to address health and safety issues, including PPE, ventilation and silica.
   Events
   
   AFS Keystone Chapter Meeting, March 11, 2008, Allentown, Pennsylvania
   
   On March 11, 2008, John McFee, Regional Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Region III, USDOL-OSHA presented "OSHA Update...New PPE Payment Rule, Silica, Citations Found in Foundries" to 8 attendees during the AFS Keystone Chapter Meeting in Allentown, Pennsylvania..
   
   AFS Central Indiana Chapter Meeting, October 8, 2007, Indianapolis, Indiana
   
   On October 8, 2007, Scott Frosch, Senior Industrial Hygienist, Indiana Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration presented on the safety and health issues that impact the foundry industry to 25 attendees during the AFS Central Indiana Chapter Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.
    
2. Executive Summary
   
   Through the Alliance, OSHA and AFS are working together to develop resources for small businesses in the metalcasting industries to increase employee access to safety and health information and training resources on workplace issues, including personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilation, and reducing and preventing exposure to silica. The positive relationship has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the team is currently working on or has produced. For example, through the OSHA and AFS Alliance, AFS developed the "Control of Silica Exposure in Foundries'" Manual. In addition, AFS representatives are sharing their expertise through participation on the editorial boards for the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:
    
   • Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
   • Heat Stress
   • Lead
   • Powered Industrial Trucks
   • Silica, Crystalline
   • Ventilation
   Finally, through the Alliance Program, OSHA representatives made presentations and staffed Alliance Program exhibit booths at the following AFS conferences, seminars, and chapter meetings:
    
   • Safety in the Foundry XX Safety Seminar, March 18, 2008, Houston, Texas
   • Keystone Chapter Meeting, March 11, 2008, Allentown, Pennsylvania
   • 19th Environmental, Health and Safety Conference, October 8, 2007, Nashville, Tennessee
   • Central Indiana Chapter Meeting, October 8, 2007, Indianapolis, Indiana
   • 111th Metalcasting Congress, May 15-18, 2007, Houston, Texas
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

As a result of the OSHA and AFS Alliance's successes, the organizations will renew the OSHA and AFS Alliance agreement for another two years. The OSHA and AFS renewal agreement will be signed by Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., USDOL-OSHA, during the AFS Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC on April 11, 2008. The Alliance renewal agreement will continue to encourage AFS members and others, including small businesses, in the metalcasting industry to increase employee access to safety and health information and training resources on workplace issues. In addition, the Alliance will address safety and health issues to include personal protective equipment and reducing and preventing exposure to silica. In addition, through the renewal agreement OSHA and AFS will be addressing a new focus area; heat stress in the workplace.

The OSHA and AFS Alliance implementation team has discussed developing a number of activities in the upcoming year. Through the Alliance, AFS will be drafting a white paper, "Establishing a Foundry Heat Stress Management Program," and a silica-related case study, "Case History D: Ventilation Upgrade Reduces Silica Exposure at Grede Foundries, Inc." In addition, AFS will be developing and presenting a "Foundry Best Practices Training Seminar" for OSHA staff.

As part of the Alliance's outreach efforts, AFS will be joining more than 40 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-10. In addition, OSHA representatives will be speaking and staffing Alliance Program exhibit booths at a number of 2008 AFS conferences, including the AFS Government Affairs Conference and 20th AFS Environmental, Health, and Safety Conference. Finally, AFS representatives will continue to provide OSHA with their expertise and feedback and serve on a number of OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages' editorial boards including Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Heat Stress, Lead and the draft OSHA Powered Industrial Truck eTool.


Report prepared by: Tony Mapes, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, April 22, 2008.