ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the
American Foundry Society (AFS)
August 10, 2010

1. Alliance Background
   
   Date Signed
   
   March 22, 2004
   
   Dates Renewed
   
   April 28, 2006; April 11, 2008
   
   Evaluation Period
   
   March 22, 2009 - March 21, 2010
   
   Overview
   
   Through the OSHA and AFS Alliance, OSHA and AFS are working together 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, to include personal protective equipment, heat stress, and reducing and preventing exposure to silica.
   
   Implementation Team Members
    

   OSHA:
   Russell Jones, Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP) Tony Mapes*, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), DCSP Bill Willson, OOSA, DCSP
   AFS:
   Jim Barry, On-site Jim Barry, On-site Consultation Program, Wisconsin/10-Q Committee Bob Forrester, 10-Q Committee Fred Kohloff, Director, Environmental, Safety, and Health Gary Mosher, 10-Q Committee Kay Rowntree, 10-Q Committee Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington, DC representative Bob Scholz, 10-Q Committee Jack Schuldt, 10-Q Committee Tom Slavin, 10-Q Committee Jeff Willman, 10-Q Committee * Tony Mapes served as the Alliance Coordinator until July 2009.



2. Implementation Team Meetings
    
   • May 6, 2009                Implementation Team Meeting
   • September 17, 2009    Implementation Team Meeting
   • January 7, 2010           Implementation Team Meeting
   In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from the organizations, Bill Willson and Fred Kohloff, spoke regularly to discuss and plan the activities and programs listed under events and products.
    
3. Results
    

   Cast Expo 2010, March 20-23, 2010, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
   
   Joan M. Spencer, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region IV, Tampa Area Office, USDOL - OSHA, staffed an OSHA and AFS Alliance exhibit booth during the conference to distribute compliance assistance publications, and answer attendees' questions. 
   
   2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009, Washington, DC

   On May 3-9, 2009, The American Foundry Society Alliance and 57 other Alliance Program participants supported 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for 2009 NAOSH Week was "Safety Means Always Coming Home."

   Event
   
   AFS "Foundry Best Practices Seminar," April 21-22, 2009, Waukesha, Wisconsin

   Through the Alliance, AFS created and delivered the Foundry Best Practices seminar for OSHA staff and others on April 21-22, 2009, in Waukesha, WI. The seminar provided attendees with an overview of the safety and health hazards that are present in foundries, and measures that should be taken to eliminate or reduce the severity of the hazard. 

   During this reporting period, OSHA and AFS did not complete projects that address this goal.

   During this reporting period, OSHA and AFS did not complete projects that address this goal.

   During this reporting period, OSHA and AFS did not complete projects that address this goal.
   
   National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goal

   1. Events and Products
      
      Training and Education Goal
       
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health curricula on the foundry workplace issues including, PPE, heat stress, and silica.
        
        During this reporting period, OSHA and AFS did not complete projects that address this goal.
      Outreach and Education 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 that is posted on the OSHA Web site. It includes the OSHA and AFS Alliance agreement, renewal agreement, news releases, products and resources, activities and events and milestones and successes of the OSHA and AFS Alliance.
      
      AFS and OSHA Alliance Web page
      
      AFS is continuing to update the sections on its Web site, which contains information on the OSHA and AFS Alliance. The sections include links to the OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page, Alliance-developed products, and available compliance assistance resources on the OSHA Web site.
      
      Publications and Newsletters
      
      Representatives from AFS serve on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Information on the activities of the OSHA and AFS Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications. For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages and eTools

      AFS representatives serve on the editorial boards of the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages on the OSHA Web site: Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout); Heat Stress; Lead; Powered Industrial Trucks; Respiratory Protection; Silica, Crystalline; and Ventilation. AFS representatives also serve on the editorial board of the eTool Powered Industrial Trucks.

       

      • 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
      • 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.
      • Promote and encourage AFS chapters or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the On-site Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program. 
      • 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. 
      • Encourage AFS chapters' or worksites' to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including PPE, heat stress, and silica. 
      • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results. 

        Products
        
        "Clearing the Air at Acme Foundry Integrated Design of a New Casting and Cleaning and Finishing Facility"
        
        Through the OSHA and AFS Alliance, AFS developed the case study, "Clearing the Air at Acme Foundry Integrated Design of a New Casting and Cleaning and Finishing Facility".  The case study highlighted reduced worker exposure to silica and made other workplace safety and health improvements in the expanded cleaning and finishing department at its foundry in Coffeyville, Kansas. The case study was completed in February 2010.
        
         "Silica Dust Control Improvement: Grinding of Iron Castings with Portable Tools at Kennedy Valve Foundry, Elmira, New York"
        
        Through the OSHA and AFS Alliance, AFS developed the case study, "Silica Dust Control Improvement: Grinding of Iron Castings with Portable Tools at Kennedy Valve Foundry, Elmira, New York".  The case study measured the reduction of workers' exposure to silica at its plant in Elmira, New York. The study was completed in June 2009. 

   2. Executive Summary

      OSHA and AFS will continue to work together to increase employer and employee access to safety and health information and training resources on workplace issues, including personal protective equipment, heat stress, and exposure to silica. The positive and collaborative relationship has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation team are currently working on or has produced. For example, through the OSHA and AFS Alliance, AFS developed the "Foundry Best Practices Seminar" and provided the seminar to OSHA staff in Waukesha, Wisconsin. OSHA staffed an exhibit booth at the Cast Expo on March 20-23, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. In addition, AFS worked with OSHA to develop two case studies entitled, "Clearing the Air at Acme Foundry Integrated Design of a New Casting and Cleaning and Finishing Facility" and "Silica Dust Control Improvement: Grinding of Iron Castings with Portable Tools at Kennedy Valve Foundry, Elmira, New York." The case studies detail measures that can be taken to reduce silica exposure in the workplace.
      
      As part of their outreach efforts, AFS joined with 57 other Alliance Program participants to support 2009 NAOSH Week, May 3-9, 2009. In addition, AFS representatives are sharing their expertise and technical review by serving on the editorial boards of numerous OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, including: Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout); Heat Stress; Lead; Powered Industrial Trucks; Respiratory Protection; Silica, Crystalline; and Ventilation. AFS representatives also serve on the editorial board of the eTool Powered Industrial Trucks.

   3. Alliance Program Reach
       

      Type of Activity(Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and AFS Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site	3,479
      AFS and OSHA Alliance Web page on the AFS Web site	Data not available
      OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics Page	97,950
      OSHA Heat Stress Safety and Health Topics Page	52,639
      OSHA Lead Safety and Health Topics Page	39,806
      OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety and Health Topics Page	85,779
      OSHA Respiratory Protection Safety and Health Topics Page	79,276
      OSHA Silica, Crystalline Safety and Health Topics Page	30,121
      OSHA Ventilation Safety and Health Topics Page	19,224
      OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool	45,322
      April 21, 2009 - AFS "Foundry Best Practices Seminar," Waukesha, WI	25
      April 2009 - "Safety Means Always Coming Home at NAOSH Week," Modern Casting	70,000
      April 2009 - "Safety Means Always Coming Home at NAOSH Week," Entrepreneur	Data not available
      May 2009 - "Navistar Hosts OSHA Alliance Seminar," AFS News	Data not available
      June 2009 - "Navistar Hosts OSHA Alliance Seminar," All Business	Data not available
      June 2009 - "Navistar Hosts OSHA Alliance Seminar," AFS News	Data not available
      June 2009 - "Navistar Hosts OSHA Alliance Seminar," All Business	Data not available
      June 2009 - "Navistar Hosts OSHA Alliance Seminar," Modern Casting	70,000
      February 2, 2010 - "American Society of Safety Engineers, OSHA, To Look at Work Safety Systems During Annual North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week," Fleet Daily	Data not available
      TOTAL	593,621



4. Upcoming Milestones

   In the upcoming year, the OSHA and AFS Alliance Implementation Team will continue to work together to develop safety and health information and training resources for AFS members and small businesses in the metalcasting industry.  For example, during the next reporting period, the Implementation Team will complete development and finalize the following:

   • Case Study on Hexavelent Chromium;
   • AFS will present the "Foundry Best Practices Seminar" on May 12-14, 2010, Kansas City, Missouri;
   • AFS will participate with agency staff at the National Safety Council Annual Congress & Expo, October 4-6, 2010, San Diego, California;
   • AFS will support 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 3-9, 2009

   Lastly, OSHA and AFS hope to renew the Alliance in 2010.

   Report prepared by: Bill Willson, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 10, 2010