BIA - Alliance Close-Out Report - January 12, 2010 | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

BIA - Alliance Close-Out Report - January 12, 2010

OSHA and Brick Industry Association Alliance

On March 20, 2006, OSHA and the Brick Industry Association (BIA) formed an Alliance to provide the association's members and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect brick industry employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing ergonomics injuries, and preventing exposure to hazardous levels of silica.

Based on discussions regarding the future of the Alliance, OSHA and BIA agreed to conclude the Alliance as of March 20, 2010, A number of successes resulted from the agreement including:

Through the OSHA and ERC 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. The program is posted on the BIA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and BIA Web page on the OSHA Web site.
BIA developed a "Silicosis: What you need to know." fact Sheet. The fact sheet provides workers who are exposed silica dust with information about silicosis and tips to protect them from exposure to it. The fact sheet is posted on the BIA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and BIA Web page on the OSHA Web site.
BIA developed a "Silicosis Dust Results – Calculations and what they mean?" fact sheet. The fact sheet provides employers and workers with information about silicosis and how to calculate exposure levels. The fact sheet is posted on the BIA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and BIA Web page on the OSHA Web site.
On February 5, 2008, Brian Robertson, Industrial Hygienist, Region IV, Clemson, South Carolina Area Office, USDOL-OSHA; presented "Exposure Monitoring" and John Steelnack, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Biological Hazards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, USDOL-OSHA; presented "Control of Dust Exposures" and "OSHA Silica Resources" to safety and health professionals at the Silicosis Prevention Seminar in Clemson, South Carolina.

Report Prepared by: Rob Swick, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, January 12, 2010.