The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and
The Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners (FSHP)

1. Alliance Background

   1. Date Signed

      February 2, 2015

   2. Dates Renewed

      The Alliance is due to be renewed on February 2, 2017.

      Evaluation Period

      February 2, 2015 through February 1, 2016

   3. Overview

      Through this Alliance, OSHA and FSHP provide partner members and others, including non-English and limited English-speaking workers, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health, safety and security of workers, emergency responders, and the communities surrounding establishments in the agricultural retail and supply industry. The Alliance specifically emphasizes the safe storage and handling of fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and anhydrous ammonia), as well as the sharing of emergency response information between the agribusiness communities and first responders, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

   4. Implementation Team Members

      OSHA

      Todd Briggs

      Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)

      David Chicca

      Office of Engineering Safety, Directorate of Standards and Guidance (DSG)

      Russell Jones

      Office of Small Business Assistance, DCSP

      Lisa Long

      Office of Engineering Safety, DSG

      Jeff Wanko

      Office of Chemical Process Safety and Enforcement Initiatives, Directorate of Enforcement Programs

      FSHP

      Kent Anderson

       

      William Degnan

      National Association of State Fire Marshals

      Dave Finger

      National Volunteer Fire Council

      Richard Gupton

      Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)

      Kyle Liske

      ARA

      Justin Louchheim

      The Fertilizer Institute

      Pat Morrison

      International Association of Fire Fighters

      Andy O’Hare

      The Fertilizer Institute

      Brian M. Reuwee

      ARA

      Gary Smith

      Ammonia Safety and Training Institute

      Kathy Willcutts

      Department of Homeland Security

      ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

      Kathy Franklin

      Office of Emergency Management, EPA

      GUESTS

      Lowell Randel

      Global Cold Chain Alliance

      Amy Graydon

      Department of Homeland Security

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   • April 21, 2016
   • October 6, 2016
   • May 17, 2016

   In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from each group maintained regular contact to monitor the Alliance’s progress and results.

3. Results

   The following table summarizes the Alliance’s activities in support of the goals in the Alliance agreements for the timeframe of this report.

   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Raising Awareness of OSHA/EPA Rulemaking and Enforcement Activities: Share information on OSHA and EPA Rulemaking and National Emphasis and related Programs, Regulatory Agendas, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process, including chemical accident prevention regulations under the Clean Air Act and emergency planning and preparedness regulations under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
   Dissemination	FSHP promoted and supported OSHA’s national outreach campaign focusing on the prevention of heat illness in outdoor workers, including the dissemination of information on the ARA Website, and in e-newsletters, and social media posts.	Heat Illness Prevention	Unknown
   Activity Type	Activity Name/Summary	OSHA Areas of Emphasis Supported	Number Reached
   Outreach and Communication: Invite OSHA and EPA representatives to speak, exhibit, or appear at Fertilizer Safety and Health Partner conferences, local meetings and other agricultural safety and emergency response planning events as needed.
   Training	The Fertilizer Institute sponsored the ResponsibleAg training and facility site tour on July 29-30, 2015, in Owensboro, KY. Representatives from OSHA, EPA, DHS, and KY OSHA participated in the event.	Emergency Response; PSM	20
   Outreach and Communication: Conduct best practices seminars/webinars on effective emergency response procedures between volunteer fire fighters and industry partners
   Training	The FSHP Alliance supported and promoted GCCA’s “Ammonia Safety Days,” which included an emergency response to a live controlled ammonia release. Castle Rock, CO – September 15, 2015 Houston, TX – September 17, 2015 North Dakota – October 8, 2015	Emergency Response; PSM; Hazard Communication	90
   Outreach and Communication: Promote the OSHA On-site Consultation Program, and EPA Programs to Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners' members, and others.
   Dissemination	The members of the FSHP Alliance promoted the OSHA On-site Consultation Program to its’ members by including information on the ARA Website, and in publications and e-newsletters.
   TOTAL		Unknown

4. Upcoming Milestones

   In the upcoming year, the OSHA and FSHP relationship will continue to grow, and the Alliance Implementation Team will undertake a number of activities/projects in an effort to further implement the goals of the Alliance agreement. For example, during the 2016 NSC Congress and Expo, October 17-19, 2016, in Anaheim, California, two representatives from the Alliance will deliver a technical session presentation focusing on agricultural safety and health best practices.

   FSHP will continue to support OSHA’s national outreach campaign, focusing on the prevention of heat illness in outdoor workers.

   The Alliance will work to develop an outreach/training product for employers/workers and local emergency response service organizations focusing on retail facility and first responder coordination and response. The Alliance will also work to develop a case study focusing on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers.

   The Agricultural Retailers Association will sponsor a second ResponsibleAg training and facility tour for OSHA, EPA, DHS, State plan, and On-site Consultation staff in the spring of 2017, in Owensboro, KY.

   Lastly, the Alliance will continue to work with the GCCA on joint projects, including the promotion of Ammonia Safety Days; as well as reviewing and providing feedback on OSHA’s Ammonia Refrigeration eTool.

Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Program Analyst, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 9, 2016.