GCCA - Alliance Annual Report - August 23, 2011

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and
Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA)
August 23, 2011

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    Evaluation Period

    July 30, 2010 - July 29, 2011

    Overview

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and GCCA are working together to provide GCCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards related to chemical releases from ammonia refrigeration systems and improving the Process Safety Management (PSM) programs for these systems.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA

    Todd Briggs - Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)

    OSHA

    Ryan Burr - Director of Safety, Americold
    Mike Chapman - Manager, PSM/RMP Services, Tyson Foods, Inc.
    Bob Hunt - Vice Chairman,
    James Marrella - Coordinator of OSHA and EPA Compliance and Training, United States Cold Storage
    Lowell Randel - Director of Government Affairs, GCCA
    Gary Webster - Refrigeration Engineer, Kraft
    Gary White - Refrigeration Engineering Foreman, Bellingham Cold Storage
     

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    July 30, 2010 - Alliance Kick-Off Implementation Team Meeting

    October 22, 2010 - Implementation Team Meeting

    February 25, 2011 - Implementation Team Meeting

    June 28, 2011 - Implementation Team Meeting

    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from each organization, Todd Briggs and Lowell Randel spoke regularly to discuss and plan the activities and programs, including development of products focusing on ammonia health and safety.

  3. Results

    1. Events and Products

      Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives Goals:

      • To share information on OSHA's National Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.

      OSHA's Distracted Driving Initiative

      During the evaluation period, GCCA supported OSHA's initiative focusing distracted driving, including adding a link to the OSHA Distracted Driving Web page from the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site.

      • To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ammonia refrigeration system-related issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

      North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 1-7, 2011, Washington, DC.

      Outreach and communication Goals:

      • To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the GCCA's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.

      Ammonia Safety Poster

      Through the OSHA and GCCA Alliance, GCCA developed a poster focusing on ammonia health and safety. The poster was posted to the GCCA Web site in March 2011 and linked to from the OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

      GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web Page

      GCCA developed and maintains the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site. The page provides information on the Alliance and links to Alliance-developed products, including an ammonia safety poster and a success story. The page also links to OSHA's On-site Consultation Program and Distracted Driving Web pages and the Agency's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool and Safety and Health Topics page.

      OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web Page

      OSHA developed and maintains the OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The page provides information on the Alliance, including links to the OSHA and GCCA Alliance agreement, news releases, activities and events, and OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool and Safety and Health Topics page. The page also links to Alliance-developed products, including the ammonia safety poster and a success story.

      OSHA Editorial Boards

      A GCCA representative serves on the editorial board for the Ammonia Refrigeration Safety and Health Topics page on the Agency's Web site as well as the Ammonia Refrigeration eTool.

      Print and Electronic Media

      News releases and articles on the OSHA and GCCA Alliance, as well as the Agency's signing of other Alliances, have appeared in a number of printed and online publications, including OSHA's Alliance Quarterly Review. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      • To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or GCCA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as Ammonia Safety & Training Institute Safety Days, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration conferences, and GCCA conferences.

      GCCA Heartland Chapter Meeting, August 27, 2010, St. Louis, Missouri

      Mike Minicky, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Region VII, St. Louis, Missouri  Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, delivered a safety and health presentation to 40 people at the GCCA Heartland Chapter meeting on August 27, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri. A representative from GCCA provided an update on the activities of the OSHA and GCCA Alliance.

      GCCA Southeastern Chapter Meeting, October 1, 2010, Charlotte, North Carolina

      Suzanne Street, Area Director, Region IV, Raleigh, North Carolina Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, delivered a safety and health presentation to 45 people at the GCCA Southeastern Chapter meeting on October 1, 2010, in Raleigh, North Carolina. A representative from GCCA provided an update on the activities of the OSHA and GCCA Alliance.

      GCCA South Pacific Chapter Meeting, October 7, 2010, Santa Barbara, California

      Peter Wilsey, Team Leader for Cooperative and State Programs, Region IX, San Francisco, California Regional Office, USDOL-OSHA, and Jim Ryel, California/OSHA, delivered a safety and health presentations to 30 people at the GCCA South Pacific Chapter meeting on October 7, 2010, in Santa Barbara, California. A representative from GCCA provided an update on the activities of the OSHA and GCCA Alliance.

      30th Annual International Association for Cold Storage Construction (IACSC) Conference and Expo, November 4-7, 2010, San Antonio, Texas

      Dean Wingo, Assistant Regional Administrator, Region VI, Dallas, Texas Regional Office, USDOL-OSHA, delivered a safety and health presentation to 100 people at the 30th Annual IACSC Conference and Expo on November 4-7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas. A representative from GCCA provided an update on the activities of the OSHA and GCCA Alliance.

        • To develop and disseminate case studies on illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.

      During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

        • To encourage GCCA members to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including those related to PSM programs for ammonia refrigeration systems.

      GCCA/International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) and OSHA Region I

      On September 23, 2010, GCCA/IIAR met with an OSHA Region I representative in an effort to build a relationship with the Agency's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including ammonia health and safety and process safety management.

    2. Executive Summary During the first year of the OSHA and GCCA Alliance, the organizations worked together to improve health and safety in the general and construction industries for employers and workers. As a result of this positive relationship, OSHA and GCCA implemented a number projects: For example:

      • GCCA developed a poster focusing on ammonia safety, which was posted to the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page in March 2011 and is linked to from the OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.    
      • OSHA representatives delivered safety and health presentations at IAWR and a number of GCCA Chapter meetings, including the GCCA Southeastern Chapter meeting on October 1, 2010, in Charlotte, North Carolina.   
      • GCCA supported 2011 NAOSH Week, "Celebrating a Century of Safety," by adding information about the Week to the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page and in publications. GCCA also supported OSHA's initiative focusing on districted driving.
      • A GCCA representative serves on the editorial board of the Ammonia Refrigeration Safety and Health Topics page. A GCCA representative is also a contributing member of the Ammonia Refrigeration eTool.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)

      Number of Individuals Reached or Trained

      OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on         
      OSHA's Web site

      		 25,200
      GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web Page on GCCA Web Site Data Not Available
      August 4, 2010, "Global Cold Chain Alliance Signs Historic Alliance Agreement with OSHA"
      GCCA News Release      		 62 News Organizations
      August 27, 2010, GCCA Heartland Chapter Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri
      OSHA Speaker      		 40
      October 1, 2010, GCCA Southeastern Chapter Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina
      OSHA Speaker      		 45
      October 7, 2010, GCCA South Pacific Chapter Meeting, Santa Barbara, California
      OSHA Speaker      		 30
      November 4-7, 2010, 30th Annual IACSC Conference and Expo, San Antonio, Texas
      OSHA Speaker      		 100
      Ammonia Refrigeration eTool 103,140
      Ammonia Refrigeration Safety and Health Topics Page 142,800
      TOTAL 271,417

  4. Upcoming Milestones In the upcoming year, OSHA's and GCCA's relationship will continue to grow, and the Alliance Implementation Team will undertake a number of activities and projects in an effort to meet the goals of the agreement. For example, GCCA will work to develop outreach products and materials, including a fact sheet on OSHA's National Emphasis Program on chemical facilities and a guidance document focusing on personal protective equipment for ammonia handling. GCCA will develop a success story focusing on GCCA member Haskell. GCCA will invite OSHA representatives to participate in the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) Institute Training, February 11-15, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia. OSHA and GCCA will explore delivering a best practices seminar and/or a Webinar for OSHA staff focusing on an overview of the cold storage industry, including ammonia health and safety and the recognized workplace hazards.

    GCCA will write an article focusing on the ammonia safety poster for the September 2011 edition of Alliance Quarterly Review.

    GCCA will invite OSHA representatives to deliver safety and health presentations at a number of conferences and meetings, including the IACSC Annual Conference and Expo, November 9-13, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as GCCA Chapter meetings.

    OSHA personnel will staff an Alliance Program exhibit booth at the International Association of Refrigerated

    GCCA representatives will participate in the proposed OSHA Alliance Program Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Roundtable to help address the sound management of chemicals.

    GCCA will continue to support and promote OSHA's distracted driving initiative and 2012 NAOSH Week, May 6-12. GCCA representatives will also attend the 2012 NAOSH Week Kick-off event at DOL in Washington, DC.

    GCCA will continue to promote the activities and products of the Alliance through the GCCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site, which is linked to from the OSHA and GCCA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

    GCCA will promote OSHA compliance assistance safety and health materials and cooperative programs and the OSHA and GCCA Alliance through various sources such as the GCCA Web site, publications, and conferences and meetings.

    Finally, a GCCA representative will continue to serve on the editorial board of OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration Safety and Health Topics page and a contributing member of the Agency's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool.

    Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 23, 2011.