IWCA - Alliance Annual Report - August 21, 2015

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA)
August 21, 2015

  1. Alliance Background

    1. Date Signed

      June 10, 2010

    2. Dates Renewed

      October 31, 2012

    3. Evaluation Period

      June 10, 2014 - June 9, 2015

    4. Overview

      The OSHA and IWCA Alliance provides IWCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers. Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address slips, trips, falls from heights, and issues related to the safe use of high-reach access equipment, including ladders and scaffolding, in the window cleaning industry. The Alliance will also address the safety and health challenges of small business owners and low literacy and limited English speaking workers in the window cleaning industry.

    Implementation Team Members

     

    OSHA

    *Christina Morgan
    Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA), Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)
    **Morgan Seuberling
    Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, OOSA, DCSP
    Christian Wojnar
    Program Manager, Office of Small Business Assistance, DCSP
    Sherman Williamson
    Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, Office of General Industry Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs
    Laura Kenny
    Labor Liaison, Region II, New York Regional Office

    IWCA

    Mark Bennett
    Executive Director, IWCA
    Stefan Bright
    Safety Director, IWCA
    Noa Pedersen
    General Window Cleaning; Board, IWCA
    Matt Pierce
    Window Cleaning; Board, IWCA
    Coby Powell
    Red Rock Window Cleaning; Board, IWCA
    Alan Burton
    Everclear Enterprises, Inc.; Past-President, IWCA
    Eli Schmoeger
    American Cleaning Service; Education and Industry Relations, IWCA
    Jack Evans
    20/20 Window Cleaning of NC, Inc.; President, IWCA
    Mark Reinhart
    Award Window Cleaning; President-elect, IWCA

    Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

    Orlando Gonzalez
    Service One; SEIU Representative

    *Christina Morgan joined the OSHA and IWCA Alliance Implementation Team on April 6, 2015.

    **Morgan Seuberling served on the OSHA and IWCA Alliance Implementation Team until April 3, 2015.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    • June 11, 2014
    • October 30, 2014
    • February 9, 2015

    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.

  3. Results

    The following table summarizes the Alliance's activities in support of the goals in the Alliance agreement.

    Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives Goal 1: To share information on OSHA's National Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.

    Activity Type

    Activity Name/Summary

    OSHA Initiative Supported

    Number Reached
    Dissemination OSHA's National Outreach Campaign on Prevention of Falls in Construction
    • IWCA submitted OSHA's National Stand-Down on Falls in Construction poster and OSHA's PowerPoint presentations on fall prevention in both English and Spanish to members in December 2014.
    • IWCA submitted an email blast entitled "Stopping Falls, Saving Lives: 2015 National Safety Stand-Down to Reach Workers Worldwide" on 3/11/15.
    • IWCA posted a link to OSHA's National Stand-Down on Falls in Construction website on its Facebook page on 3/12/15.
    • IWCA published an article entitled "Stopping Falls, Saving Lives" in the May/June 2015 edition of IWCA News.
    		 Fall Prevention 2,881
    Dissemination OSHA's National Outreach Campaign on Heat Illness Prevention
    • IWCA updated their Alliance web page with resources and information on the 2014 campaign.
    • IWCA published an article entitled "Mitigating the Hazards of Warm Weather Window Cleaning" in the July 2014 edition of IWCA News.
    		 Heat Illness Prevention 2,500
    Dissemination OSHA's Awareness Campaign on New Reporting Requirements Effective January 1, 2015
    • IWCA submitted an email blast to members on 12/2/14.
    • IWCA linked the OSHA web page on Reporting Requirements to their Alliance web page.
    • IWCA published an article entitled "OSHA Update: New Reporting Requirements Starting January 1" in the December 2014 edition of IWCA News.
    		   2,965
    Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives Goal 2: To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on fall, caught-in-between, and other scaffolding related hazards to forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

    Activity Type

    Activity Name/Summary

    OSHA Initiative Supported

    Number Reached
    Event OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Meeting, Department of Labor, September 30, 2014 Washington, DC

    Representatives from the IWCA Alliance participated in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable meeting in Washington, D.C.    		 Construction, Fall Prevention Not Applicable
     
    Training and Education Goal: To develop effective training and education programs for window cleaning contractors with low literacy and limited English speaking workers, regarding the recognition and prevention of workplace accidents due to slips, trips and falls, working from heights, and the use of specialized window cleaning and high-rise access equipment, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.

    Activity Type

    Activity Name/Summary

    OSHA Initiative Supported

    Number Reached
      The OSHA and IWCA Alliance Implementation Team did not complete work on programs or projects to address this goal during this reporting period.    
     
    Outreach and Communication Goal 1: 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 IWCA's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.

    Activity Type

    Activity Name/Summary

    OSHA Initiative Supported

    Number Reached
    Dissemination IWCA and OSHA Alliance Web Page
    IWCA maintains the IWCA and OSHA Alliance Web page on its Website. Information includes links to the Alliance agreement and OSHA's electronic assistance tools. In addition, the page features links to products developed by IWCA through the Alliance Program, including the Water-fed Pole Training Program and Quick Cards. IWCA also includes OSHA initiatives on the Web page such as the "Prevention of Falls in Construction" initiative and "Heat Illness Prevention" initiative, with resources, information, and links to the OSHA Web pages.    		 Fall Prevention; Heat Illness Prevention 833
    Dissemination OSHA and IWCA Alliance Web Page
    OSHA maintains the OSHA and IWCA Alliance Web page that is posted on the OSHA Website. The page includes the Alliance agreement, the renewal agreement, annual reports, news releases, information on activities and events, and links to resources developed by IWCA through the Alliance Program.    		   2840
    Dissemination July 2014: IWCA News

    IWCA published two articles entitled "Don't Take a Chance with Safety" and "Educate Your Employees with Quick Cards" as well as an update on alliance activities.    		   2,500
    Dissemination October 23, 2014: Email blast

    IWCA submitted an email blast to promote OSHA's QuickTakes.    		   465
    Dissemination October 2014: IWCA News
    IWCA published an article entitled "IWCA and OSHA Provide Free Water-Fed Pole Program and Safety Cards."    		   465
    Dissemination April 13, 2015: Email blast
    IWCA submitted an email blast to promote the National Safety Council's Distracted Driving Awareness Month.    		   1483
     
    Outreach and Communication Goal 2: To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or IWCA's Annual Conferences, local meetings, or other regional events.

    Activity Type

    Activity Name/Summary

    OSHA Initiative Supported

    Number Reached
    Speech/Presentation 2015 IWCA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, February 11-14, 2015, Scottsdale, AZ

    On February 13, 2015, Beverly Teruel, Administrative Assistant, Phoenix Area Office, Region IX, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation entitled "How Your Business Can Benefit from OSHA."    		   14
    Exhibit 2015 IWCA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, February 11-14, 2015, Scottsdale, AZ

    IWCA Alliance Team Members staffed an Alliance exhibit and distributed OSHA publications and products developed through the OSHA and IWCA Alliance to industry safety and health professionals that attended the exhibit booth during the conference.    		   400
     
    TOTAL     17,346
  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, OSHA and IWCA will continue work together to provide IWCA's members and others with guidance and access to information and training resources that will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to hazards in the window cleaning industry.

    For example, IWCA will continue to develop the "Safe Practices Manual for Window Cleaners." As sections are completed, they will be posted on the IWCA Alliance-related Web page and OSHA will link the resources to the OSHA and IWCA Web page, the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page, and other appropriate locations on the agency's website. IWCA will also work to develop and deliver training on health and safety procedures relative to window cleaning for OSHA's compliance officers and other staff, On-site Consultation staff, and State Plan staff. IWCA will also explore the idea of developing one or more YouTube video products.

    To ensure that the IWCA resources are distributed to members and their workers, IWCA will continue to utilize existing venues (e.g., IWCA News, email blasts) and identify others for dissemination of Alliance-developed products. IWCA will also continue to promote awareness of OSHA's ongoing rulemakings, enforcement initiatives, and other outreach activities, and will provide OSHA with an Alliance exhibit and opportunities for speakers during their Annual Conference and Tradeshow. Lastly, IWCA will continue to participate in OSHA's Alliance Program Construction Roundtable.

    Report prepared by: Christina Morgan, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 21, 2015.

Activity Types:

  • Alliance Product: Products (e.g., fact sheets, videos, toolbox talks) developed by Alliance participants as part of the Alliance. These are not OSHA products.
  • Dissemination: An Alliance participant sends OSHA information, Alliance products, or other safety and health information to its stakeholders. This includes information sent by email or social media (Facebook, Twitter), and information included in newsletters and other publications. It also includes hits on the Alliance participant's or OSHA's Web page.
  • Evaluation: Any efforts by the Alliance participant to evaluate the effectiveness of an Alliance activity or the Alliance as a whole.
  • Event: Participation in events such as the Construction Roundtable and NAOSH Week.
  • Exhibit: OSHA exhibits at events sponsored by the Alliance participant.
  • OSHA Product Review: Review of an OSHA product by an Alliance participant. For example, an Alliance participant may provide technical comments on an OSHA eTool or publication. The review itself is considered the Alliance activity.
  • Speech/Presentation: Speeches or presentation by OSHA staff at events sponsored by the Alliance participant.
  • Training: This includes best practice seminars or other training that Alliance participants provide for OSHA staff. It also includes training for workers/employers/others by Alliance participants.
  • Other: Use this if an activity does not fit into one of the other categories.

OSHA Areas of Emphasis:

  • Agriculture
  • Asian American/Pacific Islander Workers
  • Construction
  • Ergonomics
  • Fall Prevention
  • Hazard Communication/Chemicals
  • Health Care
  • Heat Illness Prevention
  • Hispanic/Latino Workers
  • Maritime
  • Oil and Gas
  • Small Business
  • Temporary Workers
  • Transportation
  • Young Workers