LIA - Annual Alliance Report - December 6, 2006

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and
Laser Institute of America (LIA)
December 6, 2006

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    August 9, 2005

    Overview

    OSHA and LIA are working together to provide the organization's members and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial and medical workplaces. In addition, OSHA and LIA are focusing on sharing information on laser regulations and standards, bioeffects lasers have on the eyes and skin, laser control measures and laser safety program administration.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Sandra Khan
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Jack Longmire
    Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)

    LIA:

    Rich Green
    Education Director
    David Sliney
    Course Director

    Evaluation Period

    August 9, 2005 - August 8, 2006

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    September 19, 2005
    Kick-off Implementation Team Meeting
    January 11, 2006
    Implementation Team Meeting
    April 26, 2006
    Laser Training Conference Call
    July 12, 2006
    Laser Training Conference Call

    In addition to these formal meetings, the OOSA and LIA staff maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

  3. Results

     

    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education Goals

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for OSHA staff, laser manufacturers and laser users of Class 3a, 3b and 4 lasers regarding laser program administration information to employers and employees.

       

      Products

      Laser Safety Seminar

      The OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team members worked together to developed a four hour laser safety seminar specifically for OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs). The course provides CSHOs with information on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering a facility that is using laser technology. The course was finalized in July 2006.

      • Deliver or arrange for the delivery of laser-related safety courses.

        The OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.

       

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of laser hazards in the workplace, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and the Laser Institute of America's Web site) to employers and employees in medical, industrial, military, research & development, and optical fiber communications industries.

       

      Products

      OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page

      OSHA created an OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and LIA Alliance agreement, news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, activities and events, and products and resources. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.

      LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page

      LIA created an LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site. The Web page is updated regularly and includes links to the OSHA and LIA Web page, news releases, related documents, activities and events and OSHA Safety and Health Topic pages.

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages Editorial Boards

      Through the Alliance, LIA members, Rich Green, Education Director and David Sliney, Course Director, have been added to the editorial boards for the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

      • Construction - Laser Hazards
      • Laser Hazards
      • Laser/Electrosurgery Plume
      • Non-ionizing Radiation

       

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and LIA Alliance signing appeared in online and print laser industry publications such as: OSHA's QuickTakes Industrial Laser Solutions, Facilities Management, and Fabricator. In addition, LIA is publishing an article, "Alliance Update," in its newsletter. For more information on the print and electronic media, please see the Alliance Program Reach table in Section C of this report.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or Laser Institute of America's conferences, local meetings, or other laser safety training events such as, Laser Institute of Americas International Laser Safety conference.

       

      Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics, April 3-6, 2006, Melbourne, Australia

      During the Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics, April 3-6, 2006, in Melbourne, Australia, LIA distributed OSHA's Alliance Program brochure, the OSHA and LIA Alliance Activities Summary, and the OSHA Alliance Program and On-site Consultation Program Fact Sheets to the attendees from its exhibit booth. In addition, LIA representatives also promoted the OSHA and LIA Alliance through discussions with visitors to the LIA exhibit booth.

      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding Laser Institute of America's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by Laser Institute of America and through OSHA- or Laser Institute of America-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

       

      Laser Safety Information Bulletin

      Through the Alliance, OSHA reviewed and provided comments on the LIA developed, "Laser Safety Information Bulletin." The publication was created to help educate new laser users on the concerns and issues related to laser safety. The Bulletin, which was completed in Summer 2006, is posted on the LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page and a link to the publication is on the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on laser safety that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

        The OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.

       

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on laser safety issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

        The OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team has not started work on programs or projects to address this goal.

    2. Executive Summary

      In the first year of the Alliance, OSHA and LIA established an excellent working relationship. Through their Alliance, OSHA and LIA are working together to share information and reduce injuries and exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial and medical workplaces.

      For example, OSHA created an OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and LIA Alliance agreement, OSHA and LIA news releases, a photograph of the signing ceremony, activities and events and products and resources. Further, LIA developed a LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page on the organization's Web site that includes links to OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page, and news releases.

      Through the OSHA and LIA Alliance, Implementation Team members also worked together to developed a four hour laser safety course specifically for OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs). The course provides CSHOs with information on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering a facility that is using laser technology. The course was finalized in July 2006.

      In addition, LIA implementation team members are sharing their expertise with OSHA, by joining OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages editorial boards for Construction - Laser Hazards, Laser Hazards, Laser/Electrosurgery Plume, and Non-ionizing Radiation.

      LIA also promoted the OSHA and LIA Alliance and the agency's cooperative programs and compliance assistance resources through the "Alliance Update" article that is published in its newsletter. In addition, LIA distributed OSHA safety and health information from its exhibit booth at the Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics, April 3-6, 2006, in Melbourne, Australia.

      Finally, OSHA reviewed and provided feedback on the LIA developed, "Laser Safety Information Bulletin," to help educate new laser users on the concerns and issues related to laser safety. The Bulletin was posted on the LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page and a link to the publication is on the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

    Type of Activity

    Number of Individuals Reached
    August 9, 2005, "OSHA Aligns with Laser Institute of America"
    OSHA News Release

    69 News Services
    August 9, 2005, "OSHA Aligns with Laser Institute of America"
    U.S. Newswire

    Data not available
    August 9, 2006, "OSHA Aligns With Laser Institute of America"
    Topix.Net News Alerts

    Data not available
    August 17, 2006, "OSHA Forms Alliances with Cleaning Industry, Laser Institute, Sealant Industry"
    Facilities Management News

    Data not available
    August 18, 2005, "OSHA Aligns with Laser Institute of America"
    Industrial Laser Solutions

    69 News Services
    August 2005, "OSHA Aligns with Laser Institute of America"
    Laser Institute of America News Release

    Data not available
    September 2, 2005, "New Alliance Addresses Laser Risks"
    CCH NetNews

    Data not available
    September 2005, "OSHA Aligns with Laser Institute of America"
    FacilitySafety Management

    Data not available
    September 2005, "New National Alliances"
    Alliance Quarterly Review

    300
    October 2005, "OSHA, LIA form alliance"
    FMA Communications

    Data not available
    November 2005, "OSHA and LIA Ally for Laser Safety"
    Photonics BusinessWorld

    Data not available
    April 3-6, 2006, Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics
    Melbourne, Australia

    1,000
    OSHA and LIA Alliance Web Page

    4,150
    LIA and OSHA Alliance Web Page

    Data not available
    TOTAL

    5,450

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    During the upcoming year, the OSHA and LIA Implementation Team will continue to advance its excellent working relationship by collaborating on projects and activities to achieve the goals of the Alliance. For example, OSHA and LIA will update and promote the Alliance's Web pages such as the OSHA and LIA Alliance Program Web page and LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page with safety and health resources. In addition, OSHA and LIA will distribute safety and health information from an OSHA and LIA Alliance exhibit booth at LIA's 25th International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO®), October 29 - November 1, 2007.

    The OSHA and LIA implementation team will also hold the Laser Safety Seminar in OSHA's Regional and Area Offices and State Plan States. Mr. Rich Green will provide the Laser Training Seminars to OSHA staff in Regions V and VII on September 13 in Higgins Lake, Michigan, on September 14 in Kansas City, Missouri and on October 11 in Millbury Massachusetts. In addition, OSHA and LIA will continue to schedule the Laser Safety Seminar as requested by OSHA Offices.

    LIA will also develop its Laser Safety Information Bulletin into a Podcast and post it on the LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page. OSHA will link to the Podcast from the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The agency will also review and provide feedback on LIA's Laser Safety Officer Training course and the Medical Safety Officer course.

    LIA members, Rich Green and David Sliney, will continue to serve as members of the editorial boards for the Construction - Laser Hazards, Laser Hazards, Laser/Electrosurgery Plume, and Non-ionizing Radiation Safety and Health Topics pages and will provide feedback as appropriate. Finally, LIA representatives will work with OSHA and other Alliance Program participants to help provide information and expertise during the Agency's update of its Hospital eTool.

Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services Alliances, November 1, 2006