LIA - Alliance Annual Report - September 28, 2008

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
and
Laser Institute of America (LIA)
September 28, 2008

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    August 9, 2005

    Date Renewed

    August 22, 2007

    Overview

    The OSHA and LIA Alliance focuses on providing 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, the organizations share 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:

    Gus Anibarro
    Education Director
    Rich Greene*
    Education Director

    Evaluation Period

    August 9, 2007 - August 8, 2008

    *Rich Green was the Alliance coordinator until December 2007.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    August 15, 2008 Hospital eTool; Surgical Suite; Laser Section Meeting
    July 25, 2008 Implementation Team Meeting
    June 17, 2008 Hospital eTool; Surgical Suite; Laser Section Meeting
    March 3, 2008 Hospital eTool; Surgical Suite; Laser Section Meeting
    February 29, 2008 Hospital eTool; Surgical Suite; Laser Section Meeting
    December 3, 2007 Implementation Team Meeting
    August 22, 2007 Implementation Team Meeting

    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

    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education Goals

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

       

      Products

      Laser Safety Seminar

      The OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team members developed a four hour Laser Safety Course specifically for OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) in 2006, and revised the course in July 2008. 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 Laser Safety Seminar will be conducted by Gus Anibarro, Education Director, LIA, in Region I on September 9, 2008 and on November 4, 2008. The course is also scheduled to be conducted in Region V on October 16, 2008.

      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 LIA's Web sites) to employers and employees in medical, industrial, military, research & development, and optical fiber communications industries.

       

      Products

      OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page

      OSHA is continuing to update the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency Web site. The OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page includes the OSHA and LIA Alliance agreements, news releases, activities and events, products and resources and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of site visitors please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

      LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page

      LIA continues to update the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site with information on the Alliance including links to the Alliance agreements, news releases and to the Alliance developed products, including the, "LIA and OSHA Laser Safety Bulletin and to the LIA and OSHA Laser Safety pod cast. In addition, LIA included links to the 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week Web page on the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Web site. ASSE, another Alliance Program participant, is the sponsor of NAOSH Week.

      OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages Editorial Boards

      Through the Alliance, LIA members, Gus Anibarro, Education Director and David Sliney, Course Director, are serving on the editorial boards for the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

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

       

      OSHA Hospital eTool

      Through the Alliance, LIA representative, Gus Anibarro, Education Director, is working with other Alliance Program participants including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and The Joint Commission/Joint Commission Resources (JCR) to provide input and expertise to OSHA to help the Agency update its laser hazards section of the Hospital eTool.

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and LIA Alliance have appeared in a number of printed and on-line publications, including the Industrial Laser News and The Daily Reporter.

      For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

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

       

      Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 55th Congress, March 30-April 3, 2008, Anaheim, California

      During the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 55th Congress, March 30-April 3, 2008 in Anaheim, California, LIA distributed the OSHA and LIA Alliance Activities Summary, the On-site Consultation Program and Compliance Assistance Fact Sheets to over 1,500 attendees from the LIA 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).

       

      Products

      Laser Safety Fact Sheets

      LIA is developing laser safety fact sheets including, "Laser Effects on the Human Eye," "Hazards of Laser Welders, Cutters, Heat Treaters and Punch Presses," and "Preventive Injury from Laser Skin Treatment." OSHA reviewed and provided feedback on the documents. LIA expects to finalize the "Laser Effects on the Human Eye," fact sheets in 2008. After the fact sheets are finalized, they will be posed on the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site and linked to from the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site.

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

       

      Events

      2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008 Washington, D.C.

      LIA joined with more than 50 other Alliance Program participants to support 2008 NAOSH Week. NAOSH Week, sponsored by ASSE, an Alliance Program participant, focuses on increasing the understanding of the positive benefits of investing in occupational safety, health and environmental programs among employers, employees and the public; raising awareness of the role and contribution of safety, health and environmental professionals; and reducing workplace injuries and illness by encouraging new safety and health activities at all companies and organizations. In support of NAOSH Week, LIA posted information about and a link to the NAOSH Week Web page on the ASSE Web site on its LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site.

    2. Executive Summary

      During the reporting period, OSHA and LIA signed an Alliance renewal agreement on August 22, 2007. The organizations are continuing to work together to reduce injuries and preventing exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial and medical workplaces. This positive relationship has led to the development of the many programs and projects that the team is currently working on or has produced. For example:

      • OSHA continues to update the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and LIA Alliance agreement, OSHA and LIA news releases, activities and events and products and resources. In addition, the Web page links to the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site.
      • LIA developed the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page in 2006 and revised the page in 2008. The page is updated regularly and includes links to LIA -developed products, including the "Laser Safety Bulletin," Laser Safety Podcast and the OSHA and LIA Web page on the Agency Web site.
      • LIA revised its Laser Safety Course, developed specifically for the Agency CSHOs, that provides information on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering a facility that is using laser technology and is scheduled to be conducted in Regions I and V in 2008.
      • LIA representative, Gus Anibarro, will continue to serve on the editorial boards of the OSHA Hospital eTool and the Laser Hazards, Laser/Electrosurgery Plume, and Non-ionizing Radiation Safety and Health Topics pages.
      • LIA also promoted the OSHA and LIA Alliance and the Agency cooperative programs and compliance assistance resources through distributing OSHA safety and health information from its exhibit booth to over 1,500 attendees at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 55th Congress, March 30-April 3, 2008 in Anaheim, California.
      • LIA supported and promoted the 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2008 through posting information about and a link to the NAOSH Week Web page on the ASSE Web site on its LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity Number of Individuals Reached
      OSHA and LIA Alliance Web Page 2,278
      LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web Page 6,700
      Laser Safety Podcast Data Not Available
      Laser Safety Bulletin Data Not Available
      OSHA Hospital eTool 35,482
      OSHA Laser Hazards Safety and Health Topics page 25,157
      OSHA Laser/Electrosurgery Plume Safety and Health Topics page 9,810
      OSHA Non-Ionizing Safety and Health Topics page 24,108
      August 22, 2007: OSHA renews alliance with the Laser Institute of America
      Business Net      		 Data Not Available
      August 30, 2007: OSHA Renews Alliance with LIA
      The Daily Reporter      		 Data Not Available
      August 2007: OSHA Alliance Focuses on Laser Safety
      Physician Practice News      		 Data Not Available
      September 4, 2007: LIA and OSHA Renew Laser Safety Alliance
      Industrial Laser News      		 Data Not Available
      September 5, 2007: OSHA Renews Alliance with LIA
      Photonics - News Briefs      		 Data Not Available
      September 5, 2007: OSHA Renews Alliance with Laser Institute of America
      ThomasNet - Industrial NewsRoom      		 Data Not Available
      September 1, 2007: Alliance Program News
      QuickTakes      		 65,272
      March 30-April 3, 2008: AORN 55th Congress
      Anaheim, California      		 1,500
      TOTAL 340,308

    4. Upcoming Milestones

      Because of the successes realized in the first two years of the Alliance, OSHA and LIA signed an Alliance renewal agreement on August 22, 2007. OSHA and LIA will continue to collaborate on projects and activities to achieve the goals of the Alliance. For example, OSHA and LIA will continue to update the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site and the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site with safety and health resources. LIA will also support and link to information about the 2008 Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26, 2008 and the 2009 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2009 from the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site.

      LIA representative, Gus Anibarro, Education Director, will conduct the "Laser Safety Course'" developed specifically for OSHA CSHOs in Region I on September 9, 2008 and on November 4, 2008 and in Region V on October 16, 2008. Mr. Anibarro will also conduct the course to OSHA Regional and Area Offices and State Plan States as requested by OSHA Offices.

      In addition, LIA members Gus Anibarro and David Sliney, will continue to serve as members of the editorial boards for the Hospital eTool and the Laser Hazards, Laser/Electrosurgery Plume, and Non-ionizing Radiation Safety and Health Topics pages and will provide feedback as appropriate.

      LIA representative, Gus Anibarro, Education Director is working with AORN to conduct a "Medical Laser Safety Course," at the 2008 AORN Multispecialty Conference, October 2-7, 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, Mr. Anibarro will conduct the course at the 2009 AORN Congress, March 14-19, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

      Finally, LIA will complete the development of the Alliance-developed fact sheets, "Laser Effects on the Human Eye," "Hazards of Laser Welders, Cutters, Heat Treaters and Punch Presses," and "Preventive Injury from Laser Skin Treatment" and post them on the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site. After the fact sheets are posted on the LIA Web site, OSHA will add a link to the documents from the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site.

      Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, September 28, 2008