LIA - Alliance Annual Report - September 28, 2009

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)
    Jeff Lodwick
    Salt Lake Technical Center
    Jack Longmire
    Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)

    LIA:

    Gus Anibarro
    Education Director

    Evaluation Period

    August 9, 2008 – August 8, 2009

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    November 18, 2008 - Implementation Team Meeting
    January 21, 2009 - Implementation Team Meeting
    May 3, 2009 - Workgroup Meeting
    May 5, 2009 - Implementation Team Meeting
    May 29, 2009 - Workgroup Meeting
    June 11, 2009 - Workgroup 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

      Through the OSHA and LIA Alliance, LIA developed a four hour Laser Safety Seminar specifically for OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) in 2006, and revised the course in July 2008 and April 2009. The Seminar 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 was conducted by Gus Anibarro, Education Director, LIA, in Region I on September 9, 2008 and on November 4, 2008. In addition, the Seminar was conducted in Region V on Region V on October 16, 2008 and at the National Office on May 5, 2009.

      OSHA-NIOSH Seminar Series, Washington, D.C.

      Gus Anibarro, Education Director, LIA presented, "Laser Safety Hazard Identification & Control: 13 Questions an OSHA Compliance Officer Should Ask" during the May 28, 2009 OSHA-NIOSH Seminar Series. The Seminar Series is conducted for OSHA and NIOSH staff interested in Occupational Health and Safety topics pertinent to current OSHA activities and emerging trends in occupational safety and health.

      Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 56th Annual Congress, Pre-Congress Sessions, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

      Through the OSHA and LIA and OSHA and AORN Alliances, LIA and AORN representatives, Kay Ball, RN, BSN, MSA, PhD, CNOR, FAAN, and Vangie Dennis, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, Clinical Manager, Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia, conducted the Medical Laser Safety Training Course for 70 attendees on March 14-15, 2009.

      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 regularly updates 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 2009 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 serving on the editorial board of the Agency Hospital eTool to provide expertise on the tools laser hazards section.

      • 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) 56th Congress, March 16-19 2009, Chicago, Illinois

      During the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) 56th Congress, March 16-19, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois, LIA representatives shared the Alliance Program exhibit booth and distributed the OSHA and LIA publications to over 2,000 attendees.

      • 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 the fall of 2009. 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

      North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009, Washington, D.C.

      LIA joined with more than 55 other Alliance Program participants supported 2009 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The theme for 2009 NAOSH Week was "Safety Means Always Coming Home." 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.

      Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26, 2008

      LIA and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported the 2008 Drug-Free Work Week. Sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program, the Week focused on educating employers, employees and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.

    2. Executive Summary

      During the reporting period, OSHA and LIA continued 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 2009. 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. The course was conducted in Regions I, V and at the National Office.
      • 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.
      • On May 28, 2009, Gus Anibarro, Education Director, LIA, presented, "Laser Safety Hazard Identification & Control: 13 Questions an OSHA Compliance Officer Should Ask" during the May 28, 2009 OSHA-NIOSH Seminar Series.
      • LIA and AORN representatives, Kay Ball, RN, BSN, MSA, PhD, CNOR, FAAN, and Vangie Dennis, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, Clinical Manager, Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth, Georgia, conducted the Medical Laser Safety Training Course for 70 attendees on March 14-15, 2009.
      • 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 2,000 attendees at the AORN 56th Congress, March 16-19, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.
      • LIA supported and promoted the Drug-Free Work Week, October 20-26, 2008 and the North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009 through posting information about and a link to the Weeks on the 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

      2,925

      LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web Page

      8,900

      Laser Safety Podcast

      Data Not Available

      Laser Safety Bulletin

      Data Not Available

      OSHA Hospital eTool

      39,421

      OSHA Laser Hazards Safety and Health Topics page

      25,157

      OSHA Laser/Electrosurgery Plume Safety and Health Topics page

      2,321

      OSHA Non-Ionizing Safety and Health Topics page

      12,012

      Laser Safety Seminars

      100

      OSHA-NIOSH Seminar Series
      Washington, D.C.
      May 28, 2009

      44

      AORN 56th Annual Congress
      Pre-Congress Sessions
      McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois
      March 14-15, 2009

      70

      AORN 56th Annual Congress
      McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois
      March 16-19, 2009

      2,000

      Total

      92,950

  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