LIA - Alliance Annual Report - August 11, 2014

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
Laser Institute of America (LIA)
August 11, 2014

  1. Alliance Background

    1. Date Signed

      August 9, 2005

    2. Dates Renewed

      August 22, 2007
      May 8, 2012

    3. Evaluation Period

      August 9, 2013 – August 8, 2014

    4. Overview

      The OSHA and LIA Alliance focuses on providing the organization's members and others, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial, medical, and research workplaces. In addition, the organizations will 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

      Morgan Seuberling
      Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP)
      Bruce Love
      Program Analyst, Office of Small Business Assistance, DCSP
      Jeffrey Lodwick
      Health Physicist, Salt Lake Technical Center, Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management
      Stephen Schayer
      Health Scientist, Office of Physical Hazards, Directorate of Standards and Guidance

      LIA

      Gus Anibarro
      Education Director, LIA
      Barbara Sams
      Director of Standards Development, LIA
      Hydee Cash
      Education Coordinator, LIA

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    • November 13, 2013
    • January 13, 2014
    • May 5, 2014

    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.

    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 LIA's Web sites) to OSHA staff, employers and workers in the industry.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Other

    LIA Today Newsletter

    LIA published an article entitled “OSHA Extends Comment Period on Proposed Silica Rule” in the 2013 November/December Issue.

    		  

    15,000
    Product

    LIA and OSHA Alliance Web Page

    LIA maintains and updates the LIA and OSHA Alliance Web page on its Web site. The LIA Web page provides information on the Alliance agreement and related documents posted on the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page on the Agency Web site. The Web page also contains resources and activities that resulted through the Alliance during this reporting period.

    		  

    7,764
    Product

    OSHA and LIA Alliance Web Page

    OSHA maintains and updates the OSHA and LIA Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency Web site. The Web page includes the Alliance agreements, news releases, activities and events, Alliance-developed products, and resources.

    		  

    1,707 Page Views
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 2: To 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.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Event

    2014 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH), May 4-10, 2014

    The LIA Alliance and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported 2014 NAOSH Week. Sponsored annually by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. 2014 Theme: "Workplace Safety Works for Everyone."

    LIA support included:

    • Published Press Release with 2014 NAOSH Logo and Links to ASSE's NAOSH Week Web Page
    • Put Banner and link on the LIA Alliance Web page.
    		  

    Press Release: 13,000

    Web Page: 647 views during the one month.
    Exhibit

    2013 Laser Manufacturing Event Conference and Exposition, September 11-12, 2013, Schaumburg, Illinois

    • Region V OSHA staffed the Alliance exhibit booth during the 2013 LIA event and distributed OSHA publications to the industry safety and health professionals that attended the exhibit booth during the conference.
    		  

    350
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 3: To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding LIA's good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
    Training

    Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar

    • Through the OSHA and LIA Alliance, LIA safety professionals conducted a Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar for CAL-OSHA Staff in Region IX, Los Angeles, California Area Office on November 7, 2013. The LIA trainer provided class room training on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering facilities that use lasers.
    		  

    30
    Training

    Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar

    • Through the OSHA and LIA Alliance, LIA safety professionals conducted a Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar for OSHA Staff in Region IV, Tampa, Florida Area Office on February 3, 2014. The LIA trainer provided class room training on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering facilities that use lasers.
    		  

    8
    Training

    Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar

    • Through the OSHA and LIA Alliance, LIA safety professionals conducted a Laser Safety Best Practices Seminar for OSHA Staff in Region I, Boston, Massachusetts Area Office on June 5, 2014. The LIA trainer provided class room training on what to look for and key questions to ask when entering facilities that use lasers.
    		  

    9
    Other

    Participate in OSHA's Evaluation of LIA's Alliance Developed Best Practices Seminar

    • LIA developed a pre and post-test for the Laser Safety Best Practice seminar/webinar for OSHA staff to obtain the benefit of the Laser Safety training. LIA submits the results of the evaluations after each training session to OOSA.
    		  

    17 Responses
     

    Outreach and Communication Goal 4: To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on laser safety that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
    Activity Type Activity Name/Summary OSHA Initiative Supported Number Reached
     

    During the reporting period, the OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team have not completed work on programs or projects to address this goal.

    		    
     

    TOTAL

    		    

    38,532

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    In the upcoming year, the OSHA and LIA Alliance Implementation Team is planning a number of activities to provide information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial, medical, and research workplaces.

    For example, LIA will continue to conduct the Laser Safety Seminars developed specifically for OSHA staff in the Regional, Area Offices, and State Plan States as requested by the OSHA Offices. In addition, LIA will complete their guidance document on “10 Steps to Starting a Medical Laser Safety Program”, the 13 Questions Fact Sheet, and the Introduction to Lasers Fact Sheet. The resources will be added to the LIA and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the LIA Web site. OSHA will link the resources to the OSHA and LIA Web page, the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page, and other appropriate locations on the Agency Web site.

    LIA will also continue in the evaluation of the impact of their Alliance-developed products including the effects of the Laser Safety training program and provide the results to OSHA. Lastly, LIA will continue outreach efforts by inviting OSHA to participate at the annual Laser Manufacturing Equipment Conference and Exposition.

    Report prepared by: Morgan Seuberling, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 11, 2014.