Roadway - Alliance Annual Report - March 17, 2008


ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance
March 17, 2008


  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    January 25, 2007

    Overview

    Signatories of the Alliance are:

    • American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)
    • Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)
    • International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
    • Laborers' International Union of North America (LHSFNA)
    • National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA)
    • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

    Through the Alliance, OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners are working together to provide the Alliance Program participants and other government and non-government organizations with information, guidance and access to training resources to help protect employees, including Spanish-speaking, and other high-risk or vulnerable "hard-to-reach" workers, from general health and safety hazards and reduce and prevent exposures to roadway work zone safety and health hazards. The Alliance particularly focuses on flagger safety, safer deployment of traffic control devices, positive protection, night work, work zone speeding and runovers/backovers.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:  
       
    Todd Briggs
    Stew Burkhammer
    Cathy Cronin
    Lisa Ramber
    Danezza Quinterro
    Camille Villanova
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Office of Construction Services (OCS)
    Directorate of Training and Education
    OOSA
    OCS
    OCS
       
    NIOSH:  
       
    Jennifer Beaupre
    David Fosbroke
     
       
    The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition:
       
    Brian Deery
    Don Elisburg
    Gary Fore
    Walter Jones
    Robert Laramore
    Omar Lopez
    Michelle Myers
    Travis Parsons
    Emmett Russell
    Brad Sant
    Scott Schneider
    AGC
    NAPA
    NAPA
    LHSFNA
    ARTBA
    ARTBA
    AGC
    LHSFNA
    IUOE
    ARTBA
    LHSFNA
       
    Guests:
       
    Chung Eng Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
     

    Evaluation Period

    January 25, 2007 – January 24, 2008

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    January 25, 2007
    February 21, 2007
    March 15, 2007
    March 23, 2007
    March 26, 2007
    July 31, 2007
    September 14, 2007
    September 18, 2007
    November 15, 2007
    December 18, 2007
    Alliance Kick-Off Implementation Team Meeting
    Design for Safety Workgroup Meeting
    Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting
    2007 NAOSH Week Planning Conference Call
    Implementation Team Meeting
    Implementation Team Meeting
    2008 NAOSH Week Planning Conference Call
    Design for Safety Workgroup Meeting
    Implementation Team Meeting
    2008 NAOSH Week Planning Conference Call
     

    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from each organization, Todd Briggs and Don Elisburg, spoke regularly to discuss and plan the activities of the Alliance.

  3. Results

    1. Products and Events

      Training and Education Goal

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs on work zone safety and health issues targeted to Spanish-speaking and other high-risk or vulnerable "hard-to-reach" highway construction contractors/workers, including toolbox talk modules and instructor manuals for train-the-trainer programs.

      Products

      Toolbox Talks: Ladder Safety

      Through the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable's Fall Protection Workgroup, members of The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners reviewed and provided feedback on the following toolbox talks focusing on ladder safety:

      • Choosing the Right Ladder
      • Inspect Ladders Carefully!
      • Do's and Don'ts of Using a Ladder
      • Set Up and Use of a Ladder
      • Extension Ladder Safety
      • Using a Stepladder Safely

      The toolbox talks were finalized in October 2007 and are linked from the Alliance Program Participants Developed Products Web page to the National Work Zone Information Clearinghouse Web site.

      Draft Excavation Tool

      Brad Sant of ARTBA reviewed and provided feedback on OSHA's draft electronic excavation tool which will be incorporated into the Roadway Work Zone Awareness Training Program. The tool calculates the dimensions needed for an excavation after information on the soil type and the excavation's depth, width and length have been inputted into the program.

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's, NIOSH's and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners members' Web sites.

      Products

      Internal Traffic Control Plans Brochure

      The Alliance promoted and distributed copies of the "Internal Traffic Control Plans" brochure which provides constructive steps for controlling the flow of vehicles within a construction work site. The brochure, developed through the concluded OSHA and Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition Alliance, was posted in November 2007 to the National Work Zone Information Clearinghouse Web site and a link to the document was added to the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site.

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition Alliance Web Page

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site was developed and continues to be updated with information on the Alliance, products and resources, activities and events, and milestones and successes.

      Draft OSHA Night Work Quick Card

      The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners reviewed and provided feedback on the draft OSHA Night Work QuickCard. The Quickcard explains that working at night increases the potential for a variety of unseen hazards and provides safety tips for employers and employees on night work-related safety and health topics, including, personal protective equipment, lighting, traffic controls, struck-by moving vehicles and tripping. The product will be finalized and posted to OSHA's Web site in May 2008.

      Publications and Newsletters

      Information and news releases on the signing and activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance have appeared in publications produced by OSHA, including the Agency's news releases and Alliance Quarterly Review (AQR). Information on the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance has also been published in a number of safety and health print and electronic publications such as ARTBA News, Asphalt Contractor, Construction News, Midwest Construction, Pavement Tailgate Talk, PR Newswire, Roads and Bridges, and The Daily Reporter. Please see the chart in this report under "Alliance Program Reach" for additional information.

      Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades Safety and Health Topics Page

      The following members of the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners are serving on the editorial board of OSHA's Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades Safety and Health Topics page:

        • Travis Parsons, LIUNA
        • Emmett Russell, IUOE
        • Brad Sant, ARTBA
        • Scott Schneider, LIUNA
        • Jerry Teeler, ARTBA
      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's, NIOSH's or The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners' conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the Public Works Association meetings.

      Construction Roundtable's Fall Protection and Design for Safety (DFS) Workgroups, Department of Labor, February 1, 2006, Washington, DC

      During the reporting period, the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable's Fall Protection and DFS Workgroups held a number of meetings at DOL in Washington, DC. Travis Parsons, Walter Jones and Scott Schneider, LHSFNA, participated in the Workgroup meetings which focused on the development of construction-related outreach products for employers and employees.

      The Fall Protection Workgroup developed a number of products including:

      • Fall Protection Safety Tip Sheets for Employers and Employees
      • "Fall Hazard Awareness for the Construction Industry" training course
      • Toolbox talks focusing on ladder safety

      The DFS Workgroup is working on a number of projects and developed a number of products including:

      • General slide presentation on "Designing for Safety"
      • "Washington Group International Designs and Builds a Mixed-Waste Treatment Facility" case study
      • "Design for Safety" Web site
      • Developing a Design for Safety Training Course and an OSHA 10 Hour Course for engineers

      Events

      National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), April 2-6, 2007

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported and promoted National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 2-6, 2007. The event, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), brought national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. The theme for the 2007 event was "Signs of Change." The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site links to FHWA's NWZAW Web page on the Department of Transportation's Web site.

      Workers' Memorial Day (WMD), April 28, 2007

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported and promoted Workers' Memorial Day, which was sponsored by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and other trade unions, to recognize workers who have been killed or injured on the job. The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site links to the WMD Web page on AFL-CIO's Web site.

      2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 6-12, 2008

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners helped to support and promote 2007 NAOSH Week by participating in a 2007 NAOSH Week supporter conference call and posting information on the event to the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. NAOSH Week is an annual event sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), another Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). The goal of the Week is to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public and all partners in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace.

      NAPA Midyear Meeting, Environment Safety and Plant Operations Committee Meeting, August 21, 2007, Amelia Island, Florida

      On August 21, 2007, Don Elisburg delivered an update on the activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance to 50 people at the NAPA's Environment Safety and Plant Operations Committee meeting that was held during the association's Midyear Meeting in Amelia Island, Florida.

      "Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day," October 10, 2007

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported and promoted "Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day" which was sponsored by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The goal of the day was to achieve one full day of zero traffic deaths on the nation's roadways. The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site links to event's information from the NHTSA Web page on DOT's Web site.

      InterTraffic North America Conference, Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, October 10-12, 2007, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

      On September 10-12, 2007, representatives from OSHA's Region IV Fort Lauderdale, Florida Area Office staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at ARTBA's InterTraffic North America Conference on October 10-12, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. OSHA staff distributed copies of the Agency's compliance assistance and cooperative program materials, including the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Alliance Activities Summary.

      2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-12, 2008

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance is joining more than 40 other Alliance Program participants to support and promote 2008 NAOSH Week, May 4-12. During the reporting period, a link was added to the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site from the 2008 NAOSH Week Web page on ASSE's Web site. The theme for the Week is "Safety is Good Business." The goal of the Week is to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public and all partners in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace.

      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners and through OSHA or The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, lectures (or any other applicable forum).

      Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program

      The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners updated the Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program to include a version in Portuguese and incorporated the roadway work zone information from the "Internal Traffic Control Plans" brochure, which was developed by the concluded OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition Alliance. The updated program was provided to OSHA's Directorate of Construction (DOC) for distribution to OSHA staff including Compliance Assistance Specialists.

      • Promote and encourage The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition members' and their affiliates' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

        During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      • Encourage The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners members and/or affiliates to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices and NIOSH's Research Divisions to address work zone safety and health issues, including flagger safety, night work, work zone speeding and runovers/backovers.

      NIOSH's Prevention Through Design (PtD) Workshop, July 9-11, Hilton Hotel, 2007, Washington, DC

      Members of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance implementation team participated in the NIOSH PtD Workshop, Construction Sector, on July 9-11, 2008 in Washington, DC. During the meeting, the participants discussed why good design of equipment, tools, structures, processes and operations is critical to business success. The group identified opportunities and barriers, and developed recommendations on designing for safety in the construction industry.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.

      "Washington Group International Designs and Builds a Mixed-Waste Treatment Facility" Case Study

      Through the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable DFS Workgroup, members of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance implementation team reviewed and provided feedback on OSHA's case study, "Washington Group International Designs and Builds a Mixed-Waste Treatment Facility." The case study describes how the Washington Group International, Inc. (known as the Washington Division of URS Corporation) incorporated its design for safety process into the construction of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility in eastern Idaho. The case study is linked to the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page from the OSHA Case Study and Success Stories Web page on OSHA's Web site.

    2. Executive Summary

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance continues to work together to provide the roadway work zone industry and others with information, guidance and access to training resources that help protect employees from roadway work zone safety and health hazards. For example, members of the Alliance implementation team are sharing their work zone safety and health expertise by serving on the editorial board of OSHA's Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades Safety and Health Topics Page. Members of the Alliance implementation team also reviewed and provided feedback on OSHA's draft Night Work QuickCard and a draft electronic excavation tool which will be incorporated into the Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program.

      OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners worked together to support and promote several awareness campaigns including:

      • 2007 NAOSH Week
      • National Work Zone Awareness 2007
      • "Put the Brakes on Fatalities" Day 2007
      • 2008 NAOSH Week
      • National Work Zone Awareness 2008
      • Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day 2008

      In addition, a number of presentations were made at conferences and meetings promoting the activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance, including Don Elisburg's presentation at NAPA's Midyear meeting on August 21, 2008 in Amelia Island, Florida. Further, Region IV with exhibited at ARTBA's InterTraffic Conference in October 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

      Lastly, members of the implementation team attended the Alliance Program Construction Roundtable's Fall Protection and DFS meetings at the DOL in Washington, DC to develop construction-related outreach products for employers and employees.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)

      Number of Individuals Reached or Trained

      January 25, 2007, "AGC, OSHA and NIOSH Partner to Protect Highway Workers"

      Construction News

      Data not available

      January 26, 2007, "ARTBA, Construction Industry Allies, Federal Government & Labor Groups Sign Roadway Work Zone Safety Agreement"

      ARBTA News

      Data not available

      January 30, 2007, "Alliance to Protect U.S. Road Workers"

      Daily Commercial News

      Data not available

      January 31, 2007, "OSHA Signs New Alliance with Roadway Safety and Health Partners, NIOSH is also part of Alliance"

      OSHA News Release

      69 News Services

      January 31, 2007, "OSHA Signs New Alliance with Roadway Safety and Health Partners, NIOSH is Also Part of Alliance"

      Custom Home Online

      Data not available

      February 1, 2007, "Latest OSHA Alliance Activity"

      Travelers Risk Control

      Data not available

      February 2, 2007, "OSHA Signs New Alliance"

      ChicagoLand Construction News

      Data not available

      February 2, 2007, "ARTBA, Others Sign Roadway Work Zone Safety Agreement"

      Aggregates Manager Breaking News

      Data not available

      February 5, 2007, "New Alliance Targets Roadway Work Zone Safety, Health Hazards"

      Occupational Health & Safety Magazine

      Data not available

      February 5, 2007, "NAPA Renews Work Zone Safety Alliance"

      Roads and Bridges

      Data not available

      February 8, 2007, "OSHA Signs Roadway Safety Alliance"

      The Daily Reporter

      Data not available

      February 19, 2007, "On the Road . . . New Work Zone Safety Protection for Employees"

      CCH Safety NetNews

      Data not available

      February 23, 2007, "On the Road . . . New Work Zone Safety Protection for Employees"

      Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

      Data not available

      March 5, 2007, "ARTBA, AGC, NAPA, Labor Groups and Federal Government Join Forces"

      Asphalt Contractor, Industry News

      Data not available

      March 5, 2007, "Groups Partner to Protect Highway Workers"

      Construction News

      Data not available

      March 29, 2007, "OSHA to Support 2007 Campaign to Protect Highway Employees"

      OSHA News Release

      69 News Services

      March 29, 2007, "OSHA to Support 2007 Campaign to Protect Highway Employees"

      PR Newswire

      Data not available

      March 30, 2007, "OSHA to Support 2007 Campaign to Protect Highway Employees"

      Pavement Tailgate Talk

      Data not available

      March 2007, "AGC, OSHA and NIOSH Partner to Protect Highway Workers"

      CONCRETE Monthly

      Data not available

      April 2, 2007, "Tip of the Week - OSHA will participate in National Work Zone Awareness Week 2007, April 1 to 7"

      Occupational Health and Safety E-news

      Data not available

      April 3, 2007, "Campaign to Protect Highway Employees to be Supported by OSHA"

      OSHA Outreach Training

      Data not available

      April 2007, "OSHA Alliances Renewed"

      OSHA Up To Date

      Data not available

      Summer 2007, "OSHA Alliance Programs Pursue Educational Goals"

      Life Lines

      Data not available

      August 2007, "Mastering the Safety Message"

      Colorado Construction

      Data not available

      August 21, 2007, NAPA Midyear Meeting, Amelia
      Island, Florida

      Speaker:
      Don Elisburg, NAPA /td>

      50

      September 2007, "Mastering the Safety Message"

      Midwest Construction

      Data not available

      October 10-12, 2007, InterTraffic North America Conference, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

      OSHA Region IV Exhibited

      1,600

      OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Web page

      8,566

      OSHA Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades Safety and Health Topics Page

      8,566

      TOTAL

      18,782

    4. Upcoming Milestones

      During the second year of the Alliance, the implementation team will be working on a number of compliance assistance projects, activities and programs. For example, the Alliance implementation team is working to add a new module to the Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program focusing on runovers/backovers and enhancing the module on trenching by adding an electronic tool that calculates the dimensions of an excavation after information on the soil type and the excavation's depth, width and length have been inputted into the program.

      Members of the Alliance's implementation team will be speaking at a number of conferences and meetings to promote the Alliance in the upcoming year, including the 18th Annual Construction Safety Conference and Exposition, February 12-14, 2008 in Rosemont, Illinois; AGC's Annual Meeting on March 10-14, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada; and ARTBA's InterTraffic Conference in October 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. Members of the Alliance will also continue to participate in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable's Fall Protection and DFS Workgroups to develop compliance assistance and training materials for employers and employees in the construction industry.

      In addition, Alliance representatives will continue to serve on the editorial board of the Agency's Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, Barricades Safety and Health Topics page and will be added the editorial board of OSHA's Construction Safety and Health Topics page.

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance is working with other Alliance Program participants such as the National Safety Council, the Independent Electrical Contractors and the American Heart Association to promote and support 2008 NAOSH Week, May 4-10. In addition, the Alliance will support and promote other national outreach campaigns in 2008 such as National Work Zone Awareness Week, "Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day," and Workers Memorial Day.

      The Alliance will also promote the "Internal Traffic Control Plans" brochure which is available on the National Work Zone Information Clearinghouse.

      Lastly, the Alliance will explore developing Hispanic employee fatality-related case studies and safety tips sheets focusing on runovers/backovers and blind spots in 2008 and conduct an outreach campaign focusing on the importance of roadway work zone safety.

    Report prepared by: Todd Briggs, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, March 17, 2008