Roadway - Alliance Annual Report - March 25, 2009

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance
March 25, 2009

  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 (LIUNA)
    • 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 Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    *Stew Burkhammer Office of Construction Services (OCS)
    **Lisa Ramber OOSA
    Danezza Quintero OCS
       
    NIOSH:  
       
    Jennifer Beaupre
    David Fosbroke
       
    The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners:
       
    Brian Deery AGC
    Don Elisburg NAPA
    Gary Fore NAPA
    Walter Jones LIUNA
    Omar Lopez ARTBA
    Howard Marks NAPA
    ***Michelle Myers AGC
    Travis Parsons LIUNA
    Emmett Russell IUOE
    Brad Sant ARTBA
    Scott Schneider LIUNA
       
    Guests:
       
    Chung Eng Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
    Susan Hollingsworth Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association
    Oliver Morris FHWA
     
    *Stew Burkhammer retired from OSHA in January 2008
    **Lisa Ramber left OSHA in August 2008
    ***Michele Myers left AGC in February 2009

    Evaluation Period

    January 25, 2008 – January 24, 2009

     
  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    January 30, 2008 Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Meeting
    March 19, 2008 Alliance Implementation Team Meeting
    April 22, 2008 Design for Safety (DFS) and Fall Protection Joint Workgroup Meeting
    July 18, 2008 Prevention of Falls Slide Presentation Workgroup Meeting
    September 18, 2008 DFS and Fall Protection Workgroup Meeting
    October 20, 2008 Prevention of Runovers/Backovers Workgroup Meeting
    November 6, 2008 Alliance Implementation Team Meeting

    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance Coordinators from each organization, including Don Elisburg, David Fosbroke and Brad Sant, spoke regularly with Todd Briggs 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

      Prevention of Runovers/Backovers Slide Presentation

      Through the OSHA Alliance Program, members of The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners, including Travis Parsons and Scott Schneider, reviewed and provided feedback on a draft slide presentation focusing on the prevention of runovers/backovers in roadway work zones. The presentation, to be finalized in the summer of 2009, will be posted to the Work Zone Information Clearinghouse and linked to from the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site.

      Prevention of Fall Fatalities and Injuries in Construction Slide Presentation

      Through the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable Fall Protection Workgroup, members of The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners, including Travis Parsons, reviewed and provided feedback on the "Prevention of Fall Fatalities and Injuries in Construction" slide presentation. The presentation focuses on the top causes of falls in the construction industry and provides fall prevention guidance for design engineers, contractors, and workers. The presentation is posted on the Design for Safety Web site and linked to from the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site.
       
      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop specific workplace safety and health curricula on roadway work zone safety and health hazards including flagger safety, safer deployment of traffic control devices, positive protection, night work, work zone speeding and runovers/backovers.

        During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
         
      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 motor vehicles within a construction work site. The brochure, developed through the concluded OSHA and Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition Alliance, is linked to from the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on the OSHA 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 the OSHA Web site continues to be updated with information on the Alliance, including products and resources, activities and events and milestones and successes.

      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 and Occupational Hazards. 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.

      Events

      CONEXPO-CON/AGG, March 11-15, 2008, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

      Representatives from OSHA's Office of Communications and Region IX staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth at CONEXPO-CON/AGG and distributed safety and health compliance assistance and cooperative program information, including the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Activities Summary document, to more than 500 people. Sponsored by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, an Alliance Program Participant, CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the world's largest international gathering for the construction and construction materials industries, showcasing the latest equipment, services and technologies.

      National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 7-11, 2008

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported and promoted National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 7-11 2008. For example, ARTBA included information about the Week on the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse Web site, which provided links to roadway work zone safety-related materials such as posters and brochures. The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site linked to the event’s Web page on the Department of Transportation’s Web site. The event, sponsored by FHWA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the American Traffic Safety Services Association, brought national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones.

      Workers’ Memorial Day, April 26, 2008

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported and promoted Workers’ Memorial Day. For example, LIUNA developed a Workers’ Memorial Day Resource List Web page on their Web site, which provided links to event-related information, such as posters and other resources, to assist in memorial outreach and support activities. In addition, the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site linked to the Worker Memorial Day Web site on the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Web site. The event was sponsored by the AFL-CIO and other trade unions, to recognize workers who have been killed or injured on the job.

      North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-12, 2008, "Safety is Good Business"

      The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance joined more than 50 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 the OSHA Web site from the 2008 NAOSH Week Web page on the ASSE Web site. The theme for the Week was "Safety is Good Business." 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. 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, July 29, 2008, Colorado Springs, Colorado

      On July 29, 2008, Don Elisburg delivered an update on the activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance to 80 people at NAPA’s Environment Safety and Plant Operations Committee meeting that was held during the association’s Midyear Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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

      Members of The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance supported 2008 Drug-Free Work Week, including NAPA, adding information about the Week to the association’s Web site. The OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Web page on the OSHA Web site also linked to the Drug-Free Work Week Web page on the DOL Web site. Sponsored annually by DOL’s Office of Working Partners, 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.

      Kansas Asphalt Pavement Conference, December 4, 2008, Lawrence, Kansas

      On December 4, 2008, Howard Marks delivered an update on the activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance to 50 people at the Kansas Asphalt Pavement Conference in Lawrence, Kansas.

      NAPA Safety and Health Committee Meeting, January 18-21, 2009, San Diego, California

      On January 18, 2009, Howard Marks delivered an update on the activities of the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance to 80 people at the NAPA Safety and Health Committee Meeting that was held during the association’s Mid Year Meeting in San Diego, California.
       
      • 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).

      Products

      Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program

      ARTBA and LIUNA updated the Roadway Safety Awareness Training Program to include new modules focusing on night work and emergency response. The updated program was provided to OCS for distribution to OSHA staff, including Compliance Assistance Specialists (CASs), to further promote the program to employers and workers in the construction industry.
       
      • 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.

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

      Roadway Work Zone Worker Fatality Case Studies

      Through the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance, a Workgroup was formed consisting of representatives from ARTBA and NIOSH to develop case studies focusing on roadway work zone-related fatalities. The Workgroup provided the Alliance Implementation Team with draft copies of the case studies for review and feedback and will work to finalize the documents before the summer of 2009. The documents, in both English and Spanish, will be posted to the National Work Zone Information Clearinghouse Web site and linked to from the OSHA Alliance Program Web page on the OSHA Web site.
       
      • Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on work zone safety and health issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues
         
      Events

      Construction Roundtable DFS and Fall Protection Joint Workgroup Meetings, Department of Labor (DOL), April 22, 2008 and September 18, 2008, Washington, DC

      In 2008, the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable’s DFS and Fall Protection Workgroups held individual and joint workgroup meetings at DOL in Washington, DC. Travis Parsons, Walter Jones and Scott Schneider participated in the workgroup meetings and reviewed and provided feedback on a number of construction-related outreach materials, including a slide presentation focusing on the prevention of fall fatalities and injuries in construction and another slide presentation focusing on the prevention of runovers/backovers in roadway work zones.
       
    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.

      OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners worked together to support and promote a number of national outreach campaigns in 2008 including:
       
      • National Work Zone Awareness Week
      • Worker Memorial Day
      • NAOSH Week
      • Drug-Free Work Week
         
      The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners will continue to update and disseminate the Roadway Work Zone Awareness Training Program and other construction-related outreach products and resources developed through the Alliance Program to workers in the construction industry. OSHA will continue to update the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Alliance Web page with Alliance-related information such as news releases, annual reports and milestones and successes.

      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 to 80 people at NAPA’s Midyear meeting on July 29, 2008 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

      Lastly, members of the implementation team participated in the Alliance Program Construction Roundtable’s Fall Protection and DFS meetings at DOL to develop construction-related outreach products for employers and employees, including slide presentations focusing of fall protection and designing for safety.
       
    3. Alliance Program Reach
       
      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Web page 3,559
      OSHA Highway Work Zones and Signs, Signals, and Barricades Safety and Health Topics Page 19,287
      December 4, 2008, Kansas Asphalt Pavement Conference, Lawrence, Kansas

      Speaker:
      Howard Marks, NAPA      		 50
      February 15, 2008, "Chronicling OSHA in 2007"

      Occupational Hazards      		 71,000
      March 11-15, 2008, CONEXPO-CON/AGG, Las Vegas, Nevada

      OSHA National Office and Region IX Exhibited      		 500
      April 7, 2008, "OSHA supports National Work Zone Awareness Week"

      OSHA News Release      		 69 News Services
       July 29, 2008, NAPA Midyear Meeting, Colorado Springs,
      Colorado

      Speaker:
      Don Elisburg, NAPA      		 80
      January 18-21, 2009, NAPA Safety and Health Committee Meeting, San Diego, California

      Speaker:
      Howard Marks, NAPA      		 80
      TOTAL 94,556

       
  4. Upcoming Milestones

    To build on the success of the Alliance’s first two years, the OSHA and The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners Alliance will be renewed in March 2009. To meet the goals of the renewed cooperative agreement, the Alliance Implementation Team will be working on a number of compliance assistance projects and activities. For example, members of the Alliance implementation team will be speaking at a number of conferences and meetings to promote the Alliance, including the Traffic Management and Work Zone Safety Conference, March 10-12 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Members of the Alliance Implementation Team will also continue to participate in the OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable’s Fall Protection and DFS Workgroup meetings to develop compliance assistance and outreach materials for employers and employees in construction. For example, the Construction Roundtable DFS and Fall Protection Subgroups are developing slide presentations, toolbox talks, safety tips sheets focusing on strains and sprains and case studies and success stories focusing on design for safety 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 Alliance representatives will also continue to update and disseminate the Roadway Work Zone Awareness Training Program and provide OSHA with copies for dissemination to Agency staff, including CASs.

    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 2009 NAOSH Week, May 3-9, "Safety Means Always Coming Home." In addition, the Alliance will support and promote other national outreach campaigns in 2009 such as National Work Zone Awareness Week and Drug-Free Work Week.

    Further, members of the Alliance Implementation Team will work to deliver a series of seminars for OSHA staff focusing on best practices in roadway work zones. 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 work to develop Hispanic employee fatality-related case studies and safety tips sheets focusing on runovers/backovers and blind spots in 2009 and conduct a potential 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 25, 2009