Atlanta Region - Alliance Annual Report - December 9, 2024

U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Atlanta Regional Office
61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Room 6T50
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
(404) 562-2300; Fax (404) 562-2295

OSHA, Consul General of Guatemala in Atlanta
Region IV Alliance Annual Report

December 9, 2024

  1. Alliance Background

    1. Date Signed

      October 23, 2012

      Renewal Date

      March 15, 2016

    2. Evaluation Period:

      January 1, 2023, through December 1, 2024

    3. Overview:

      The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Consul General of Guatemala in Atlanta formed an Alliance to provide Guatemalan workers throughout the southeast with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety and allow them to exercise their rights fully.

    4. Implementation Team Membership and Contributors:

      The implementation team included representatives from OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area and Regional Offices, as well as the Consul of Guatemala.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    During this period, the Alliance members met and/or communicated virtually or in-person.

  3. Results of Alliance Activities in Support of Agreement Goals

    Dissemination: Alliance Program participant shared information on OSHA-developed or OSHA Alliance Program-developed tools and resources, OSHA standards/rulemakings, enforcement, or outreach campaigns.

Dissemination
Dissemination Type Date Description Emphasis Area(s)* Number Reached (numeric value)
Dissemination/Outreach Ongoing during this period During this period, representative from OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office, the US DOL – ETA, Worker Advocate Groups, and State Monitor Advocates met to address concerns facing immigrant workers, such as housing and heat illness prevention. The group also met to plan the 2025 Agricultural Seminar in December 2024. Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker, and Small Business

400+ attendees
Dissemination/Outreach 09/2024
10/17/24		 During this period, representatives from the Alliance group including OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office, and the Consulate of Guatemala participated in the following meetings:
  • Independence Celebration of Central America.
  • Orgullo Pride Celebration at Atlanta City Hall
 Hispanic/ Latino Worker, and Small Business

100+ attendees
Dissemination/Outreach Ongoing during this period During this period, Representatives from the Alliance group including OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office, and the Consulate of Mexico participated in meeting with the EMPLEO. Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker, and Small Business

50+ attendees
Dissemination/Outreach Ongoing during this period Representatives from the Alliance group participated in the Georgia Farmworkers Taskforcei meetings. The Farmworker Taskforceii consist of a wide range of government agencies, community groups, as well as diplomatic representatives. Hazard Communication/ Chemicals, Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker, and Small Business

100+ attendees

Outreach Events and Training for non-OSHA Staff: Alliance Program participant or OSHA participation in events, which includes speeches/presentations, exhibits, roundtables, conferences, informational webinars or other meetings or training in support of the Alliance or an OSHA initiative.

Outreach Events and Training for non-OSHA Staff
Activity Type Date Event Name Representative Name and Affiliation Title Of Presentation, if applicable City State Emphasis Area(s)* Number Reached (numeric value)
Dissemination/Training 02/2024 Record-keeping/ Heat Illness Prevention Training OSHA staff from the Atlanta-West Area Office

During this period, representatives from OSHA worked collaboratively with Wage & Hour Division (WHD), ETA, and State Monitor Advocates to provide the Alliance group with training focused on the following:

1) H2A program; 2) OSHA recordkeeping requirements; and 3) heat illness prevention.

 Macon, Athens, and Tifton GA Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

100+ attendees
Dissemination/Training 08/2024 Worker’s Rights OSHA staff from the Atlanta-West Area Office During this period, representatives from OSHA and WHD provided the Alliance group and members of CASA, a local worker’s advocate organization, with training regarding worker’s labor rights. Atlanta GA Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

100+ attendees
Dissemination/Training August 26 thru 30, 2024 Annual Labor Rights Week OSHA Staff from both the Atlanta-East and West Area Offices During this period, OSHA staff from both the Atlanta-East and West Area Offices supported the Labor Rights Week event coordinated by the Consulate of Guatemala in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta GA Fall Prevention, Chemicals, Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

100+ attendees
Dissemination/Training 09/2024 Webinars/ Facebook Live Sessions Marilyn Velez, CAS – Atlanta-West Area Office During this period, webinars and Facebook Live sessions were conducted in Spanish, for the consulate staff and others, which focused on the following topics: Preventing Falls in the Construction Industry; Worker’s Rights for Vulnerable Worker; Suicide Prevention; Worker Memorial Day; and Heat Illness Prevention. Atlanta GA Worker Rights, Fall Prevention, Chemicals, Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

100+ attendees
Dissemination/Training 09/2024 Health Expo OSHA Atlanta- West Area Offices During this period, representatives from the OSHA Atlanta-West Area Office staffed an exhibit table at the Latin American Association in Atlanta, Georgia. During the event OSHA outreach material was distributed and worker rights issues were addressed. Atlanta GA Fall Prevention, Chemicals, Heat Illness Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

250 attendees
Dissemination/Training 10/2/24 Interview with NotiVision (local Hispanic newspaper/ podcast) OSHA Atlanta- West Area Offices During this period, an OSHA representative from the Atlanta-West was interviewed by NotiVision, which is a local Hispanic newspaper/podcast. The interview focused on promoting the October 10, 2024, Silica Work Group Seminar, conducted by the Area Office, and the prevention of worker exposure to engineered stone. Atlanta GA Chemicals, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

1,000+ Impacted
Dissemination/Training 10/10/24 Silica Work Group Seminar OSHA Atlanta- West Area Offices During this period, the Alliance group supported the Silicosis Work Group, to preventing silicosis among engineered stone workers. This event represented a collaborative effort between fabrication businesses, industry stakeholders, government officials, policymakers, public health professionals, insurance providers, OSHA, and NIOSH. Atlanta GA Chemicals, Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

1,000+ Impacted
Dissemination/Training 10/16/24
10/28/24
12/10/24
12/13/24

First Georgia Multicultural Domestic Violence Candles Vigil

National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project (NIWAP)

 OSHA Atlanta- West Area Offices

During this period, an OSHA representative from the Atlanta-West Area Office and members of the Alliance group supported the following activities:

1) First Georgia Multicultural Domestic Violence Candles Vigil in recognition of the 92 victims of domestic violence in 2023.

2) Planning meeting for a discussion focused on OSHA’s U and T Visa Certification Program the victim’s advocate community.

3) Seminar for the Victim Advocate’s Community of Practice at the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project (NIWAP).

 Atlanta GA Hispanic/ Latino Worker and Small Business

100+ attendees

Report Prepared by: Tom Bosley, Region IV Alliance Coordinator

i The Georgia Farmworker Task Force is an advocacy group lead by the Farmworker Rights Division of the Georgia Legal Services. They advocate and represent farmworkers who are working and living unsafely because their employer is violating regulations in place to protect them. This group visits farms to inform workers of their rights; they also provide legal representation and inform the members of potential violations of existing laws. The Federal Agencies belonging to this group are there to provide resources and clarification of their regulations/jurisdictions/limitations and the non-profit organizations and Consulates are usually receiving employees’ complaints because the workers feel more comfortable speaking to them than a government agency.

ii Members of the Farmworker Taskforce consisted of the following: Georgia Legal Services Program; Tapestry / Anti-Human Trafficking Program; Southern Poverty Law Center; Justice for Migrant Women; Emory University Nursing School; Medical College of Augusta; Farmworker Association of Florida; United Farm Workers (UFW) Foundation; Mexican Consulate of Atlanta; El Salvador Consulate of Atlanta; Honduras Consulate of Atlanta; Guatemala Consulate of Atlanta; USDOL OSHA; USDOL Wage & Hour Division; and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.