Region 2 - Alliance Annual Report - September 3, 2013

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Department of Professional Development and Continued Education of the Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of Puerto Rico (CIAPR),
US Department of Labor - OSHA, Puerto Rico Area Office (PRAO),
And
PR Department of Labor - Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PR-OSHA)

September 3, 2013

 

Frequent communication was held through e-mails and telephone calls with the Director of the Department of PD&CE – CIAPR.

  1. Alliance Background

     

    Date Signed

    September 9, 2004

    Renewed

    August 24, 2006
    October 27, 2008
    September 20, 2011

    Overview

    The purposes of this alliance are to improve workplace safety and health for workers in Puerto Rico and provide members of the CIAPR 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 hazards in the construction industry.

    Implementation Team Members

    Magal González, Director Department of Professional Development and Continued Education (DPD&CE), CIAPR

    Gladys Cruz Mercado, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health (PR OSHA) (through December 2012)

    Ilza S. Román, Director Voluntary Programs Division (PR OSHHA) (from January 2013).

    Madelline Medina, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Federal OSHA (PRAO)

    Contributors

    N/A

    Evaluation Period

    October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013

  2. Implementation Team Meetings
  3. Events and Products

     

    1. Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

       

      Goal 1: To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.

      • Events

         

        Seminars were offered through CIAPR or through other approved institutions/organizations on the following topics:

        • PR OSH Act (Law 16)
        • OSHA General Industry Standards and Compliance
        • Construction Standards
        • Steel Erection OSHA Standard
        • Safety and Health Awareness

       

      Goal 2: To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by holding the 1st CIAPR Occupational Safety and Health Week, through the CIAPR Institute of Industrial Engineers, for general and construction industries' workers and employers.

      • Events

         

        • This goal was achieved during 2011-2012 evaluation period.

       

    2. Training and Education

       

      Goal 1: To deliver or arrange for the delivery of general and construction industries' focused hazards courses, to deliver seminars on workers' rights and the responsibilities of employers, and to communicate such information to workers and employers.

      • Events

         

        • OSHA 10 hr Construction Industry Course
        • OSHA 30 hr Construction Industry Course
        • Accident Prevention and Evacuation Plan
        • Accident Prevention and Investigation on the Waterfront
        • Accident Investigation
        • Safety and Health for Contractors
        • Fall Protection and Prevention
        • Scaffolding Safety
        • 2011 National Electric Code Changes
        • Electrical Safety
        • Arc Flash Concepts
        • Tools and Electrical Equipment
        • Personal Protective Equipment
        • Construction Safety Optimization
        • Competent Person for Excavations
        • Protective Systems for Prevention of Cave-ins
        • Soils Mechanics for Dam Safety
        • The Concrete Workshop: Soil Classification and Density
        • Most Common Hazards in the Construction Industry
        • Heavy Construction Equipment Basics – Critical Lifting
        • Welding for Supervisors
        • Highway Workzone Safety
        • Basic Industrial Hygiene Concepts for Engineers
        • Industrial Hygiene I and II
        • Confined and Enclosed Spaces in Construction
        • Respiratory Protection Use in Confined Spaces (Construction)
        • Asbestos and Lead Program Management
        • Asbestos Worker
        • Asbestos Supervisor Refresher
        • Introduction to IAQ
        • Hazard Communication
        • Safety: Working with Chemicals
        • Hazardous Waste Operations/Refresher
        • Case Study on New Code for Building and Structure Designing to Sustain an Earthquake
        • Recordkeeping (OSHA 300)
        • Risk Assessment Techniques
        • Safety: Trades

       

    3. 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 CIAPR Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.

      • Events

         

        • Included several occupational safety and health articles in the CIAPR TecnoMundo e-newsletter. The e-newsletter is available through Internet to CIAPR members and the general public.

       

      Goal 2: Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s, PR-OSHA’s or the CIAPR’s local conferences and meetings, or other outreach or educational events.

      • Events

         

        • CIAPR Annual Convention and Assembly, August 2013
  4. Results

     

    CIAPR’s Continued Education Division, through this Alliance, continues to qualify training sessions offered by PRAO’s CAS as continued education. This allows the courses on safety and health topics to be taught to professional engineers (PE) and engineers-in-training (EIT), enhancing their awareness and knowledge of occupational hazards. CIAPR is also allowing EITs and PEs who attend safety and/or health seminars and courses outside the institutions to obtain CEUs, which can be credited against their licenses.

    In addition, CIAPR has continued to make the courses and seminars offered by PRAO available to professionals outside the CIAPR, expanding the Agency’s outreach efforts throughout the various industries. Over 6880 participants from the construction and general industries have attended safety and/or health topics since the initial signing of this Alliance in September 2004.

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

    Number of Individuals Trained
    III.A.1

    32
    III.A.2

    NA
    III.B.1

    979
    III.C.1

    500+
    III.C.2

    744
    TOTAL

    1655+

    *Please refer to Section III. Events and Products for details.

  5. Upcoming Milestones
    1. To continue offering seminar/training sessions on construction and general industry safety and health related topics through Federal OSHA that would allow licensed engineers to enhance their occupational safety and health hazards awareness, at the same time they comply with the CIAPR license renewal law requirements concerning continued education contact-hours.
    2. To renew the alliance during 1st Q FY 14.