Region 2 - Alliance Annual Report - February 18, 2014

THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PUERTO RICO AREA OFFICE,
THE PUERTO RICO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES
AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO RIO PIEDRAS CAMPUS
ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
February 18, 2014

  1. Alliance Background

    Original signing: January 22, 2004
    1st Renewal: April 3, 2006
    2nd Renewal: April 15, 2008
    3rd Renewal: September 30, 2010
    4th Renewal: December 18, 2012

    Overview
    To provide the Rio Piedras Campus of the UPR, through Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DECEP for its Spanish acronym), the Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety Office (OPASO for its Spanish acronym) and the Institute of Labor Relationships from the Faculty of Social Sciences (IRT for its Spanish acronym) with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to occupational health and safety hazards. This to be achieved through training and educational, outreach and communication, and promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health goals.

    Implementation Team Members
    From UPR-Rio Piedras Campus:
    Lymari Orellana - Director OPASO/ (Liaison)
    Migdalia Ruíz - DECEP
    Sandra Torres- IRT

    From Federal OSHA
    Madelline Medina - CAS

    From PR – OSHA
    Ilza Román

    Evaluation Period

    From September 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

     

    APPA Meetings

    • March 7, 2013 at PR Area Office (OSHA Federal), Guaynabo, PR
    • August 22, 2013 at PR Area Office (OSHA Federal), Guaynabo, PR
    • December 12, 2013 at PR Area Office (OSHA Federal), Guaynabo, PR
    • October 22, 2012 at OPASO Anexo Facundo Bueso, Rio Piedras, PR

  3. Events and Products


    Raising Awareness of OSHA’S Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

    • Events

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

      The University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus provided health and safety topics courses/lectures

      • A 10hr course on Construction Industry was offered to the Office of Planning and Physical Development of Campus at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, 25 employees attended the course.

      Goal 2: To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on construction, general and maritime industry hazards, including the psychosocial hazards such workplace violence, as well as emergency managements issues, and legal aspect focused on employees’ right under the OSH Act, to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

      • In June 21 and 22, 2012, participated in the PRMA Safety and Occupational Health Summit. A seminar on “Combustible dust hazards” was offered to a total of 38 participants.


    Training and Education


    Goal 1: To develop effective training and education program for employees, students and the general community regarding construction, general and maritime industry related hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.


    Goal 2: To develop effective training and education program for construction, general, and maritime employees and employers to promote understanding of workers’ rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers.

    Goal 3: To deliver or arrange for the delivery of the safety and health courses through the Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety of DECEP.

    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, PR OSHA’s and the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.

    Goal 2: To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s, PR OSHA’s or the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico conferences, local meetings, or other educational events.

    Goal 3: To share information among OSHA and PR OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professional regarding the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico’s good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshop, seminars, and lectures developed by the participants.

    Goal 4: To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on construction, general and maritime industries, that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

    • Events
      • Two 8hrs HAZWOPER refresher to a total of thirty-three people two sessions: (24 - April 29, 2013; nine people - November 20, 2013) were offered to personnel from the Emergency Management Office-Bayamon Municipality.
      • The University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus provided health and safety topics courses/lectures at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Institute of Labor Relations:
        • Faculty of Natural Sciences - during the second semester of the 2012-2013 academic year, as part of ongoing Course #CINA4995: Environmental Permitting Regulations and emergency response. A total of 40 undergraduate students attended the class.
        • Institute of Labor Relations –During the academic year 2012-2013, as part of ongoing Course # RELA3131: Occupational Health and Safety. A total of seventy-three (73) undergraduate students attended the class.
      • A 10hr General Industry course was offered to University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus employee (HEEND) on May 2013. A total of 28 participants attended the course.
      • All About OSHA Seminar was offered to University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus (Warehouse office) employee on September 2013. A total of 28 participants attended the seminar.
      • A Continuity of Operations (COOP) & Emergency Management Seminar was offered to University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus employee (51 employees) and general community (20 participants: private industries and government offices) on April 29, 2013. A total of 71participants attended the seminar.
      • One 10hrs General Industry course, attended by eight participants (continued education students) was offered in February 2013.
    • Events
      • During the commemoration of the Worker Memorial Day, a communication is prepared and sent to participants of the Alliance for distribution in the courses and seminars, as well as employees of the institution. To inform the community and the workforce from around the island 1621 e-mails were sent.
      • In June 20 and 21, 2013, participated in the PRMA Safety and Occupational Health Summit. A seminar on “New changes in the Hazard Communication Standard: Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals” was offered to a total of 25 participants.
      • No products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
      • The 4th Annual Safety and Health Conference of Puerto Rico coordinated by APPA offered two days conferences: “Safe and Healthy Environment: Rights for All”. The Conference took place October 25 and 26, 2012, at Camildas Convention Center, Yabucoa, PR. A total of 186 participants attended this activity.

  4. Results

    The UPR-Río Piedras Campus continues to be instrumental in promoting awareness and prevention of hazards associated with the construction, general and maritime industries. Through OPASO, it has also been actively involved in reaching out to safety and health professionals in an effort to advance their knowledge and academic preparation in occupational safety and health issues.

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

    Number of Individuals Trained

    Approx. Number of Individuals Reached
    General Industry Course (10 Hours) (MDC Guaynabo) 17 51
    New changes in the Standard Risk Communication: Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (PRMA Summit) 25 75
    HAZWOPER refresher training 8 hrs (OME Bayamón) 33 99
    Environmental Permitting Regulations and emergency response 40 120
    Occupational Safety and Health Class 73 219
    General Industry Course (10 Hours) (UPR-RP employee) 28 84
    All About OSHA 11 33
    Continuity of Operations (COOP) & Emergency Management Seminar 71 213
    General Industry Course (10 Hours) (DECEP) 8 24
    Worker Memorial Day e-mails 3000 5500

    SUB-TOTAL   

    		3306 6418
    APPA    
    4th Annual Safety and Health Conference of Puerto Rico 186 258

    TOTAL   

    		 3,492 6,676

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    • To hold the 5th Annual Safety and Health Conference of Puerto Rico (two-day event) in October 2014.
    • To address musculoskeletal health concerns in the office environment, will prepare a flyer or quick card on basic ergonomic concepts to be distributed among at least 50% of UPR employees by September 2014 (which would initially consists of approximately 2000 employees). This initiative could be extended to the University community as a whole, in the near future.
    • To renew alliance in December 2014.