ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
ALLENTOWN AREA OFFICE
LEHIGH VALLEY AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF THE GREATER LEHGH VALLEY
NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Known As
LEHIGH VALLEY SAFETY COMMITEE
December 13, 2010

1. Alliance Background
   
   Date Signed: December 14, 2009
   
   Date Renewed: Not Applicable at this time
   
   Alliance Overview.
   
   The Lehigh Valley Labor Management Council is an organization of business, labor and community leaders formed to improve relations between labor and management resulting in a positive image, economic growth, and improved quality of life for unions, companies, and the communities served in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The OSHA alliance will provide Council members and others with training, information, guidance and access to OSHA resources that will help them reduce workplace injury and illness.
   
   Implementation Team Members.
   
   Tyrone Reed, Alvin H. Butz
   Mike Tirrell, Lehigh Valley Area Labor Management Council
   Timothy Duncan, City of Allentown
   Jennifer Castellano, American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley
   Karl Buesgen, Jr., Orlando Diefenderfer Electrical Contractor, IBEW 375
   Lee Cunningham, West Side-Hammer Electric, IBEW 375
   Bob Fehnel, Independent Consultant
   Scott Parker, Brandenburg Industrial Service Company
   Andrew Kubick, IBEW 375
   Jacque Creamer, Jr., PPL Corporation
   Thomas Barnowski, Northampton Community College
   Judith Rex, Northampton Community College
   Christopher Moakley, Northampton County
   Robert Millet, Pa Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Mediation
   Cynthia J. Mellen, PA/OSHA Consultation Program at IUP
   Scott G. Shimandle, USDOL/OSHA Allentown Area Office
   Richard M. Fetzer, US EPA


2. Implementation Team Meetings/Activities
   
   January 11, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley (Bethlehem, Pa)
   January 22, 2010 - Phone conversation with several Alliance members for upcoming March event
   February 8, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at PPL Walbert Training Center (Allentown, Pa)
   February 25, 2010 - Phone conversation with Alliance members
   March 3, 2010 - Phone conversation with Alliance members
   March 8, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Lehigh Carbon County Community College (LCCC) (Schnecksville, Pa)
   March 16, 2010 - Outreach Event – "The True Cost of Safety" at Northampton Community College (NCC) (Gates Center - Main Campus, Bethlehem, Pa)
   March 22, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Alvin H. Butz, Inc. (Allentown, Pa)
   April 5, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center (Bethlehem, Pa)
   April 12, 201 - LVSC Flyer Brochure Subcommittee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   April 16, 2010 - Phone conversation with Pa Dept. of Labor and Industry – Worker Compensation Director/Chief – future presenter
   April 19, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Lehigh Carbon County Community College (LCCC)
   April 22, 2010 - LVSC Flyer Brochure Subcommittee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   May 3, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at DeSales University (Center Valley, Pa)
   May 10, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   May 17, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at DeSales University
   May 18, 2010 - Safety Expo at DeSales University
   June 14, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   July 12, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at PPL Walbert Training Center
   July 15, 2010 - Phone conversation with Dr. Celeste Saunders - HealthWorks (future presenter)
   August 16, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Alvin H. Butz, Inc.
   Sept. 13, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center (OSHA AAO CAS did not attend)
   Sept. 21, 2010 - Outreach Event – PA Worker Compensation Regulations at NCC – Gates Center
   Oct. 14, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   Nov. 15, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
   Dec. 13, 2010 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC – Fowler Center
    
3. Activities and Products
   
   Evaluation Period.
   
   December 15, 2009 through December 14, 2010.
   
   Alliance Activity.
    
   • Training and Education
    
   1. March 16, 2010 -"The True Cost of Safety" was a series of three presentations. The first speaker was Robert Pierce, who is the Manager, Pa Dept. of Labor and Industry, Certification Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Health and Safety Division, who discussed the importance and value (cost savings) for having a "PA Certified" Safety Committee. The second speaker was Andrew Gruber, who is a Senior Safety Consultant for The Graham Company. His presentation focused on Understanding the Financial Impact of Workplace Accidents, by breaking down the actual costs associated with injuries and how a company can calculate "how much" has to be "made" or "how many" "services need to be rendered" to make up the "cost" of the injury. The final presenter was, Barry Houck, Worker Compensation Risk Management Consultant for Eastern Insurance Holdings. Barry discussed Return to Work Programs and how having such a program can drive down the costs associated with workplace injuries.
   2. May 18, 2010 - Safety Expo III. This was our third Safety Expo which had fourteen different safety and health seminars coupled with approximately 30 safety, health and electrical safety equipment vendors. Presentations included: "Safety Behavior", "Drug and Alcohol Testing/Awareness", a "Vehicle Driving Simulator", "Stress Management", "Preparedness and Pandemic Influenza", "Safety and Health and the Aging Worker", "Incident Command System for Industry", "Emergency Action Plan Interface", "Work Zone Traffic Control", "NFPA-70E/Electrical Safe Work Practices", "Controlling Fleet Driver Awareness", "Motor Vehicle Driver Safety Program", "Safety Accountability and Goal Setting" and Pa Workplace Safety Committee Program (which included "Safety Committee Operations", "Hazard Identification" and "Accident Investigation"). Additionally, at the conclusion of this event, the AAO CAS presented "Health Hazards in Construction" to members of the IBEW.
   3. September 21, 2010 –"PA Worker Compensation Regulations" was yet another series of three presentations. In a follow-up role, Robert Pierce, Manager, Pa Dept. of Labor and Industry, Certification Bureau of Workers Compensation, Health and Safety Division, presented information on the need for strong Safety Committee, its structure and how to have it operate effectively. The next presenter was Deb Novakovich, RN, CPC/Chief Health Care Services Review of the PA Dept. of Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. She presented on the History of Workers' Compensation; Responsibility of all involved (provider, insurer, injured worker); and Provider Panels (are they worthwhile). The final speaker was Celeste Saunders, MD, FACEP, of HealthWorks Occupational Medicine – Lehigh Valley Health Network. She discussed Worker Compensation and the importance of "Partnering with Medical Providers". Her presentation focused on understanding the role of medical providers treating injured workers and understanding how medical providers and employers can work together to help maintain a safe workplace and minimize Workers Compensations injuries.
   • Outreach and Communication
     
     See comments above for Training and Education
   • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health
   No National Events held during this time frame. However it should be noted that Northampton Community College has posted information on the OSHA Alliance and each of the upcoming FREE Training Opportunities on their website at www.northampton.edu. Through the Community Colleges Center for Business & Industry – Public Safety & Emergency Services – Corporate Safety, an independent page has been established for the Lehigh Valley Safety Alliance. All businesses and individuals who attend (or attended) NCC courses within the Corporate Safety Program are provided frequent updates to promote the Workshops not only within the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, but globally.
   
   Additionally, many of the members and attendees are members of numerous and various other professional and business organizations, and pass these Workshops along to their contacts. Associations include but are not limited to: the American Society of Safety Engineers, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Home Builders Associations, National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union.
   
   Alliance Products
    
   • Training and Education
   • Outreach and Communication
   • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health
   
   The only products developed during this evaluation period were PowerPoint presentations that were developed by each of the presenters, as well as flyers which were used to announce/register for the various seminars and Safety Expo. At this time, these presentations have not yet been made available on a national level, unless an attendee or presenter either copied or shared their information with others – this information has not been requested or tracked.
    
4. Results
   
   A. The two seminars (‘The True Cost of Safety" and "PA Worker Compensation Regulations") resulted in some very interesting dialog between the presenters and the audience, as many questions and various scenarios were described and discussed, relative to individual workplaces. With respect to the presentation conducted by the Chief of Health Care Services Review for the PA Dept. of Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, many of the attendees had questions or comments relative to the rules or compensability and panel provider lists. Dr. Saunders presentation generated various discussions relative to the role and responsibilities of medical providers in Worker Compensation and the various strategies for effective partnering, including: the encouragement of facility walkthroughs, identification of workplace hazards, performing pre-work screening and physical examinations and the importance of functional job descriptions.
   
   The 3rd Safety Expo, as listed above had 14 different safety and health presentations conducted over the day. Many of the presentations, particularly those held in the morning hours were very well attended. As the day progressed the attendance began to fade, however, evaluations received from many of the participants were "Good" to "Excellent" and overall the comments received were very positive. This year, the Expo Evaluation Form had been revised and incorporated a listing of several various safety and health topics for the attendees to comment on as the Implementation Team begins to move forward to plan for future events.
   
   B. The table below lists each of the outreach activities and the number of individuals reached during the reporting period. NOTE: the table below does not include the various meetings held over the last year and the numerous participants that benefitted from the varied safety and health discussions at each of these meetings.
5. Upcoming Milestones
   
   The Lehigh Valley Safety Committee is currently working on a seminar to discuss "Safety Committee Survival in a Down Economy: Best Practices for Maintaining a Safe Workplace with a Limited Budget", which is scheduled for February 15, 2011.
   
   Additionally, the members have been actively preparing for the second full day Emergency Response Workshop, which is to be held on May 18, 2011 at Northampton Community College. The first workshop - "Road-to-Ready – Partnering for Emergency Preparedness" was held on May 20, 2009 and was a single day event in which a series of seminars where presented to the attendees. The topics included OSHA Hot Topics (Update on Regulations), OSHA’s Emergency Action Plans and Response Requirements, a detailed look at Emergency Action Planning, Emergency Response Responsibilities in Lehigh/Northampton Counties, Emergency Response Interface, Demonstration and Apparatus Review and a Panel Discussion. Next year’s event will be focused on "Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Protection of the Bottom Line through Personal Safety". Topics to be discussed include: OSHA regulations; PPE issues, concerns, limitations; Hazardous Material response issues; PPE Toolbox and Employer/Employee Expectation and Awareness. Additionally, there will be various PPE vendors who will be displaying and demonstrating the various protective equipment devices.
   
   Finally, beginning in 2011, the Implementation Team will begin re-evaluating its Mission Statement, objectives and goals and develop an action plan to address the needs of the group as a whole and the needs of each individual employer as well as the growth of this organization.
   
   Report Prepared by: Scott G. Shimandle, CAS Allentown Area Office
   
   For more information, contact the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances at 202-693-2340 or go to OSHA's webpage.