Region 3 - Alliance Annual Report - January 13, 2014

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
ALLENTOWN AREA OFFICE
LEHIGH VALLEY SAFETY COMMITTEE
A CONSORTIUM OF THE
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF THE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY
NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
January 13, 2014

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed:

    December 12, 2011

    Date Signed:

    December 10, 2013

    Alliance Overview:

    The Lehigh Valley Safety Committee is a consortium of organizations including business, labor and community leaders, which was developed to enhance safety knowledge for labor, management, academia and government for those who work in and around the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. The United States Department of Labor - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USDOL/OSHA) alliance provides members and others with information, training, guidance and access to OSHA resources, that will help them reduce the potential for workplace injury and illness.

    Special Note: This Alliance has been in place since October 4, 2005 and has experienced various changes in its membership and leadership, however, the foundation and mission of the Alliance has been constant. Over this past year, the active participation of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley has waned, in part due to a complete reorganization of the American Red Cross (and its many Chapters). Contact with the Chapter (American Red Cross) has been unsuccessful and as such no effort was made to have the organization renew (sign) the latest agreement. However, with the latest renewal, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) - Lehigh Valley Chapter has become a signatory member of this OSHA Alliance.

    Implementation Team Members (Principals)

    • Thomas Barnowski, Northampton Community College (NCC) - Chair
    • Lee Cunningham, West-Side Hammer Electric - Vice Chair
    • Heather Ehritz, NCC - Secretary
    • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local No. 375
    • Tyrone Reed, Alvin H. Butz, Inc.
    • Timothy Duncan, City of Allentown
    • Scott Parker, Brandenburg Industrial Service Company
    • Jennifer Kszak, NCC
    • Judith Rex, NCC
    • Karl Buesgen, Jr., Orlando Diefenderfer Electrical Contractor
    • Cynthia J. Mellen, PA/OSHA Consultation Program at Indiana University of PA
    • Bruce Everett - ASSE
    • Dominic Brignola - Global Loss Control - ASSE
    • Scott G. Shimandle, USDOL/OSHA - Allentown Area Office
    •  

  2. Implementation Team Meetings/Activities

    • January 22, 2013 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Northampton Community College (NCC) - Lipkin Theatre (Bethlehem, PA)
    • February 5, 2013 - Outreach Event - "Leading Indicators" - presented by Timothy Knapp of Global Advanced Metals, followed by Safety Alliance Committee meeting at Northampton Community College (NCC) - Fowler Center (Bethlehem, PA)
    • March 12, 2013 - Outreach Event - "Stress Management" - presented by Timothy Duncan, City of Allentown, followed by Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Fowler Center
    • April 9, 2013 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Lipkin Theatre
    • May 14, 2013 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Lipkin Theatre, trial run for Workshop
    • May 16, 2013 - Outreach Event - "The Impact and Realities of a Workplace Fatality", multiple presenters - Federal and Local Responders, Insurance, Legal, Medical, and Private Employers at NCC - Lipkin Theatre
    • June 18, 2013 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Fowler Center
    • August 20, 2013 - Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Fowler Center
    • Sept. 17, 2013 - Outreach Event - "Globally Harmonized System" presented by Dominic Finocchio of Smooth-On Inc., followed by Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC - Fowler Center
    • Oct. 9, 2013 - Outreach Event - "Mid-Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center" - presented by Mid-Atlantic Construction Safety Council representative - Frank Baxter of Skanska USA, followed by Safety Alliance Committee meeting at NCC -Fowler Center
    • Nov. 7, 2013 - Outreach Event - "Workplace Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Incident Management" - presented by John Kalynych, Lehigh County Special Operations Team Coordinator and Thomas Barnowski of NCC at NCC (College Center, Bethlehem, PA)
    • Dec. 10, 2013 - Renewal signing

     

  3. Activities and Products

    Evaluation Period.

    December 11, 2011 through December 11, 2013.

    Alliance Activity.

    • Training and Education
      1. February 5, 2013 -"Leading Indicators". An overview of what most employers evaluate (lagging indicators), and why there is value in identifying, tracking and trending leading indicators. Good leading indicator management can aid in early detection and prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. The presentation was conducted by the Timothy Knapp, Global Safety, Health, and Environmental Manager for Global Advanced Metals.
      2. March 12, 2013 - "Stress Management". This presentation focused on stress - causes and methods of reducing it! This discussion was facilitated by Timothy Duncan, Loss Control Manager for the City of Allentown.
      3. May16, 2013 -"The Impacts and Realities of a Workplace Fatality". This Workshop focused on the ramifications of a workplace fatality. The program included perspectives from internal and external response, regulatory organizations and legal bodies. The event then concluded with a panel discussion featuring individuals who have experienced workplace fatalities firsthand. (See Results Section below for additional information).
      4. September 17, 2013 - "Globally Harmonized System". An overview of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 2012 and its changes. Program was presented by Dominic Finocchio, Sr. Chemist for Smooth-On Inc.
      5. October 9, 2013 - "Mid-Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center". An overview of the OSHA Ed Centers courses, programs, locations and trainers. Discussion led by Frank Baxter of Skanska USA and a member of the Mid-Atlantic Construction Safety Council.
      6. November 7, 2013 - "Workplace Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Incident Management - Incident Command System for Business". This mini workshop was an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and took elements of the NIMS courses (#100 and #700) and was tailored for Business and Industry. This workshop was presented by John Kalynych, Lehigh County Special Operations Team Coordinator and Thomas Barnowski of NCC.
    • Outreach and Communication

      See comments above for Training and Education

    • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health

      No national events were held during this time frame. However, Northampton Community College (NCC) continues to post information on the OSHA Alliance and each of the upcoming free events 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 events not only within the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, but also globally. Additionally, many of the members and attendees are affiliated with various other professional and business organizations, and pass these events along to their contacts. Associations include but are not limited to: the American Society of Safety Engineers - a new signatory member, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Home Builders Associations, National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker Unions, Local Nos. 375 and 1600.

      Alliance Products.

      • Training and Education
      • Outreach and Communication
      • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health

      The products developed during this evaluation period include numerous PowerPoint presentations and curriculum (including lesson plans) for the "Impacts and Realities of a Workplace Fatality" and "Workplace Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Incident Management - Incident Command System for Business". The PowerPoint presentations were developed by each of the presenters, as well as flyers which were used to announce/register for these events. The curriculum (and corresponding lesson plans) were developed by NCC. 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 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 many meetings held over the last year and the numerous participants that benefitted from the varied safety and health discussions at each of the meetings (listed above in Section II - Implementation Team Meetings/Activities).

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Leading Indicators 25
    Stress Management 15
    Impacts and Realities of a Workplace Fatality 120
    Globally Harmonized System - HazCom 2012 30
    Mid-Atlantic OSHA Institute Training Education Center 14
    Workplace Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Incident Management - Incident Command System for Business 27
    TOTAL 231

    The "Impacts and Realities of a Workplace Fatality" event was noted in the DOL Newsletter, dated May 30, 2013. http://www.dol.gov/_sec/newsletter/2013/20130530.htm

    Preventing Workplace Fatalities

    Nearly 5,000 workers nationwide died in 2011 as a result of fatal injuries from work-related incidents. Examining the impact of workplace fatalities on businesses and communities was the focus of a full-day training session hosted by the Lehigh Valley Safety Committee earlier this month in Bethlehem, Pa. Approximately 125 professionals from regulatory agencies, law enforcement, business, labor and academia participated in a scenario simulating a workplace accident at a plant that resulted in employee fatalities, and also discussed proper responses and prevention. The training was developed through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's alliance with the Lehigh Valley Area Labor Management Council, which was established in 2005 to foster safer and more healthful workplaces.

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    The Lehigh Valley Safety Committee is currently working on an all-day Safety Expo. This event will be held at the main campus of Northampton Community College, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is scheduled to be held on May 15, 2014. Current plans are to have several training "tracks" including, PA Certified Safety Committee Training, HealthCare, Hazard Recognitions and Control, Emergency Planning and Environmental. The actual topics for each safety track had not yet been finalized.

    Efforts will continue to include a safety topic at each of the Safety Committee meetings.

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 www.osha.gov.