Region 3 - Alliance Annual Report - June 5, 2014

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
HARRISBURG AREA OFFICE, REGION III
AND
THE PENNSYLVANIA CHAMBER OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
June 5, 2014

 

 

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed:

    March 29, 2004

    Date Renewed:

    August 10, 2005; August 20, 2007; August 18, 2009; March 5, 2012

    Alliance Overview:

    The statewide Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry (Pa Chamber) is the largest broad-based business association in Pennsylvania and the second largest state Chamber in the United States. The Pa Chamber has over 10,000 customers; 82% being considered small employers with less than 100 employees and 1/3 of their members having less than 10 employees. By combining OSHA’s safety expertise with the broad base of employers who belong to the Pa Chamber, OSHA’s resources can be leveraged more effectively. Our common goal is to help employers through outreach, training and educational safety programs that they can take back to and implement at their individual work places.

    The Alliance between OSHA and the Pa Chamber provides a platform to reach small employers and provide necessary information, guidance, and access to training on a variety of safety regulations and best practices from the OSHA website. These are all resources that companies may not experience without these OSHA educational sessions which are organized and facilitated by the Pa Chamber.

    Implementation Team Members:

    • OSHA Members:
      • Kevin G. Kilp, USDOL/OSHA Harrisburg Area Office, Area Director.
      • Dale Glacken, USDOL/OSHA Harrisburg Area Office, Compliance Assistance Specialist.
    • Pa Chamber of Business and Industry Members:
      • Susan Smith, Director, Educational Services.
      • Don Holt, VP of Finance and Operations.

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    From March 5, 2013 till March 5, 2014: Numerous contacts (telephone conference calls and mail exchanges) were made to plan and prepare for each of the sessions. The actual planning for the 2013 events started prior to the evaluation period, so if pertinent, these earlier dates have also been included. The more notable contacts included:

    1. 2012 Oct 30: We matched presenter up with the possible topics for the 2013 conference. The Pa Chamber was to then follow up with the presenters to determine their availability.
    2. 2012 Nov 6: The Pa Chamber contacted the Area Directors and speakers to determine their availability and willingness to present.
    3. 2012 Nov 13: The Pa Chamber sent the draft agenda for review for the March 2013 round table.
    4. 2013 Jan 14: Planning call for the 2013: During the call we reviewed the details for the three half day round tables this year in March. We then continued to discuss the full day round table scheduled for, May 16, 2013 and discussed hot OSHA topics: OSHA will give the introductory presentation to address heat stress, the new Hazard Communication Standard-2012, regulatory agenda and the top 10 cited hazards. Steve High will be ask to present walking and working surfaces/fall protection. Other topics for the round table: Distracted Driving and Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2).
    5. Half Day Roundtable sessions were held throughout the Commonwealth: March 7, 2013 in Camp Hill, March 15, 2013 in Pittsburgh and March 27, 2013 in Valley Forge.
    6. 2013 Mar 20: We discussed creating a dedicated OSHA corner on the Pa Chambers monthly email distribution.
    7. 2013 May 16: The Full Day Roundtable was conducted.
    8. 2013 May 20: Began planning topics for the 2014 full day conference.

  3. Activities and Products

    Evaluation Period.

    March 5, 2013 through March 5, 2014

    Alliance Activity.

    • Training and Education:
    1. Spring Half Day, Ask OSHA Roundtables were held throughout the Commonwealth in March 2013. The first session was held in Camp Hill (Harrisburg area), Pa on March 7, 2013, followed by Pittsburgh on March 15, 2013 and ending in Valley Forge on March 27, 2013. Each session opened with information from the Pennsylvania Chamber followed by an OSHA updated from each of the OSHA Area Directors from each of their perspective jurisdictional areas. The CAS from the Harrisburg Area Office provided a boilerplate presentation to be used as a guide for the other area offices to assist in presentation uniformity.
      • The OSHA Update reviewed means for people to enter the OSHA staff utilizing Pathways, a review of the leadership in Region III, changes occurring at the National Office lever within the Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP), the current emphasis programs and ending with what is new in OSHA: fall hazards in construction, heat stress campaign, Hispanic outreach, deadlines for the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) new standard requirements, distracted driving, workplace violence and whistleblower protection.
      • Chuck Baker, Certified Safety Professional (CSP) with Inservco Insurance Services, Inc. presented, "complying with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard". Mr. Baker reviewed the elements of a compliant respiratory protection program, respiratory selection process, fit testing procedures, how to maintain a respirator, service life for cartridges and filters, what is needed to comply with the medical evaluation requirement, details for respiratory training and how to evaluate your respiratory protection program.
      • Steve Lane and Steve Pakosh, Health and Safety Training Specialists from the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation Health & Safety Division for the state of Pennsylvania presented on "Hazard Communication Regulations, the New Deadlines and Compliance with the Globally Harmonized System". During the presentations they described the key elements of the standard, need for new Safety Data Sheet (SDS), changes to labeling, why it is important to update the written program and training portions of the program to agree with the changed standard. What to do in an accident, deadlines for compliance and tips to manage these changes.
      • There were 180 people in attendance at the three locations. 87 in Harrisburg, 48 in Pittsburgh and 45 in Valley Forge.
    2. On May 16, 2013 the Pa Chamber held the Annual Workplace Safety Conference in Harrisburg, Pa.
      • OSHA provided an OSHA update including a review of: the whistleblower protection program, need to protect the temporary workers, the Fall 2012 unified agenda, heat stress campaign, revisions to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), review of the types of citations issued by OSHA, help available through OSHA Consultation and wrapping up the session with information about our OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Educational Centers.
      • Following the OSHA Update, David Campbell, Certified Safety Professional (CSP) for PPL Corporation reviewed, "Strategies to Manage Your Injury and Illness Prevention Programs". This session reviewed American National Standard Institutes (ANSI) Z-10.1, OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) 1989 guidelines and Health and Safety Advisory Services (OHSAS) 18001 Health and Safety Management System requirements to prepare attendees for the yet to be published Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2).
      • Mr. Steven High presented, "Complying with Walking Working Surface Standards, including Slips, Trips and Falls". Although this presentation addressed slips, trips and falls, half the presentation was directed at fall related injuries from ladders, hole openings, wall openings, stairs, and scaffolding. With the reminder of the time dedicated to slipping hazards.
      • 73 people attended the event.
    3. OSHA also participates in Pennsylvania’s "Recertification Training for Workers’’ Compensation Safety Committees". The sessions are conducted by the Commonwealths Health & Safety Division out of the Department of Labor and Industry. Sessions are required by the Commonwealth for companies to maintain their certified safety committees. Attendees are comprised of equal numbers of managers and employees from companies from throughout the state. The Pa Chamber hosts these events in three locations in Pennsylvania, only one is in Harrisburg’s jurisdictional area. Each year the CAS speaks to the Harrisburg group about safety systems, about the 1989 Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) guidelines and the proposed Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (I2P2). OSHA also staffs a booth to provide publication resources and answer the public’s questions. 57 people attended the September 26, 2013 session.
    • Outreach and Communication

      Each week the Pa Chamber sends 5,000 of its members a generic newsletter referred to as a News Byte, frequently these include a safety item. In addition, the Chamber publishes an electronic quarterly Safety/OSHA Bulletin that is sent to Chamber’s members who are Safety and Environmental Directors; this newsletter is devoted entirely to safety issues. Information for the News Bytes and Safety/OSHA Bulletin come from information received from the local OSHA office directly or from "OSHA QuickTakes", OSHA's Newsletter. Things sent this last year include: OSHA Bulletin: Heat Stress Prevention, Fall Prevention, and OSHA Bulletin: Hazard Communication Changes.

      The Commonwealth also provides materials to the Chamber, such as Pennsylvania Training for Health & Safety (PATHS) and opportunities to apply for the Governor’s Award for Safety and Health. This information is shared with the Chamber members.

    • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health

      During each of the OSHA Roundtables the CAS reviews current OSHA initiatives including the National Emphasis Programs, Local Emphasis programs, a review of the Regulatory and Unified Agendas, OSHA’s top ten cited hazards in addition to campaigns, including: heat stress, fall protection and any other trending issues for Pennsylvania businesses.

      These efforts continue with the local Harrisburg Area Office (HAO) sending current information to the Pa Chamber, who is listed on Harrisburg’s stakeholder list. The CAS provides all stakeholders current, pertinent information as it relates to workplace safety hazards. From here the Chamber shares the information with their stakeholders.

      Alliance Products

      The products produced during the reporting period were, increased safety awareness for business through the multiple safety roundtables orchestrated by the Pa Chamber and conducted throughout the Commonwealth, emailed Safety/OSHA Bulletins generated by the Harrisburg OSHA Office, emailed News Bytes that are received from OSHA and an open communication between attendees and OSHA. The Harrisburg Area Office created information for the Pa Chamber to share on the following topics: OSHA Bulletin: Heat Stress Prevention, Fall Prevention, and OSHA Bulletin: Hazard Communication Changes.

  4. Results

    A. The ninth year of the Alliance was devoted to presenting information to the Chambers at two scheduled "Ask OSHA Roundtable" sessions. Similar activities are planned for the coming year. During the last year the Chamber offered two additional sessions one in the Philadelphia area and the other in the Pittsburgh area. We also created OSHA Bulletins that were shared throughout the Commonwealth.

    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 or the numerous participants that benefited from the varied safety and health discussions at each of these meetings.

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Half day, "Ask OSHA Roundtable" (Harrisburg) 87
    Half day, "Ask OSHA Roundtable" (Pittsburgh) 48
    Half day, "Ask OSHA Roundtable" (Valley Forge) 45
    Full day, "Workplace Safety Conference" (Harrisburg) 73
    TOTAL 253

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    We have planned similar events for 2014. The Pa Chamber will begin the half day Ask OSHA Roundtables in Harrisburg on March 7, 2014, followed by Pittsburgh on March 13, 2014 and ending in Philadelphia on March 20, 2014. The full day Workplace Safety Conference will be held in Harrisburg on May 28, 2014. OSHA will have a part in all the events and answer safety related questions from the audience at each. To increase OSHA employee involvement, OSHA will participate at the Pa Chambers, Recertification Training for Workers’ Compensation Safety Committees on September 18, 2014 in Harrisburg. All parties involved with the alliance are interested in renewing the alliance in 2014.

Report Prepared by: Dale Glacken, Compliance Assistance Specialist (CAS), Harrisburg Area Office.