U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Atlanta Regional Office
61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Room 6T50
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
(404) 562-2300; Fax (404) 562-2295

OSHA, Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, and Georgia Tech Alliance
Region IV Alliance Annual Status Report
December 7, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed:

December 7, 2004

Overview:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, and the Georgia Institute of Technology –Safety, Health, and Environmental Technology Division (Georgia Tech) OSHA formed an Alliance to provide Mexican workers throughout the southeast with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety and allow them to exercise their rights fully.

II. Implementation Team Membership and Contributors:

Representatives from OSHA, the Mexican Consulate and Georgia Tech conducted all required quarterly meeting on the following dates: 02/23/05 and 11/29/05, as well as (meeting focused on the Hispanic Family Safety & Health Fair) 4/7/05, 4/20/05, 5/10/05, 5/18/05 and 07/06/05.

OSHA, the Mexican Consulate and Georgia Tech all participated in the fair which was conducted on 6/11/05

Evaluation Period:

December 7, 2004, through December 7, 2005

III. Events and Products

Training and Education

Events

• The Mexican Consulate Alliance participants supported the June 11, 2005, Hispanic Family Safety and Health Fair in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
• The Mexican Consulate Alliance participants supported the August 13, 2005, Hispanic Family Safety and Health Fair in Pelham, Alabama.
• OSHA participated in the Mexican Consulate’s IV Joint Regional Seminar, DOL/ USDA – SRE East Region, November 7 – 8, 2005, regarding the implementation of the US DOL Agreement signed in 2004.

Products

• None

Outreach and Communication

Events

• The Mexican Consulate coordinated with the OSHA area office in Mobile, Alabama in the distribution of effective safety and health outreach material to Hispanic workers, participating in the hurricane Katrina clean-up effort.
• The Mexican Consulate coordinated with the OSHA Atlanta Regional Office to ensure OSHA’s participation in the mobile consulate visits in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

Products

• Mexican Consulate in Atlanta established a help-line, (404) 262-4466, for Hispanic workers who are concerned about safety and health hazards at their worksite or other work-related issues under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Provided copies of the OSHA Public Service Announcements (PSA) developed by OSHA Region II, featuring Orlando Cepeda and Rey Mysterio, to the Mexican Consulate

IV. Results

• Refer to the Training and Education, as well as Outreach and Communication events above

V. Upcoming Milestones in FY 2006

• Develop informational materials in Spanish, such as public service announcements, videos and posters, brochures, pamphlets and wallet sized cards, which address the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards.
   
• Develop ways of communicating such information (e.g. print, such as the Mexican Consulate newsletter and electronic media, such as the OSHA Region IV e-newsletter, as well as electronic assistance tools and OSHA’s, the Mexican Consulate’s and Georgia Tech’s Web sites) to Mexican employers and employees.
   
• The Mexican Consulate will share information regarding workplace fatalities and accidents involving Mexican citizens with OSHA, to ensure that all workplace accidents are properly investigated by OSHA and hazards are abated, to help prevent future accidents.
   
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at the mobile consulate meetings in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi coordinated by the Mexican Consulate