ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
THE CLEVELAND SAFETY FORUM
CLEVELAND OSHA OFFICE

June 27, 2017

Alliance Background

Date Signed:

June 19, 2012 (Initial Signing)
May 23, 2014 (Renewal Signing)
June 6, 2016 (Renewal Signing for 5 year timeframe)

Overview:

OSHA and the Cleveland Safety Forum renewed the alliance for a five year period on June 6, 2016 to continue to provide local construction companies, employees and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect the health and safety of construction workers. The members of the Safety Forum include a group of union contractors, management, and union training coordinators. The alliance addresses occupational topics such as crane regulations, fall protection, silica exposure and education, training in hazard recognition and control in the construction industry.

Implementation Team Members

Howard Eberts, Area Director, Cleveland OSHA Office
Julie Weis, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Cleveland OSHA Office
Kent Crytzer, Co-Chair, Cleveland Safety Forum
William Hocevar, Co-Chair, Cleveland Safety Forum
Don Mays, Co-chair, Union Representative Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers, Cleveland Safety Forum

Contributors

Contributors include members of the Safety Forum who attend monthly meetings and provide input to further the cause of the alliance.

Evaluation Period

This report covers the period from June 6, 2016 to June 6, 2017.

1. Implementation Team Meetings and Locations

   June 24, 2016; Precision Environmental, meeting

   July 20, 2016; Precision Environmental, meeting

   August 18, 2016; Precision Environmental, meeting

   September 19, 2016; Precision Environmental, meeting

   October 28, 2016; Precision Environmental, meeting

   November 30, 2016; Independence Excavating, meeting

   December 21, 2016; Plumber's Union Hall, meeting

   January 18, 2017; Cleveland OSHA Office, meeting

   February 15, 2017; Annual Construction Safety Day, LaCentre Conference Facility, Westlake

   March 30, 2017; Construction Employer's Association, meeting

   April 19, 2017; Precision Environmental, meeting

   May 19, 2017; Precision Environmental, meeting

   There were also many phone calls made and email correspondence over the course of the year regarding the progress of the alliance and to make plans for upcoming meetings.

2. Events and Products

   Training and Education

   • Events

     The fifth annual Construction Safety Initiative was held on February 15, 2017 at LaCentre Conference Facility, Westlake, Ohio. This day-long event was developed jointly between all members of the alliance. It was again, a very successful event for local construction companies, superintendents, foremen, workers and other individuals within the Cleveland OSHA office jurisdiction. There were approximately 400 attendees, which is an increase of 120 people from the prior year. The content of the training included a variety of topics addressing the most hazardous areas in construction including fall protection, silica, ladder safety, heat/cold stress, OSHA Top Ten citations, and confined spaces. Two keynote presentations were given, one by the Cleveland OSHA Office Area Director who spoke about current OSHA initiatives and enforcement topics and the other by a group of local construction company CEOs who held a roundtable discussion on the "Value of Safety." Another segment of the morning included a motivational speaker on the culture of safety in the workplace. Approximately 25 vendors were onsite to offer their services from personal protection equipment to health and wellness programs. The feedback received from the attendees was very positive, requesting to have a 6th annual event next year.

     Another very successful event that was held nationwide was "OSHA's Fall Safety Stand Down Campaign." Throughout the week-long Stand-Down (May 8-12), employers and workers paused during their workday to focus on the hazards of falls and how to prevent them from occurring. Industry and business leaders, including universities, labor organizations, construction companies, and community and faith-based groups, had scheduled stand-downs in all 50 states and across the world. Locally, in the Cleveland area, OSHA personnel participated with four construction companies and a union in their stand down training activities at their projects. The companies have been a part of the alliance membership at some point during the past several years. All of the workers at the sites were represented by the local union building trades and by management. Several other local companies conducted their own safety stand downs as well.

     Another successful event marked Worker's Memorial Day, April 28, 2017. This year the local OSHA office along with the Alliance forum members, organized a comprehensive event to commemorate Worker's Memorial Day. Several organizations worked together to plan this event including the Cleveland OSHA Office, Construction Employers Association, AFL-CIO, Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council and the Cleveland Indians. The event took place at Progressive Field, the home of Indians Baseball, in Cleveland, Ohio. A public service video announcement was played in the stadium to illustrate the importance of safety and health on the job. This was a collaborative effort between OSHA, the city of Cleveland, Cleveland Building Trades, Construction Employers Association, and the U.S. Congressman from district 14. On the day of the event, Mayor Frank Jackson spoke and has been asked to approve a permanent memorial in the city as a remembrance to those workers who have lost their lives, been disabled, injured or ill by their work. Afterwards a parade was planned to take place inside the stadium, but the rainy weather did not cooperate. Attendees included workers, various union organizations, family members and the public. The first pitch was thrown by the OSHA Regional Administrator for Region V, Ken Atha. Following the pitch, the game between the Indians and the Seattle Mariners took place.

     As part of this alliance over the past few years, newer OSHA compliance officers received training from the Construction Employers Association on the OSHA-30 Hour course. This not only benefited them but also other construction attendees who were able to discuss relevant topics with the OSHA personnel.

   • Products

     The Construction Safety Forum 8 Hr. Safety Refresher class teaches workers how to identify, abate, avoid, and prevent job related hazards according to the OSHA regulations as well as about their rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint. This year there were a total of 25 classes held with 212 participants receiving the training. The 8 Hr. Safety Refresher is voluntary. It is not meant to meet the training requirements contained in any OSHA standard. Some employers, unions, and various other jurisdictions also require workers to have this training to work on job sites and to fulfill their own safety training goals. Groups who have integrated the program into their overall safety and health training plans include the building trades, general contractors and employer associations. The participant must bring their OSHA 30 card or proof of attendance in order to take this course. This class is open to signatory contractors and union members only. This refresher training is applicable for 3 years. The local OSHA office assisted in this endeavor by providing data, information and other updates for current agency initiatives and enforcement subject matters.

   Outreach and Communication

   • Events

     On a monthly basis the local construction safety council has meetings that are designed around the needs of construction companies regarding improving safety and health on their jobsites. In conjunction with the local OSHA office, the area director, compliance officer, or compliance officer, speaks at the meetings to update the audience on the latest topics relating to OSHA, enforcement, new standards and other information that directly affects the construction industry.

   • Handouts, pamphlets, and other products have been provided to safety council attendees. Especially critical were pamphlets and posters related to OSHA's heat and fall prevention campaigns

   • The subject of silicosis prevention for construction workers remains a high priority for the members of the safety forum, especially due to the new OSHA standard. Areas include health hazards created by silica dust and the need to develop an awareness (education), medical monitoring and respirator program. The purpose of the Monitoring, Awareness and Respirator Safety ("MARS") Program is to help facilitate the employers' efforts to provide a safe, healthy work environment for employees. The MARS program has been implemented in the local unions for the cement masons as well as the laborers, covering over 200 employees thereby educating this workforce on such an important health topic.

   • Products

     Delivery of monthly Safety Newsletters to local construction companies. Over 5,000 companies and individuals receive the hard copy document that covered a variety of safety and health topics designed for construction businesses.

3. Results

   The successful fifth year of this alliance has resulted in educating construction companies and individuals on the prevention of workplace hazards, OSHA regulations and methods for creating and maintaining safety and health programs. This alliance has been instrumental in furthering the relationship between OSHA and the construction industry of Northeast Ohio, and we look forwards to its continued year of activities and growth.

   The Alliance Work Plan was referred to throughout the year to assure that the activities and areas of emphasis were being addressed. We promoted awareness of OSHA rulemakings, rights and responsibilities of workers and employers as well as enforcement initiatives. This was accomplished through meetings, speeches and the annual construction safety day. Promotion of safety campaigns such as fall prevention, heat prevention, trench prevention, and safe and sound week, were encouraged to the stakeholders within the alliance as well as other stakeholders within our jurisdiction. The new silica standard was discussed a number of times as well. Information was made available as handouts and/or specified websites. As stated earlier, the local OSHA office provided an update on recent data and information that was incorporated into the group's OSHA 8-hour refresher as agreed upon by the industry representatives and union organizations. Technical assistance was also provided throughout the year to various individuals on an as needed basis if construction questions arose.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
   Development of tailored Job Safety Analysis form specifically for construction sites	>600
   Construction Safety Initiative (Day long training sessions)	400
   Monthly meetings held for construction companies by the Construction Safety Council of Northeast Ohio	150 attendees per mtg.
   Monthly Safety Forum Meetings	~25-30 attendees per mtg.
   The issuance of monthly Safety Newsletters to local construction businesses	5,000
   TOTAL	>6,000

4. Upcoming Milestones

   The major planned activity for the alliance is the 6th annual Construction Safety Day currently being planned for February 2018. The first five annual events were very successful day-long conferences for local construction companies, superintendents, foremen and workers. There were approximately 400 attendees at the event in February 2017.

Photos below depicting activities from the Construction Safety Day at LaCentre Conference Facility, February 17, 2017.

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