Region 7 - Alliance Annual Report - September 30, 2019

ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Kansas City Regional, and the Kansas City, St. Louis and Wichita Area Offices
The Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City, Missouri
Evaluation period: October 1, 2018 – September 30, 2019

  1. Alliance Background

    1. Date Signed: September 1, 2017 (Renewed September 20, 2019)

    2. Alliance Effective Dates: September 1, 2017 – September 1, 2019

    3. Overview

      The Participants intend to establish a collaborative relationship to provide Mexican Nationals in Missouri and Kansas information, guidance, and access to education and training resources to promote workers’ rights in protecting their occupational safety and health. In addition, help them understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

    4. Implementation Team Members

      OSHA

      • Karena Lorek, Area Director, Kansas City Area Office
      • Kimberly Robinson, Assistant Area Director, Kansas City Area Office
      • Elizabeth Morales, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Kansas City Area Office

      Alliance Participant

      • Alfonso Navarro Bernachi, Consul Titular
      • Lee Wong Medina, Deputy Consul
      • Aracely J. Van Kirk, Community Outreach

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    There was one formal meeting to discuss future projects between the Mexican Consulate and Kansas City Area OSHA Office. The discussion was about ideas for the upcoming year on different ways to get the word out about the services offered from both parties; example of different public service announcements, mobile consulate locations, and different pamphlets of information. There have also been several informal telephone conversations with some of the parties have been held throughout the evaluation period to discuss innovative ways to broaden the Hispanic community awareness of safety and health.

  3. Activities and Products

    Alliance Activity:

    • Training and Education

      The alliance members have had no training or educational activities to report during the evaluation period.

    • Outreach and Communication

      In conjunction with the Alliance, the Kansas City Area Office; Compliance Safety and Health Officer (Spanish-speaking), the Kansas City Compliance Assistance Specialist (CAS)( Spanish Speaking) and the Regional Whistleblower Investigator (Spanish-Speaking) visited the Mexican Consulate facility eighteen times to participate in the monthly meetings and other outreach event at their facility. During these meetings, the OSHA staff spoke with Mexican Nationals about OSHA, Workers’ Rights, OSHA complaint process, and provided Spanish/English publications. The average number of attendees per visit was approximately 30 people, affecting approximately 600 people. During the year, the Kansas City Compliance Assistance Specialist, and the Regional Whistleblower Investigator conducted one radio shows to talk about OSHA, Workers’ Rights, and Responsibilities, and how to file a complaint. These radio sessions are primarily for the Hispanic community in and around Wichita and Overland Park reaching Latinos in the following states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Texas. The specific outreach activities included:

      • October 15, 2018 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on heat stress prevention, OSHA Update information, workers’ rights, and explained the complaint process during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Attendance: 30 people.
      • December 10, 2018 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on heat stress prevention, OSHA Update information, workers’ rights, and explained the complaint process during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Attendance: 30 people.
      • January 14, 2019 – The Regional Compliance Assistance Specialist Conducted an Occupational Safety and Health Administration update to the Mexican Nationals. The update topics included, fall prevention, water, rest and shade specific to heat related issues on the jobsite, how to protect themselves in a trench along with how to file an OSHA complaint. Attendees: 30 people.
      • February 11, 2019 - The Regional Whistleblower Investigator provided a presentation on general OSHA information, worker’s rights, and whistleblower rights. In addition, she explained the process on how to file an OSHA complaint to the Mexican Nationals during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Attendees: 40 people.
      • March 11, 2019 - The Regional Whistleblower Investigator staffed a booth, and provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on whistleblower rights and explained how to file an OSHA complaint during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Examples of protected activities were also provided, as well as all questions asked during the visit. Attendees: 30 people.
      • March 18, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on general OSHA information; worker’s rights and explained the complaint process during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Attendees: 30 people.
      • April 15, 2019 - The Regional Whistleblower Investigator staffed a booth, and provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on whistleblower rights and explained how to file an OSHA complaint during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Examples of protected activities were also provided, as well as all questions asked during the visit. Attendees: 30 people.
      • May 13, 2019 - The Regional Whistleblower Investigator staffed a booth, and provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on whistleblower rights and explained how to file an OSHA complaint during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Examples of protected activities were also provided, as well as all questions asked during the visit. Attendees: 30 people.
      • May 20, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer staffed a booth and provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on general OSHA information; worker’s rights and explained the complaint process during the monthly outreach event at the Mexican Consulate. Attendees: 30 people.
      • June 10, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer spoke with the Mexican Nationals on how to file an OSHA complaint, explained what OSHA was and its purpose, provided some examples on when someone should contact OSHA, as well as went over heat stress, trench safety and some questions about 11c. Attendees: 30
      • June 17, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer spoke with the Mexican Nationals on how to file an OSHA complaint, explained what OSHA was and its purpose, provided some examples on when someone should contact OSHA, as well as went over heat stress, trench safety and some questions about 11c. Attendees: 30
      • July 8, 2019, The Kansas City Area Office Compliance Assistance Specialist conducted an Occupational Safety and Health Administration update to the Mexican Nationals. Topics discussed during this update included, fall prevention, water, rest and shade specific to heat related issues on the jobsite, how to protect themselves in a trench and how to file an OSHA complaint. Attendees: 30
      • July 15, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on general OSHA information; worker’s rights, heat prevention, labor week, and how to file an OSHA complain during the monthly meeting at the Mexican Consulate. Attendees: 30 people.
      • August 12, 2019 - The Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on general OSHA information; worker’s rights, heat prevention, labor week, and how to file an OSHA complain during the monthly meeting at the Mexican Consulate. Attendees: 30 people.
      • August 27, 2019 – During Labor Rights Week, the Kansas City Area Office, Compliance Safety and Health Officer provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on general OSHA information; suicide awareness and prevention, trenching, and fall prevention. Attendees: 50
      • August 29, 2019 – During Labor Rights Week, the Regional Whistleblower Investigator, and a Kansas City Area Office Compliance Officer provided a presentation and disseminated information to Mexican Nationals. Topics discussed during this update included, OSHA information; OSHA enforcement priorities, and how to file an OSHA complaint. Attendees: 50
      • September 9, 2019- The Kansas City Area Office Compliance Assistance Specialist and the Regional Whistleblower Investigator provided a presentation to the Mexican Nationals on whistleblower rights and explained how to file an OSHA complaint as well as worker’s rights. Attendees: 30 people.
      • September 20, 2019 – The Kansas City Regional Office Regional Administrator, Kim Stille, the Kansas City Area Office Area Director, Karena Lorek, and the Kansas City Mexican Consulate including Alfonso Navarro Bernachi, Lee Wong Media and Ulises Rodriguez Quintalla signed a renew of the Alliance that includes consulates in Kansas and Missouri.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health

      During the evaluation period, there were no referrals from the Mexican Consulate-Kansas City

      Alliance Products:

      No new products were developed. However, the OSHA staff provided many OSHA bilingual publications (although not tracked) to the Mexican Consulate to place in their waiting area during this evaluation period.

    • Results

      During this evaluation period, the alliance has brought together the signatory groups as well as other community organizations that interact with the Hispanic population in the Greater Kansas City area, as well as in Kansas and Missouri.

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA booth and presentations staffed during the monthly outreach event at the Consulate facility in Kansas City, MO

      430
      OSHA participation in the Mobile Consulates – Kansas

      0
      OSHA participation during Labor Rights Week

      100
      Consulate handed out and provided documentation during mobile consulates throughout the year. (OK, KS, MS) 16 for the year

      150-250 per weekend approximately 3,200
      TOTAL

      4,220

    • Upcoming Milestones

      The partners in the alliance wish to continue the alliance. The area offices will be available to support the Consulate included the mobile Consulate locations throughout Missouri and Kansas, when available.

Report prepared by

  • Kimberly R Robinson - Assistant Area Director; Kansas City Area Office – OSHA Region 7, September 30, 2019.