Federal Gulf oil response: OSHA maintains strong presence ensuring safety of oil spill cleanup workers

Since the week of April 26, OSHA staff and senior leadership have been on the scene of cleanup operations along the Gulf Coast in response to BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. OSHA, working through the Unified Command, is ensuring cleanup workers are being provided the required training (in a language workers can understand) and that their safety and health are being protected by BP and its contractors. Hazards related to oil spill cleanup include heat, falls, drowning, fatigue, animal bites, and exposure to oil and chemicals being used in the cleanup process.

OSHA is deploying between 20 and 25 compliance officers daily to affected areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to monitor the safety and health of more than 13,000 oil spill cleanup workers. OSHA personnel have made more than 700 site visits throughout the area, including monitoring the safety of workers on vessels that are performing cleanup operations.

“We’re on the beach, we’re in the marshes, we’re on the boats,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels in an interview with Bloomberg BusinessWeek. In the past two weeks Dr. Michaels, OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab, and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis visited worksites and discussed safety issues with workers performing oil spill cleanup operations along the beaches and on the Vessels of Opportunity. OSHA participated in briefings at Unified Command centers in Louisiana as part of a team involving the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Environmental Protection Agency to maximize their combined efforts to safeguard workers. OSHA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coast Guard, the federal agency coordinating the oil spill response, to establish specific procedures for sharing information and ensuring that BP and its contractors are complying with safety and health standards.

Heat stress is a serious health concern for cleanup workers. There have been more than 100 incidents of heat related illnesses. Many workers are working 12-hour days, seven days a week, in full protective gear–which has increased the risk to workers. OSHA has worked with BP to institute a program that includes, among other items, a matrix that sets out specific work/rest requirements based on the heat and relative humidity, and guidelines for determining if wearing protective clothing and equipment will increase hazards to workers.

As part of its comprehensive oversight of worker safety, a team of OSHA industrial hygienists is conducting independent air monitoring on shore and on cleanup vessels. OSHA is monitoring hazards from exposure to oil and any other toxic chemicals that may threaten worker health. OSHA posted this data on its Web site, and will continue to post all new data. “We must be vigilant” because “conditions can change,” Michaels told BusinessWeek. For more information about OSHA’s activities in the Gulf and to get worker safety guides and factsheets in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, visit the oil spill cleanup response Web page.

Barab testifies before Senate on protection of oil refinery workers

OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab testified June 10 before the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety about the need to better protect workers in the nation’s energy production industries. Barab addressed recent tragedies such as the explosion on BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 workers, and injured 17 others and the explosion at a Tesoro oil refinery in Washington State that left seven workers dead. Barab explained that OSHA’s nationwide inspections of oil refineries found the same violations committed by multiple refineries, including refineries with common ownership and different units in the same refinery. Barab said, “This cycle of workers being hurt or killed because their employers failed to implement well-known safety measures points out major deficiencies in chemical process safety management in the nation’s refineries and, quite possibly, to systemic safety and health problems in the entire petrochemical industry.” Barab stressed the urgent need for petrochemical companies to instill an organization-wide culture of safety among workers and supervisors; reform management systems that routinely fail to address safety violations until catastrophic events occur; and develop a more accurate method for determining risks of fires, explosions, or other catastrophic accidents. See OSHA’s Web site for Barab’s full testimony and information on oil refinery Process Safety Management.

OSHA improves its online database of chemical exposures by adding a search engine

As reported in the May 4, 2010, QuickTakes, OSHA posted 26 years of data on a Web page detailing workplace exposures to toxic chemicals such as asbestos, benzene, beryllium, cadmium, lead, nickel, and silica. This Web page has since been enhanced by the addition of a search engine to make the data more accessible and expand its usefulness as a research tool. The page’s online form now allows users to search and sort records of OSHA samplings for toxic chemical exposure by categories such as establishment, industry, state, year range, substance and OSHA inspection number. Users can also download sampling data from 1984 to 2009, either in one full set or by individual year.

NACOSH establishes oil spill response workgroup to advise OSHA

The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health established an oil spill response workgroup at its June 8 meeting, which will advise OSHA on a range of issues, including necessary personal protective equipment for workers involved in oil spill cleanup and conducting long-term health evaluations of workers exposed to oil and other chemicals during cleanup operations. Minutes from the meeting, including resolutions passed by the oil spill response workgroup, will be published on the NACOSH page. NACOSH advises the secretaries of labor and health and human services on worker safety issues such as Latino outreach, hazard communication, the whistleblower program, and overall occupational safety and health programs and policies.

Mail processing plants fined nearly $800,000 for electrical and other hazards

OSHA fined three U.S. Postal Service mail processing and distribution centers in Pennsylvania $796,500 for electrical hazards that could have seriously injured or killed workers. Inspectors found that employers at one facility in Pittsburgh and two in Philadelphia willfully violated the law by exposing workers to potentially deadly hazards, including shocks, burns, and electrocution. For more information, see the separate news releases on citations against the Pittsburgh facility ($299,500) and the two Philadelphia facilities ($497,000). These citations follow recent OSHA fines totaling $985,000 against USPS processing and distribution centers in Providence, R.I., Denver, and Bedford Park, Ill., reported in the May 15 QuickTakes.

Elevator manufacturer fined more than $346,000 for ignoring worker safety and health hazards

OSHA issued 18 citations against the CEC Elevator Cab Corp. for potentially life-threatening worker safety and health hazards, many of which had been discovered during a previous inspection. OSHA fined the Bronx, N.Y., company $346,500 after inspectors found that several violations the company was cited for in October 2009 had not been corrected. See the news release for more information.

Seafood plant fined $214,500 for exposing workers to potential ammonia leak

OSHA issued High Liner Foods Inc. $214,500 in fines for willfully violating the law by failing to properly inspect and maintain the ammonia piping system used to freeze seafood at its Portsmouth, N.H., processing plant. The piping, which was corroded and encased in ice in many locations, could have led to a potentially deadly ammonia leak or similar catastrophic incident. See the news release for more information.

Contractor fined more than $125,000 after partial building collapse

OSHA cited New York Plank Services LLC for disregarding worker safety after inspectors found that the partial collapse of a Brooklyn building under construction was caused by the company’s failure to properly stabilize concrete stairs during installation. The $125,800 fine against the company also resulted in part from the company’s failure to provide workers with fall protection when it sent them to remove damaged pieces of concrete from the stairwell 40 feet above the ground. See the news release for more information.

UPS must compensate driver fired for refusing to drive unsafe truck

OSHA ordered United Parcel Service to pay an Earth City, Mo., truck driver who was fired after raising safety concerns $111,008 in back wages, benefits, damages and attorney’s fees. OSHA investigated the worker’s claim that UPS terminated his employment in retaliation for his refusal to drive a truck because lights on the trailer and tractor didn’t work. The evidence showed the driver had a reasonable concern of serious injury to himself and the public. See the news release for more information and OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program Web page for detailed information on worker whistleblower rights.

OSHA schedules first virtual stakeholder meeting

In an effort to provide more opportunity for public participation in the rulemaking process, OSHA is holding its first virtual stakeholder meeting June 28 to seek input about combustible dust workplace hazards. The live chat will be held for one hour, beginning at 1 p.m. EDT, but individuals can continue the dialog with OSHA on this site through July 7, 2010. This is the agency’s first virtual meeting where stakeholders will have the ability to continue the dialog according to their time preferences. The format provides quick and easy access to a broader audience such as small businesses who would otherwise not be able to participate.

This virtual stakeholder meeting is the fourth in a series of stakeholder meetings addressing combustible dust hazards. Go to the OSHA Web site to participate in the online meeting. Further details are available in the Federal Register notice.

New Introduction to OSHA instruction required in Outreach Training Program 10- and 30-hour courses

OSHA’s Training Institute now requires instructors to include a newly revised Introduction to OSHA presentation in all Outreach Training Program classes. The revised two-hour Introduction to OSHA focuses on workers’ rights, including the right to be informed of hazardous chemicals, review workplace injury and illness information, request and participate in an OSHA inspection, and be protected from retaliation for exercising these and other safety and health rights. For more information see the news release. The Introduction to OSHA materials can be viewed online.

OSHA and the Philadelphia School District promote teen worker safety

The Department of Labor recently concluded its third annual YouthRules! Ambassador Program, a collaborative effort between the Philadelphia School District, OSHA, and DOL’s Wage and Hour Division and Office of Public Affairs. This year DOL partnered with Philadelphia’s Mastbaum Technical High School to train teen workers about workplace protections so that they can, in turn, teach their peers. Visit the YouthRules! Web site for more information on DOL’s efforts to prepare the 21^st century workforce.

Job openings

Are you interested in a career with the Department of Labor? The department has job opportunities throughout the country, such as openings in OSHA for Safety and Occupational Health Specialists and Program Analysts.

• Mail processing plants fined nearly $1 million for electrical hazards

OSHA fined three U.S. Postal Service mail processing and distribution centers $985,000 for electrical hazards that could have seriously injured or killed workers. Inspectors found that employers at postal facilities in Providence, R.I., Denver, and Bedford Park, Ill., showed disregard for the safety and health of their workers by exposing them to potentially deadly hazards, including shocks, burns, and electrocution. Inspectors responding to worker complaints found numerous violations including failures to provide workers with required electrical safety training, maintain control of power to equipment during maintenance, and provide personal protective equipment. For more information, see the separate news releases on the citations for the Providence ($558,000), Denver ($217,000), and Bedford Park ($210,000) facilities. “These sizable fines reflect the severity and ongoing nature of these hazards,” said Assistant Secretary Michaels. “The Postal Service ignored long-established safety standards and knowingly put its workers in harm’s way.”

• OSHA monitors worker safety and health along the Gulf Coast during oil spill cleanup

OSHA personnel are in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies to ensure that the safety and health of workers taking part in BP’s oil spill cleanup operations are being properly protected. OSHA continues to monitor the situation to ensure that BP is providing workers with necessary protection from hazards. OSHA is also ensuring that workers are being given safety training in languages they can understand. OSHA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have developed a safety and health guide–available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese–that is being distributed as an easy reference for cleanup workers. The guide explains the potential hazards involved in oil cleanup and the responsibilities of employers to provide workers with appropriate protection. For more information, visit OSHA’s oil spill cleanup response Web page.

• Federal OSHA’s new Las Vegas office coordinates worker safety efforts with Nevada OSHA

Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels announced May 4 the opening of an OSHA office in Las Vegas. The announcement followed the release of an OSHA report last year that pointed out significant problems with Nevada’s OSHA program. According to Michaels, “The new office will provide a federal presence and oversight in Nevada to improve coordination and share resources, make direct oversight easier and more effective, and provide technical assistance to the state as needed to ultimately ensure workers are better protected.” There are 22 states and territories whose OSHA programs cover private sector and local government workers and five whose programs cover public workers only. A state’s occupational safety and health program must provide worker protections at least as effective as federal OSHA’s. See OSHA’s Web site for more information on State Plan States.

• OSHA schedules stakeholder meetings on modernizing injury and illness recordkeeping

OSHA is holding two meetings to gather information from stakeholders that will help the agency modify its current injury and illness recordkeeping regulation and develop a modernized recordkeeping system that will help OSHA, employers, workers, and researchers improve occupational safety and health. Advancements in OSHA’s recordkeeping system will ensure the agency meets a priority of President Obama’s Open Government Initiative to make it easier for the public to find and use data generated by the federal government. The meetings will take place May 25 in Washington, D.C., and June 3 in Chicago. Those wishing to participate in the meetings can register online. For further information, including how to register by mail or fax, see the Federal Register notice.

• OSHA requests information on infectious disease hazards in the workplace

In the last 10 years, the number of healthcare workers in the United States has increased from 8.4 million to approximately 11 million and healthcare is increasingly being provided in nonhospital settings such as nursing homes, surgical and outpatient centers, and emergency care clinics. To ensure that healthcare workers’ own health remains protected on the job, OSHA is seeking input from the public on how to prevent occupational exposure to infectious diseases in healthcare facilities including hospitals and clinics, and other workplaces such as biomedical laboratories, medical examiners’ offices, and mortuaries. OSHA would like to know what strategies these facilities are using to reduce the risk of workplace-acquired infectious diseases. OSHA will use responses to its request for information to determine what action, if any, the agency may take to further limit the spread of occupationally-acquired infectious diseases in these settings. See the notice in the Federal Register for more information, including how to submit comments by the Aug. 4 deadline.

• Methylene chloride standard successful in saving workers’ lives

Methylene chloride is a volatile, cancer-causing liquid used in different industries including metal cleaning and degreasing and in the manufacture of products including pharmaceuticals and paint remover. OSHA recently reviewed its Methylene Chloride standard, as required within 10 years of enactment, to determine how well it was fulfilling its purpose of safeguarding the health of America’s workers. The review clearly showed that the standard has been effective in saving lives. The study estimates that each year the standard protects as many as 30,000 to 54,000 workers from damage to their respiratory and nervous systems and prevents approximately 34 deaths from cancer and other illnesses caused by methylene chloride exposure. This standard’s success reflects the overall importance of OSHA standards in protecting workers’ safety and health. See the Federal Register notice for more information on this review and OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics page on methylene chloride to learn more about reducing the risk of worker exposure to this hazardous chemical.

• OSHA seeks information on effectiveness of Bloodborne Pathogens standard in protecting workers

OSHA is also requesting public comments during a review of its Bloodborne Pathogens standard intended to protect workers such as healthcare and emergency personnel who are regularly at risk of contracting diseases from exposures to bloodborne pathogens including hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency viruses. The review will determine the standard’s effectiveness in minimizing or eliminating these workers’ exposure to bloodborne infections and diseases and whether advancements in technology or other factors have eliminated the need for continuing the rule. Comments may be submitted online. For further information, including how to submit comments by mail or fax by the Aug. 12 deadline, see the Federal Register notice.

• Equipment approved by certified testing labs helps protect workers from injury, death

OSHA’s new Safety and Health Information Bulletin warns that workers may be exposed to serious hazards such as electrocution, burns, fires and explosions when using products that have not been tested or approved by an OSHA-certified testing laboratory. “Certification of Workplace Products by Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories” informs employers about the harm they can cause workers by having them use non-NRTL-tested products and employers’ obligation not to let that happen. OSHA established the NRTL Program in 1988 to oversee OSHA’s procedures for approving organizations as qualified testing laboratories. Examples of products certified by NRTLs include electrical equipment, automatic sprinkler systems, portable fire extinguishers and alarm systems. NRTLs authorize manufacturers to place registered certification marks on products after they have met OSHA’s safety standards. Visit OSHA’s Safety and Health Information Bulletins page for information on other safety and health topics.

•  Volkswagen’s “2010″ training contract awarded to Safety Alliance.

October 5, 2009 -  – Safety Alliance has been awarded a safety training contract for Volkswagen’s new $1 billion Chattanooga Plant . Safety Alliance Jeff Whitaker and Safety Engineer Tamara McCanty have been working with Chattanooga State and Safety Solutions to finalize this project. Congratulations!  The Chattanooga plant will employ 2,000 people and begin production of a mid-size sedan in early 2011. Officials hope to have the plant ready by the end of 2010. Volkswagen Group of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the world’s fourth largest automaker and the largest carmaker in Europe.  This will be Volkswagen’s first in the U.S. since the late 1980s. Source: Chattanooga.com

• OSHA record fines of $87 million against BP Texas

October 30, 2009 – New York Times article referencing the record $87 million dollars in OSHA fines issued against British Petroleum.  OSHA cited BP with 271 citations for failure to correct violation back in 2005. OSHA also issued 439 willful violations totaling $30.7 million. These violations and fines are related to the Texas City BP refinery explosion in 2005.

• High-Visibility Warning Garments New Interpretation

In 2004, OSHA issued a letter of interpretation about the use of high-visibility apparel in highway construction.  The letter emphasized that section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires workers in highway work zones to wear high-visibility apparel.

However, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ruled that OSHA’s letter indicated a more limited position: high-visibility garments are only required where the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) mandates their use.

Therefore, OSHA is issuing a new letter stating that all highway and road construction workers must wear high-visibility apparel regardless of whether the MUTCD requires them.  OSHA considers road and construction traffic a well-recognized hazard to highway/road construction workers.  Bureau of Labor Statistics reinforced the need for using safety apparel when data from 2003 to 2007 showed there were 425 road construction work zone fatalities. – OSHA

• OSHA’s new emphasis program:

 We just had our First Area Directors meeting of the new year.  Here are some key areas that we will be focusing on in Region V.

Key Areas for Enforcement; H1N1, Serious Violators Enforcement Program, Lead, Noise, Ergonomics, Hex Chrome, Whistleblower, Penalties consistency, PSM, Combustible Dust, “Return to IH”, Recordkeeping.

I think recordkeeping will be the most major change. We plan on conducting 5 RK inspections under the new emphasis program.  John Newquist-OSHA

• Safety Video’s for Temporary Workers – Free

Temporary workers could benefit from a new video that provides occupational safety and health training. The video includes a general safety orientation and six modules focusing on indentifying hazards at construction, landscaping, manufacturing and food distribution sites, warehouses and offices. It is a product of an alliance among OSHA’s Columbus, Ohio, Area Office, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, OSHA On-site Consultation, Staffmart, and the Ohio Staffing and Search Association.   http://www.ohiobwc.com/basics/videos/SafetyVideoArchive.asp

• Hazard Communication - Globally Harmonized System

OSHA published a proposed rule Sept. 30 to align the Hazard Communication Standard with provisions of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. See the fact sheet and Sept. 30 Federal Register notice for details.

• Whitaker Joins Safety Alliance

 Jeff has been in the industrial, construction and municipality safety arena for over 20 years. He has assisted construction companies,   tower climbers, steel erectors, bridge builders, roofers, municipalities, factories, and utilities around the country with basic safety awareness training. Jeff’s first assignment- Honda plant in Indiana for fall protection training.

 CONEXPO-CON/AGG will be held March 22-26 and pulls about 140,000 attendees to the Las Vegas area. The convention has 130 education sessions through the 5-days of the show.  Safety Alliance has been contracted to provide the OSHA safety training classes at the Las Vegas Convention Center. More than 140,000 global professionals will be in Vegas. Plan to Attend! 

You can visit www.conexpoconagg.com for further information.

FACT SHEET: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 Exposition

Purpose: CONEXPO-CON/AGG will be the international gathering place in 2011 for the construction industries. Held every three years, the exposition showcases the latest equipment, products, services and technologies.

Dates: Tuesday, March 22 through Saturday, March 26, 2011

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA

Attendance: An estimated 100,000 industry professionals from around the world are expected to attend CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 and the co-located IFPE International Exposition for Power Transmission. The exhibition attracts persons involved in all segments of the construction, aggregates and ready mixed concrete industries, including contractors, materials producers, and government and institutional sector officials from around the world.

Exhibit Space: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 is expected to attract over 2,000 exhibitors taking 2.1 million net square feet (195,090 square meters) of indoor and outdoor exhibit space (equivalent to more than 48 acres/19.5 hectares).

Education: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 will provide a comprehensive education program during the five-day exposition with sessions emphasizing industry issues and trends, management and applied technology.

Supporting Organizations: More than 85 industry organizations from around the world are expected to participate as Supporting Organizations of CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011.

Product Concentration Areas: CONEXPO-CON/AGG features “product concentration areas,” making it easy for visitors to locate specific products, services and exhibitors of interest to them.

Industry Meetings and Conventions: CONEXPO-CON/AGG is recognized as an industry gathering place for the worldwide construction and construction materials industries. More than 300 industry meetings, including several annual conventions of industry associations, are expected to be held in conjunction with CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011.

Principal Sponsors: Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA)

Sponsor: Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)

Producer: Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)

For more information, please fill out the Contact Us form. Or, contact us by telephone at (800) 867-6060 or +1 414 298-4141.

No Money for Safety?

By: Tamara McCanty – Safety Engineer for Safety Alliance, LLC

“Times are tough.”  “We have to do more with less.”  “Everyone must do their part and tighten their belts.”  Does this sound familiar to you?  There is no doubt that the current state of the economy is creating a tough market these days.  So what is a company to do?  Companies are trying to adjust to the changing times by cutting internal costs as much as possible.  Trim the fat, so to speak.  More and more, I am seeing that “trim the fat” has been translated by companies to mean “get rid of the safety person” or “cut back on safety”.  The safety person is often viewed as an “extra” position within the company.  I personally am a strong advocate for safety being a shared responsibility by everyone within a company, but I know for a fact that the “safety person” is one of the most important positions to maintain in a company.  So the question then becomes: how do we educate others on the importance of safety? And how does safety pay off?

We all know that a well planed company safety program can reduce injuries.  Is that important?  After all, your company has worker’s compensation insurance.  Won’t that cover things?  No, it does not.  Aside from normal compassion (no one ever wants to see an employee get hurt), companies must realize that worker’s compensation insurance only covers some of the costs associated with injuries.  The employee is protected from loss by having medical bills and lost wages compensated.  But the company still has extra costs with an injury.  Each and every injury has a huge toll on the company.  There may be direct costs, such as a loss of product from the accident or time spent training a replacement worker.  There will also be many indirect costs, such as loss of company morale or damage to company reputation.  How do you put a price tag on that?  The truth is, you can’t.  But a loss is a loss, and if you are trying to keep your company profitable, you cannot afford any loss.

I recently plugged some numbers into OSHA’s “$afety Pays” program.  (By the way, this is a free OSHA program, available on their web site.  Check it out some time.)  I will admit that even I was surprised by the results.  The program estimates the impact that just one injury can have on a company’s profit margin.  This is the bottom line for direct and indirect costs.  How will each injury affect the company?  Finally, a way to “justify” safety and to measure all those costs.  I’ll give you an example: Assume your company has a 3%  profit margin on services and you have just had an employee injure their back.  Your company is likely to pay over $27,000 in direct costs (medical bills, lost time, etc.) and another $30,000 in indirect costs (time lost due to the accident, training another employee to fill in, damaged materials).  With a small profit margin the company now has to make over $ 1,915,400 in sales to cover the cost of this one injury.  Wow!  That can be huge, especially for a small company.  Now, compare that cost to the cost of having one of your supervisors conduct a back safety training session and complete regular safety audits.  Seems pretty easy to see how investing in safety can pay off in a big way.

Enough of the scare tactics.  How about some good news.  No one wants to spend money training and re-training employees due to excessive employee turnover, and, let’s face it; we all can’t afford those huge bonuses that Wall Street is handing out to “keep quality employees”.  Well, here is another way that safety can pay off.  Research has shown that employees who completed a safety orientation program showed a higher level of commitment to their employer than these who skipped the program.  An effective orientation program can also help reduce employee anxiety.  This is the company’s first chance to ensure success from the start.  Successful orientation programs will not only educate, they will motivate and empower, as well.  Now, just picture a workforce of well trained, motivated, and empowered employees working with the company to stay ahead in these tough times.  Can you say “competitive edge”?

Need more justification?  Well, how about those bid packages you have to complete.  How many of those ask for a copy of your safety program and your EMR?  Even if you already have a great safety program, you must stay current.  Regulations change, technology changes, best practices evolve, and your safety program must stay current, too.  Who will keep you current?  Why, your safety person, of course!  I wish I could guarantee that your company will get every bid just based on your safety program, but we know that is not true.  What I can say for sure is that without a strong safety program, you will certainly get less and less bids.

Now, still looking for money for safety?  Let me go back to the first paragraph.  I mentioned that safety is a shared responsibility.  That means safety is shared by each and every employee within the company.  If your safety program is strong, and I hope that it is, you should already have trained and empowered your employees.  Now is the time to look to your employees for help.  Form a safety committee.  Let the employees research more cost effective ways to perform tasks.  Perhaps your employees can come up with a simple solution to help keep safety glasses usable for longer.  Maybe a well trained employee remembered hearing in a safety class that lanyards that are cleaned and properly maintained will last longer, leading to less money spent replacing them.  You may find that you can control safety costs, without sacrificing the overall quality of safety for your employees. 

Economists keep saying that things will turn around and that businesses will rebound.  We all hope that will happen soon, but in the mean time, we will all tighten our belts, and do more with less, as long as safety stays a priority.

              

Safety Alliance has trained over 100,000 employee hours

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TOLEDO AREA: Safety Council of Northwest Ohio

Contact: Dennis McMickens and Robert Momany, 8015 Rinker Point Court, Northwood, Ohio 43619 419-662-7777   

Course Topics: General Industry and Construction – Course description below

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COLUMBUS AREA: Franklin University

Contact: Garry McDaniel, 201 S. Grant Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43215 877-341-6300

 Course Topics: General Industry – Course description below

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COLUMBUS AREA: Builders Exchange of Central Ohio

Contact: Mary Logan So, 1175 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43216

 Course Topics: Construction – Course description below

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PORTSMOUTH AREA: Shawnee State University

Contact: Virginia Moore, 940 Second St., Portsmouth, Ohio 45662 740-351-3281

Course Topics: General Industry and Construction – Course description below

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OTHER SAFETY CLASSES: Safety Alliance LLC.

For Information Contact: Tim Roberts-8324 White Hill, West Chester, Ohio 45069    Phone: 513-777-6515

Course Topics: General Industry and Construction – Course description below

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COURSE DESCRIPTION:

OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Outreach

Course Content: The 10-hour General Industry Outreach Training Program is intended to provide entry level general industry workers broad awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a general industry site. The training covers a variety of safety and health hazards which a worker may encounter at a general industry site.

OSHA recommends this training as an orientation to occupational safety and health. Workers must receive additional training on hazards specific to their job. Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention.

Course Topics: Walking/working surfaces, Egress and Fire protection, Hazardous materials, Lockout, Personal protective equipment, Material handling, Forklifts, Cranes, Machine guarding, Welding, Electrical-Arc Flash & Hazard communication.  Note: OSHA manual available for an additional fee.

A customized OSHA 10 hour training class can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details.

OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Outreach – 4 Days

Course Content: The 30-hour General Industry Outreach Training Program is intended to provide a variety of training to people with some safety responsibility. Workers must receive additional training on hazards specific to their job. 

Training should emphasize hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention. 

Course Topics: Introduction to OSHA, Recordkeeping, Walking/working surfaces, Egress and Fire protection, Hazardous materials, Lockout, Personal protective equipment, Material handling, Forklifts, Cranes, Machine guarding, Welding, Electrical-Arc Flash & Hazard communication. Note: OSHA manual will be provided to each participant.

A customized OSHA 30 hour training class can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details.

OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry Outreach

Course Content: The 10-hour Construction Industry Outreach Training Program is intended to provide entry level construction workers general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site. The training covers a variety of construction safety and health hazards which a worker may encounter at a construction site.

OSHA recommends this training as an orientation to occupational safety and health. Workers must receive additional training on hazards specific to their job. Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention.

Course Topics: Fall Protection, Scaffolding, Excavation-Trenching, Hazard communication, Personal Protective Equipment, Fire & Egress, Ladders, Motor vehicles, Electrical, Cranes, Tools, Concrete & Steel erection. Note: OSHA manual available for an additional fee.

A customized OSHA 10 hour training class can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details.

OSHA 30-Hour Construction Industry Outreach – 4 Days

Course Content: The 30-hour General Industry Construction Training Program is intended to provide a variety of training to workers with some safety responsibility. Workers must receive additional training on hazards specific to their job. 

Training should emphasize hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention. 

Course Topics: Introduction to OSHA, Recordkeeping, Fall Protection, Scaffolding, Excavation-Trenching, Hazard communication, Personal Protective Equipment, Fire & Egress, Ladders, Motor vehicles, Electrical, Cranes, Tools, Concrete & Steel erection. Note: OSHA manual will be provided to each participant.

A customized OSHA 30 hour training class can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details.

500 Trainer Course for the Construction Industry – 4 Days

Course Content: This course is designed for personnel in the private sector interested in teaching the 10- and 30-hour construction safety and health outreach program to their employees and other interested groups. Special emphasis is placed on those topics that are required in the 10- and 30-hour programs as well as on those that are the most hazardous, using OSHA standards as a guide. Course participants are briefed on effective instructional approaches and the effective use of visual aids and handouts. This course allows the student to become a trainer in the OSHA Outreach Training Program and to conduct both 10- and 30-hour construction safety and health courses and to issue cards to participants after verifying course completion.

Course Objectives: Upon the successful completion of this course, the participants will be able to apply adult learning principles and training techniques to clearly identify, define, and explain construction industry hazards and acceptable corrective measures in accordance with the 29CFR 1926 Construction Industry Standard as they teach 10- and 30-hour Construction Industry Courses.

Prerequisites: Course #510 and five (5) years of construction safety experience. A college degree in occupational safety and health, a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) designation, in the applicable training area may be substituted for two years of experience.

Students in course #500 who wish to participate as authorized trainers in the OSHA Outreach Training program must prepare a one-hour presentation on an assigned OSHA Construction Outreach topic individually or as part of a group and successfully pass a written exam at the end of the course. Authorized OSHA Outreach trainers are required to attend Course #502 at least once every four (4) years to maintain their trainer status.

Course Topics: Introduction to OSHA standards, Safety programs, OSHA inspections, targeting and penalties, Training techniques, record keeping, Hazard communication, Health hazards, Personal Protective Equipment, Fire protection and prevention, Walking and working surfaces, Ladders, Fall Protection, Scaffolds and trenching, Electrical, cranes, Tools, Concrete, Steel erection

Minimum contact hours: 28.

Tuition: $800

This program can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details.

501 Trainer Course for General Industry – 4 Days

Course Content: This course is designed for personnel in the private sector interested in teaching the 10- and 30-hour general industry safety and health outreach program to their employees and other interested groups. Special emphasis is placed on those topics that are required in the 10- and 30-hour programs as well as on those that are the most hazardous, using OSHA standards as a guide. Course participants are briefed on effective instructional approaches and the effective use of visual aids and handouts. This course allows the student to become a trainer in the OSHA Outreach Training program and to conduct both 10- and 30-hour general industry safety and health courses and to issue cards to participants after verifying course completion.

Course Objectives: Upon the successful completion of this course, the participants will be able to apply adult learning principles and training techniques to clearly identify, define, and explain general industry hazards and acceptable corrective measures in accordance with the 29CFR 1910 General Industry Standard as they teach 10-and 30-hour General Industry Courses.

Prerequisites: Course #511 and five (5) years of general industry safety experience. A college degree in occupational safety and health, a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) designation, the applicable training area may be substituted for two (2) years of experience.

Students in course #501 who wish to participate as authorized trainers in the OSHA Outreach Training program must prepare a one-hour presentation on an assigned OSHA General Industry topic individually or as part of a group and successfully pass a written exam at the end of the course. Authorized OSHA Outreach trainers are required to attend Course #503 at least once every four (4) years to maintain their trainer status.

Course Topics: Overview of the training outreach program, Introduction to OSHA standards, hazard violation, Overview of the OSH Act and 29 CFR 1903, Inspections, citations and proposed penalties, OSHA record keeping, Walking/working surfaces, Means of egress and fire protection, Hazardous materials, Lockout/tagout, Personal protective equipment, Material handling, Machine guarding, Welding,  Lockout, Electrical, Hazard communication, Introduction to industrial hygiene 

Minimum contact hours: 28

Tuition: $800

This program can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details

502 Construction Industry Trainer “UPDATE CLASS” – 2.5 Days

Course Content: This course is designed for personnel in the private sector who have completed #500 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and health Standards for the Construction Industry and who are authorized trainers in the OSHA Outreach Training Program. It provides an update on such topics as OSHA construction standards, policies, and regulations. Minimum contact hours: 21.

Trainees who successfully complete this course should be able to: Describe the most current process, requirements, recommendations, and resources for the OSHA Outreach Trainer Program; Discuss updates in OSHA’s Construction Industry Standards and policy since 2005; Explain best practices for construction industry occupational safety & health; Demonstrate ability to effectively deliver OSHA construction industry training as well as critique other trainers; and Conduct themselves in an ethical manner, respecting their roles as Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainers.

Prerequisites: Course #500

Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainers are required to attend this course once every four years to maintain their trainer status. Prior to registration, students must provide a copy of their current trainer card for validation.

Prerequisites: Participants must have completed course 500. Participants must fax a copy of current 500 completion card with registration. The course manual will be provided to each participant. Manuals on CD and the 29 CFR Part 26 may be purchased for an additional fee.

Tuition: $600

This program can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details

503 General Industry Trainer “UPDATE CLASS” – 2.5 Days

Course Content: This course is designed for private sector personnel who have completed course #501 Trainer Course in occupational Safety and health Standards for General Industry and who are authorized trainers in the OSHA Outreach Training Program. It provides an update on OSHA general industry standards and OSHA policies. Minimum contact hours: 21.

Trainees who successfully complete this course should be able to: describe the most current process,requirements, recommendations, and resources for the OSHA Outreach Trainer Program;· Discuss updates in OSHA’s General Industry Standards and policy since 2005; Explain best practices for general industry occupational safety & health; Demonstrate ability to effectively deliver OSHA general industry training as well as critique other trainers; and Conduct themselves in an ethical manner, respecting their roles as Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainers. 

Prerequisites: Course #501

Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainers are required to attend this course once every four years to maintain their trainer status. Prior to registration, students must provide a copy of their current trainer card for validation.

Prerequisites: Participants must have completed course 501. Participants must fax a copy of current 501 completion card. The course manual will be provided to each participant. Manuals on CD and the 29 CFR Parts 1901-1910 may be purchased for an additional fee.

Tuition: $600

This program can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details

510 Construction Industry Trainer (Pre-Requisite for #500) – 4 Days

Course Content:
This course for private sector personnel covers OSHA policies, procedures, and standards, as well as construction safety and health principles. Topics include scope and application of the OSHA construction standards. Special emphasis is placed on those areas that are the most hazardous, using OSHA standards as a guide. Minimum contact hours: 21.

Course Objectives: Students completing this course should be able to-Recognize various construction processes,materials, and equipment, Identify the most common hazards with construction industry workplace, Associate them with the applicable OSHA standards and consensus standards; Recommend feasible abatement methods for these hazards and violations of these standards. 

Prerequisites: None

Participants: Course manual on CD and the 29 CFR 1926 hard copy will be provided to each participant. Course manuals on CD are available for an additional fee.

Course Topics: Intro to OSHA, Recordkeeping, Material Handling, Hazard communication, Fall protection/fall arrest, Hazard recognition, Inspection procedure, Health hazards in construction, Fire protection safety, Trenching,  Confined space entry, Why Safety, Overview of OSHA and OSHA standards, Inspections, Citations, and Penalties, Multi-Employer Workplaces, Safety and Health Management Systems, Recordkeeping,  General Physical Safety Hazards, Electrical Safety Hazards, Structural Safety Hazards, Mechanical Safety Hazards, Health Hazards

Tuition: $800

This program can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details

511 General Industry Trainer (Pre-Requisite for #501) – 4 Days

Course Content: This course is for private sector personnel and focuses on OSHA standards for general industry. Key general industry subparts are discussed in detail. Students participate in a hazard violation workshop to develop their ability to locate regulations which pertain to the violation condition indicated.

Course Objectives: Students completing this course will be able to – Identify the common hazards associated with general industry workplaces, Locate applicable OSHA standards and requirements in 29 CFR 1910, Recommend abatement methods for these hazards and violations of these standards. 

Prerequisites: None

Participants: Course manual and the 29 CFR Parts 1900-1910 hard copy will be provided to each participant. Course manuals on CD are available for an additional fee. 

Course Topics:  Location and application of OSHA Safety and Health standards, policies and procedures, Utilization of OSHA standards and regulations to supplement an on-going safety and health program,  Identification of common violations of OSHA, standards and proposal of abatement action, Description of appropriate abatement procedures for selected safety and health hazards,  Why Safety? Inspections, Citations, and Penalties, Record Keeping, Safety and Health Management Systems, Multi-Employer Workplaces, Walking and Working Surfaces, Egress and Evacuation, Fire Protection, Machinery and Machine, Guarding, Personal Protective Equipment, Hazardous Materials,  Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication, Materials Handling and Storage, Confined Space Entry, Introduction to Industrial Hygiene, Occupational health & Environmental Controls, Electrical Standards, Lockout,, Welding, Hand and Portable Power Tools.

 Tuition: $800

These programs can be delivered on site. Call Safety Alliance at 513.777.0073 for details 

 

 Are you looking for that competitive edge?  Are you ready to take the next step in worker safety? OSHA has created the Voluntary Protection Program, or VPP, to recognize those companies who are better than the rest and who are going above and beyond.  Yet, many companies are still not working to attain this recognition.  Many are afraid to approach what may seem like a daunting process. Safety Alliance can help you make sense of the process and walk you thru the steps. Safety Alliance has established experts within the field of safety on staff, including several retired OSHA compliance officers, available for training and consultation throughout the process. Safety Alliance has the added benefit of having completed the VPP process ourselves, as: The first safety consulting company within the USA to achieve VPP Star recognition.

 We are able to provide the most complete safety expertise available today.  Safety Alliance can help you every step of the way, from program development to hazard assessments to mock reviews, call us and see how we can help you. Safety Engineer Tamara McCanty can assist you.  Tamara McCanty-Safety Engineer

“God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. “And God granted his request.”

Prayer of Jabez

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

OSHA Inspector’s Pledge

I am an OSHA Inspector. The OSHA’s Code of Federal Safety Regulations is my weapons of warfare. I have been trained & tested by Lawyers, Employers and my boss the Area Director. I am committed, faithful, reliable, dependable and cannot be discouraged. I will not sell out, be talked out of any Willful Violations or give ground in an Informal Conference. People cannot disillusion me, weather cannot weary me and if asked to get a Warrant, you cannot hide it from me. My fellow OSHA Inspectors, Area director and OSHA’s budget are depending on me to get as many willfuls as I can and I will not give up.

Remember: I’ll bring the camera….just smile and say….”yes, I knew about that safety violation”…..I’ve got ya on a willful.

Safety Soldier’s Pledge

I am a Soldier in the Army of Occupational Safety and Health. Integrity, Truth and OSHA’s Code of Federal Safety Regulations are my Weapons of Warfare. I have been Recruited, Trained, Tried by Adversity, Tested by Employers, Employees and OSHA. I am Committed. I will be Faithful, Reliable, Dependable and cannot be Discouraged. I will not Sell Out, be Talked Out, Bought Out, Pushed Out or Give ground compromising safety. People cannot Disillusion me, Weather cannot Weary me and my Employer cannot Silence me. My Family, Friends, Employer, Employees are Depending on me and I will not Give Up.

Will You Please Join With Me In This Army Of Safety Soldiers?

Ten Little Workers

• 10 Workers- feeling fit and fine, one smoked in the solvent room….then there were nine…
• 9 Workers- thought they’d be late, one cut through the railroad yard, then there were eight
• 8 Workers- looking up to heaven, one fell off a loading ramp, then there were seven.
• 7 Workers- putting in hard licks, one mixed booze with gas, then there were six.
• 6 Workers- glad to be alive, one forgot his goggles, then there were five.
• 5 Workers- standing near a door, one thought a wire was dead, then there were four.
• 4 Workers- one scratched his knee, didn’t go for first-aid, then there were three.
• 3 Workers- with nothing much to do, one indulged in horse play, then there were two.
• 2 Workers- took stairways on the run, one missed his footing, then there were one.
• 1 Worker- thought of the other nine, began to practice safety, Now he’s doing fine

Author Unknown

Roberts, Congressman Portman (1993-2005)                                Tim Roberts & Joe Deere - OSHA Director (1996)

 Murphy, Congressmen Chabot (1995-2009) & Roberts                 Murphy (OSHA), Roberts, Stanley (OSHA & AK Steel)

Roberts, Cecil Thomas-Cincinnati-Councilman                             Cecil Thomas-Cincinnati-Councilman speaking to class

Roberts, Pete Estes- Pres. General Motors (1974-1981)

Safety Alliance partnered with World of Asphalt and held a OSHA 10 hour class. 

Chicago Safety Conference:

Roberts speaks at National Frame Builders Association on the “OSHA’s Lockout Standard” held at O’Hare airport.

“ACI Safety Day”

United States Conventions:

Ohio Safety Conference: 

Safety Alliance Tim Roberts and Safety Engineer Tamara McCanty were guest speakers at the Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus. Roberts spoke on “OSHA-Inspections, citations and the fine process and McCanty’s topic was “The number one killer in the Workplace-Driving”. The Ohio Safety Congress attendance is between 5,000 to 6.000 people

                                                                 Nashville Tenn Opryland conference:

                                            Roberts speaks at national conference on OSHA standards at Nashville’s Opryland. 

                                                                     Newfoundland Safety Conference: 

Safety Alliance travels to St. John’s Newfoundland to teach the OSHA 10 and 30 Hour Construction class to tower erectors.

                                                                     

                                   Safety Class at Cincinnati City Hall     

                 

               NIOSH                                            AK Steel – Union Safety              Volkswagen – New Tenn. Plant  

  

            

                                 Volkswagen – Hands on Training session      

           

                                            USI – OSHA 10 Hr. Class  

 

           

Shawnee State Unv.                  ASSE Meeting            Confined Space Training 

 

           

                             Veolia Enviromental – Lego Audit & Lockout Board