I. Alliance Background
Date Signed
February 14, 2003
Date Renewed
March 24, 2005
Evaluation Period
February 14, 2004 – February 13, 2005
Overview
The OSHA-AAFA Alliance helps foster a culture of injury and illness prevention by sharing best
practices and technical safety and health knowledge, especially in the area of ergonomics.
Implementation Team Members
| OSHA: |
|
| |
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Brett Besser
Cathy Cronin
Bob Curtis
Brently Donaldson
Kim Lazor
Tirzah Leiman-Carbia
Nancy McCormick
Lisa Ramber
Beth Sherfy |
Salt Lake City Technical Center (SLTC)
Office of Training and Education (OTE)
SLTC
OTE
Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary
Office of Small Business Assistance
Region IX
Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
OOSA |
| |
|
| AAFA: |
|
| |
|
Gloria Carter
Michael Della Mea
John Eapen
Roger Hopkins
Steve Jesseph
Charlotte Lewengrub
Carey McCombie
Greg Murphy
Don Roberson
Michael Scott
Harris Tharsher |
TC2
Sara Lee Branded Apparel
American & Efird Inc.
Carhartt
Sara Lee Branded Apparel
Quabaug Corporation
AAFA Government Relations
Kellwood Company
Maidenform Inc.
American & Efird Inc.
Jockey International Inc. |
II. Implementation Team Meetings
April 5, 2004
December 15, 2004
January 5, 2005 |
Implementation Team Meeting
Ergonomics Manual Meeting
Ergonomics Manual Meeting |
III. Results
- Events and Products
Outreach and Communication Goals
- Develop and disseminate information and guidance through print and electronic media, particularly
the AAFA and OSHA Web sites.
Products
Apparel and Footwear Safety and Health Topics Page
Representatives from the OSHA-AAFA Alliance continue to help to review and revise OSHA’s Apparel and
Footwear Industry Safety and Health Topics page. This page is maintained as a product of the
Alliance between OSHA and AAFA. The following AAFA member serves on the page’s editorial board:
- Charlotte Lewengrub, Compliance Manager, Quabaug Corporation
AAFA’s Web site
AAFA continues to update its Web site, which contains a page on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance that
includes links to the OSHA and AAFA Alliance agreement, OSHA’s Apparel and Footwear Industry Safety
and Health Topics page, OSHA’s Sewing eTool and OSHA Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics page. It
also has links to the ergonomics manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume 1, An Industry Manual
for the Apparel and Footwear Industries, which was developed by the Alliance implementation team.
OSHA and AAFA’s Alliance Web page
The OSHA and AAFA Web page on the OSHA Web site continues to be updated on a regular basis and
includes links to the Alliance agreement and related documents, activities and events, milestones
and successes, and products of the Alliance such as the ergonomics manual, Ergonomics for
Supervisors: Volume 1, An Industry Manual for the Apparel and Footwear Industries. For more
information on the number of visits to the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance
Program Reach table on page 5.
- Disseminate information and guidance in applicable foreign languages.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.
- Speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other events to promote the
effectiveness of ergonomics programs.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.
- Promote and encourage AAFA members’ participation in OSHA’s cooperative programs such as
compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, SHARP, and mentoring among
AAFA members.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.
Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals
- Encouraging AAFA members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA’s cooperative programs
and Compliance Assistance Specialists.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.
- Share information on best practices of AAFA members, as determined by OSHA and AAFA, with others
in the industry.
Products
Ergonomics Manual: Ergonomics for Supervisors, Volume I – An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and
Footwear Industries
The OSHA and AAFA Alliance implementation team members developed an ergonomics manual for the
apparel and footwear entitled, Ergonomics for Supervisors: Volume 1, An Industry Manual for the
Apparel and Footwear Industries. The manual provides practical suggestions for supervisors to help
reduce the number and severity of injuries by identifying, evaluating and controlling hazards using
proven methods from the apparel and footwear industries. Chapters in the manual cover such topics as
an introduction to ergonomics, work station design, and musculoskeletal disorders, among other
topics.
Training and Education Goals
- Develop and deliver training and education programs on ergonomics issues.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.
- Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals in AAFA ergonomics
programs or best practices, as determined by OSHA and AAFA.
During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.
- Executive Summary
During the OSHA and AAFA Alliance’s second year, the implementation team developed several resources
with information about the Alliance, ergonomics and other safety and health issues. OSHA and AAFA
continue to update their Web sites with relevant information. The OSHA-AAFA Alliance Web page on the
OSHA Website features links to related documents, activities and events, and milestones and
successes. AAFA’s Web site features a Web page on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance that includes links to
the OSHA and AAFA Alliance agreement, OSHA’s Apparel and Footwear Industry Safety and Health Topics
page, OSHA’s Sewing eTool, OSHA Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics page, and other OSHA resources.
During the past year, the AAFA Alliance implementation team contributed to OSHA’s compliance
assistance products. An AAFA member continued to serve on the Apparel and Footwear Industry Safety
and Health Topics page editorial board, providing expert input to SLTC to help maintain the page.
Although the Alliance agreement contains a number of goals, during the evaluation period, the OSHA
and AAFA Alliance implementation team focused on developing an ergonomics manual for the apparel and
footwear industry, Ergonomics for Supervisors, Volume I – An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and
Footwear Industries. The manual is designed to direct supervisors through the process of developing
an effective ergonomics program. The manual provides practical suggestions for supervisors to help
reduce the number and severity of injuries by identifying, evaluating and controlling hazards using
proven methods from the apparel and footwear industries. Chapters in the manual cover such topics as
an introduction to ergonomics, work station design, and musculoskeletal disorders, among other
topics. To develop this manual, representatives from the Alliance reviewed existing ergonomics
practices in the apparel and footwear industries. AAFA asked member companies for successful
approaches, programs and processes that have successfully reduced exposure to these stressors. A
link to the manual is on the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page.
- Alliance Program Reach
| Type of Activity (Conference,
Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) |
Number of Individuals Reached or
Trained |
| OSHA and AAFA Alliance Webpage on the OSHA Web site |
4649 |
| AAFA Alliance Web page on the AAFA Web Site |
Data Not Available |
| Apparel and Footwear Safety and Health Topics Page |
21,699 |
| TOTAL |
26,348 |
IV. Upcoming Milestones
Building on the success for the first two years of the Alliance, OSHA and AAFA will renew the
agreement for two additional years. The Alliance implementation team will continue to provide
information, guidance, and access to training resources to help protect apparel and footwear
industry employees’ from ergonomic injuries. The team will identify projects, including developing
training and education for AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear industry, making
presentations at conferences, and developing and reviewing compliance assistance resources.
The OSHA and AAFA Alliance implementation team will promote the availability of the ergonomics
manual, Ergonomics for Supervisors, Volume I – An Introductory Manual for the Apparel and Footwear
Industries, on OSHA’s and AAFA’s Web sites and through press releases issued by both organizations
and related articles in print and online media. Additionally, through the Alliance, AAFA plans to
offer six training sessions to education AAFA members and others in the apparel and footwear
industry. The sessions will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina; Los Angeles, California; Miami,
Florida; El Paso, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and New York, New York. AAFA plans to invite OSHA
representatives from the region or state where the training session is being held to help with the
presentations and attend the training. After the training sessions are completed, the group plans to
translate the ergonomics manual into Spanish for Spanish-speaking employees. In addition, the
OSHA-AAFA implementation team will explore developing additional industry-specific ergonomics
guidance documents and case studies.
Additionally, OSHA and AAFA will identify opportunities for promoting the Alliance to the apparel
and footwear industry and other members of the public. AAFA has agreed to discuss the products,
activities and successes of its Alliance with OSHA at the National Safety Congress in Orlando,
Florida on September 22, 2005. AAFA will participate in a panel discussion entitled, Successes of
OSHA’s Ergonomic Alliances, with representatives from OSHA and other Alliance Program participants,
including The Dow Chemical Company, the Graphic Arts Coalition, and the National Telecommunications
Safety Panel.
The members of the Alliance implementation team will update the OSHA and AAFA Alliance Web page on
OSHA’s Web site and the AAFA’s Web site with Alliance information. The team also will review and
update the Apparel and Footwear Industry Safety and Health Topics page.
Report prepared by: Elizabeth Sherfy, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and
Alliances, May 10, 2005.
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