| November 1, 2005 · Volume 4, Issue 21 | |
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| A bi-weekly e-news memo with information, updates, and results from OSHA about safety and health in America's workplaces. | |
| NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only. |
In This Issue OSHA Outreach Training Program Sets Record OSHSPA Issues Latest Grassroots Worker Protection Report More Hurricane Quick Cards and Fact Sheets Available OSHA Education Center Offers Training Courses Spanish-language Versions of Worker Safety and Health Training Set for Chicago OSHA Welcomes New National Alliance Participant, Renews Others Nebraska, Texas, Massachusetts and Maryland Worksites Earn "VPP" Recognition Latest Regional Alliances Formed with OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs Activity OSHA Outreach Training Program Sets Record OSHA's Outreach Training Program had another record-breaking year for fiscal year (FY) 2005. During the year, 376,027 students were trained (a 23 percent increase from 305,362 in FY 2004) and 25,976 classes were held--an average of 500 classes per week. There were 296,000 construction and 80,000 general industry students trained. Over the years, as more workers complete the 10-hour construction or general industry training, many are upgrading to the 30-hour training courses. In FY 2005, there was a 32.3 percent increase in the number of 30-hour students. The OSHA Outreach Training Program is the agency's primary way to train workers about occupational safety and health. Through the program, individuals who complete a one-week OSHA trainer course from either the OSHA Training Institute, or an OSHA Training Institute Education Center are authorized to teach 10-hour or 30-hour courses in construction or general industry safety and health standards. In the past six years, the number of students has doubled. During this period, 1.62 million workers received outreach training. OSHSPA Issues Latest Grassroots Worker Protection Report The Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association (OSHSPA) recently released its latest Grassroots Worker Protection report that focuses on innovative state-developed approaches to creative partnerships, outreach and education, voluntary compliance, inspection targeting and settlement agreements. OSHSPA is an association comprised of states and U.S. territories that administer their own occupational safety and health programs. More Hurricane Quick Cards and Fact Sheets Available Employers and workers helping with hurricane clean up and recovery efforts will benefit from a new group of quick cards and fact sheets produced by OSHA. Available in both English and Spanish, this informational material focuses on safety and health topics such as aerial lifts, atmospheric testing in confined spaces, asbestos hazards, black widow and brown recluse spiders, chain saws and construction personal protective equipment, to name a few. These resources can be downloaded from OSHA's hurricane recovery page, or can be ordered by calling OSHA's publications office at (202) 693-1888. OSHA Education Center Offers Training Courses The University of Minnesota Midwest Center for Occupational Safety and Health, a member of the Great Lakes Regional OSHA Training Institute Education Center consortium, is offering the OSHA 5600 Disaster Site Worker Train-the-Trainer course on Jan. 24-27, 2006. This course prepares experienced occupational safety and health trainers to teach the introductory OSHA 7600 Disaster Site Worker Program class, which is designed to raise awareness about the safety and health hazards at natural and manmade disaster sites and ways to address those hazards. On Feb. 14-16, 2006, the OSHA 2225 Respiratory Protection course will be offered focusing on the requirements for the establishment, maintenance and monitoring of a respirator program. OSHA 2264 Permit Required Confined Space Entry course, being conducted March 7-9, 2006, is designed to increase trainees' knowledge of the hazards associated with confined space entry and their environment. Information on all courses offered through OSHA's education centers is available on the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Web site. Spanish-language Versions of Worker Safety and Health Training Set for Chicago OSHA is joining participating state agencies and universities in the Chicago area to offer the Spanish-language version of the agency's 10-hour general industry safety and health course on Dec. 3, 2005, and again on Dec. 10. The 10-hour construction course will be offered March 18, 2006, and March 25. The courses will be taught at Chicago's West Side Technical Institute, 2800 S. Western Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A wide range of general industry subjects will be covered including machine safeguarding, personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout, bloodborne pathogens, and more. The construction course will examine electrical safety, excavations, scaffolds, fall protection, and other safety and health issues. Information on the training is available through Harry S. Truman College at (773) 907-3994 or (773) 907-4367 (bilingual). Space is limited. OSHA Welcomes New National Alliance Participant, Renews Others OSHA established a new national alliance last month highlighting workplace safety and health. SkillsUSA joined with OSHA on Oct. 17 to focus on fostering safer and healthier workplaces for young workers. OSHA also renewed an alliance with the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA). The renewal allows OSHA and NLBMDA the opportunity to continue promoting safe working conditions for employees in the lumber and building materials industry. The National Association of Home Builders and OSHA renewed its alliance to continue designing training programs and workshops on residential construction industry issues, emphasizing the Spanish-speaking workforce. OSHA's alliance renewal with the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. will continue targeting workplace violence, musculoskeletal disorders and promoting automated external defibrillators in the workplace. Nebraska, Texas, Massachusetts and Maryland Worksites Earn "VPP" Recognition OSHA's Kansas City Regional Office recognized Omaha Steaks International Inc. of Omaha, Neb., as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) "Merit" site on Oct. 26. Charles E. Adkins, regional administrator, presented the award and praised Omaha Steaks for its management's commitment to safety and health and employee involvement in safety and health programs. OSHA's Dallas Regional Administrator John Miles recently recognized Honeywell Hardware Product Group of Roanoke, Texas, as a VPP "Star" site. The company was praised for maintaining an injury and illness rate 56 percent below the national average for their industry. Calpine Dighton Power in North Dighton, Mass., also earned the prestigious "Star" award for its outstanding safety and health management program. The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health program awarded its own VPP "Star" designation to Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Advanced Technologies Laboratories of Linthicum, Md., at a recent ceremony. John Wasilisin, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, presented the award and praised the Northrop Grumman facility for its outstanding safety and health management system. The Advanced Technologies Laboratories is a research and manufacturing facility for ground and airborne-based radar systems, communications equipment and intelligence devices. Latest Regional Alliances Formed with OSHA Enhancing safe and healthful working conditions for workers throughout northern New England is the goal of an alliance between OSHA's New England Region and the Safety and Health Council of Northern New England and the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Alliance participants will work together to provide employers and workers with information, guidance and access to training resources to help protect employees' safety and health. The El Salvador Consulate of Long Island, N.Y., joined forces with OSHA's New York Region to offer Salvadorans and other Hispanics information, guidance and training to help protect workers, particularly those with limited English-speaking ability. Voluntary Protection Programs Activity The following companies were approved last month for new or continued participation in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP): Region I: Rogers Corp., High Performance Foams - Poron, Woodstock, Conn. (New Star) Region II: FMC Corp., Princeton, N.J. (Cont. Star); Lubrizol Dock Resins, Linden, N.J. (Return to Star); Wheelabrator Hudson Falls, Hudson Falls, N.Y. (Cont. Star) Region III: Merck Office Complex Expansion Construction Project, North Wales, Upper Gwynedd Township, Pa. (New Star Demo); United States Postal Service, Scranton Post Office, Scranton, Pa. (New Star) Region IV: Kerr McGee, Hamilton Pigment Plant, Hamilton, Miss. (Cont. Star); Georgia Pacific, Columbia Chip-n-Saw, Columbia, Miss. (New Merit); WestPoint Stevens (Abbeville Plant), Abbeville, AL (Conditional Star); United Space Alliance, NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot, Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Cont. Star) Region V: General Aluminum, Wapakoneta, Ohio (New Star); Northrop Grumman Corp., Defensive, Rolling Meadows, Ill. (New Star); Garrett Aviation Services, Springfield, Ill. (Cont. Star); L'Oreal, Solon Manufacturing Facility, Solon, Ohio (New Merit); Louisiana Pacific Corp., Hayward OSB Plant, Hayward, Wis. (New Star) Region VI: Technip-Gulf Marine Fabricators Inc., Aransas Pass, Texas (Return to Star); Turner Industries Group at Occidental Convent Plant, Convent, La. (Cont. Star); Equistar Chemicals, Victoria, Texas (Cont. Star); E.I. DuPont Fluroproducts Corpus Christi Plant, Ingleside, Texas (Cont. Star); Valero Corpus Christi Refinery, West Plant, Corpus Christi, Texas (New Star); Frito Lay, Brookhollow II Facility, Dallas, Texas (Cont. Star); Georgia Pacific, Waxahachie Container Ops., Waxahachie, Texas (Cont. Star); Dell Inc., Parmer South Building 2, Austin, Texas (New Star); Jacobs JE Merit Constructors Inc. at ExxonMobil Lubricants, Port Allen, La. (New Star); ExxonMobil Port Allen LOBP, Port Allen, La. (New Star); Frito Lay Inc., Rosenburg Facility, Rosenberg, Texas (Cont. Star) and Region VII: Precise Products Inc., Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Merit to Star). Editor: Elaine Fraser, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999 |