Collaboration on injury, illness prevention programs
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, DC, and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), based in Fairfax, VA, have established an alliance that will harness their collective expertise to help prevent injuries and illnesses in the American workplace. The new partners will share best practices and technical knowledge in many areas, including in the field of ergonomics, according to OSHA administrator John L. Henshaw.
This alliance is part of a new initiative launched early this year, explains Lee Anne Jillings, director, office of outreach services and alliances for OSHA. "The alliance program is a brand new cooperative opportunity for groups to collaborate and work with OSHA on particular health and safety issues or topics, as well as raise public awareness and dialogue," she explains.
To date, OSHA has formed alliances with:
- Hispanic Contractors of America;
- Risk and Insurance Management Society;
- Printing Industries (four groups — PIA/GAFT, SGIA, Envelope Manufacturers Association and Flexographic Technical Association);
- National Shooting Range Association and Sporting Arms and Munitions Manufacturers Institute;
- Independent Electrical Contractors Inc.;
- Society of the Plastics Industry;
- American Biological Safety Association;
- American Meat Institute.
In some cases, says Jillings, OSHA approaches potential alliance partners. In this case, "AIHA initially approached us, but it can go either way. We often will call up organizations we think are good candidates for particular issues."
AIHA wanted its alliance with OSHA to focus on general illness and injury prevention, but also on ergonomics, she says. "They felt their members had a lot of expertise to share with us and could help us further disseminate information and raise public awareness."
Under the terms of this Alliance, OSHA and the AIHA will work together to provide AIHA members with information and guidance to help reduce and prevent employee exposure to ergonomic hazards, and to reach out to association members with specifics on developing, implementing and improving ergonomic programs.
The alliance provides avenues for both organizations to work together on outreach and communication projects, including the development and dissemination of information at conferences, events and through their respective web sites. AIHA members’ worksites will be encouraged to participate in OSHA’s cooperative programs, such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, the Consultation Program, and SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program). AIHA members will also be afforded opportunities to mentor and assist OSHA personnel as they proceed with professional certifications.
OSHA and AIHA also will promote and share information on best practices with others in the occupational health and safety profession. How will best practices be determined? "The AIHA members will come forward and identify what they believe to be a best practice, and we will look at it and discuss it together, and then mutually agree on best practices," says Jillings. Avenues for sharing information with others will include web sites, organizational publications, as well as cosponsored conferences, workshop presentations and exhibits. "These are great forums for disseminating and sharing."
The alliance will have kickoff meeting on how to achieve its goals within the next several weeks. "Following that we will meet at least on a quarterly basis, either in person or through teleconferencing, to go over our progress and initiatives," says Jillings, who explains there will be a combination of short- (three months) and long-term goals of 12 months and beyond.
Finally, OSHA and AIHA will assist association members with the development and delivery of training and education programs for reducing and eliminating ergonomic hazards in the workplace.
Jillings says that so far the alliance initiative is going quite well. "We are very pleased with the progress the program has made," she says. "It covers a wide array of organizations — both professional societies and trade associations — and a wide range of topics, from indoor airborne lead, to amputations, from rear-end collisions to improving and raising awareness of Hispanic construction managers and employees. It’s a good program for garnering cooperation between us, the community and our various stakeholders to address important issues at hand."
For more information, contact:
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20210.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington, DC, and the American Industrial Hygiene Association, based in Fairfax, VA, have established an alliance that will harness their collective expertise to help prevent injuries and illnesses in the American workplace.
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