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Printing Instructions |
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American Biological Safety Association (ABSA)
(signed September 23, 2002; renewed October 13, 2004; renewed January 29,
2007)
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OSHA's then-Assistant Secretary, John Henshaw and
ABSA President, Elizabeth Gilman Duane renew national Alliance agreement October 13, 2004.
Representatives of ABSA and OSHA gathered round
John Henshaw, then-Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, and Maureen Best,
President of ABSA, after they signed the National Alliance on September 23, 2002.
John Henshaw, then-Assistant Secretary for
Occupational Safety and Health and Maureen Best, President of ABSA.
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The OSHA and ABSA Alliance will continue to focus on enhancing workplace
health and safety and to assist employers, including small businesses, in developing a preventive
focus for biological safety issues. The Alliance's goals include:
Training and education:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education materials for OSHA
Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) regarding Biosafety and to provide expertise in
communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.
Outreach and communication:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention
of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information
(e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and ABSA's Web sites) to
employers and employees in the industry.
- Speak, exhibit or appear at OSHA's or ABSA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as
ABSA's Annual Conference.
- Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding
ABSA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by ABSA and
through OSHA or ABSA developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or
any other applicable forum).
Promoting the national dialogue concerning biological safety in the workplace:
- Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on Biosafety
issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health
issues.
Milestones and Successes
Related Documents
Alliance Agreements
Alliance Annual Reports
Alliance News Releases
Activities and Events
- October 20-26, 2008:
2008 Drug-Free Work Week. American Biological Safety Association (ABSA)
and a number of other Alliance Program participants are supporting the 2008
Drug-Free Work Week. Sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program, the
Week’s focus is educating employers, employees and the public about the
importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful
workplace.
- June 25-26, 2008: Summer Seminar Series and Review Course, Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel,
Baltimore, Maryland.
- Dionne Williams, Team Leader, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs,
USDOL-OSHA, staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth.
- May 4-10, 2008:
2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The American
Biological Safety Association and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported 2008
NAOSH Week, "Safety is Good Business." Sponsored annually by American Society of Safety Engineers
and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing
injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
- October 7–10, 2007: 50th Annual Biological safety Conference, Opryland Hotel, Nashville,
Tennessee.
- October 7, 2007: Melody Sands, Director, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of
Enforcement Programs (DEP), USDOL-OSHA, Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health
Enforcement, DEP, USDOL-OSHA, and Karen Heckmann, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Training and
Education, Directorate of Training and Education, USDOL-OSHA, will present a Professional
Development Course, "Introduction to OSHA for Biosafety Professionals."
- October 8, 2007: Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, DEP,
USDOL-OSHA, will give a presentation, "OSHA Protection: Past, Present, and Future OSHA Efforts
Concerning Workers."
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, DEP, USDOL-OSHA, will staff
an Alliance Program exhibit booth.
- May 6-12, 2007: 2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The American
Biological Safety Association (ABSA) and a number of other Alliance Program participants supported
2007 NAOSH Week; "All Modes of Transportation." Sponsored annually by the American Society of
Safety Engineers (ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety
Engineering, the Week focuses on the importance of preventing injuries and illnesses in the
workplace.
- October 15–18, 2006: 49th Annual Biological safety Conference, Marriott Copley Place, Boston,
Massachusetts.
- Melody Sands, Director, Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP), Office of Health
Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, DEP, Office of Health
Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, and Karen Heckmann, Industrial Hygienist, Directorate of Cooperative
and State Programs, Office of Training and Education, USDOL-OSHA, provided a Professional
Development Course, "Introduction to OSHA for Biosafety Professionals," during the conference.
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Office of Health
Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, staffed the OSHA/ABSA Alliance exhibit booth.
- March 18, 2006: Association of periOperative Registered Nurses 53rd Congress, Washington, D.C.
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, gave a
presentation, "OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens in Healthcare Safety," to over 25 attendees.
- January 27, 2006: Multi-Regional Delegation, Department of State, United States Department of
Labor, Washington D.C.
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, gave a
presentation, "OSHA Overview-Healthcare Safety," to over 30 attendees.
- January 23, 2006: Center for Disease Control; International Symposium on Biosafety, Atlanta,
Georgia.
- Melody Sands, Director, Office of Health Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA gave a presentation, "OSHA Safety
and Health Requirements for Biosafety and Animal Research Facilities," to over 100 attendees.
- October 23-26, 2005: 48th Annual Biological Safety Conference, Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, BC Canada.
- Melody Sands, Director, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs,
USDOL-OSHA, Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of
Enforcement Programs, USDOL-OSHA, and Karen Heckmann, Industrial Hygienist, OSHA Training
Institute, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, USDOL-OSHA, taught a Professional
Development Course entitled, "Introduction to OSHA for Biosafety Professionals," to over 40
attendees.
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement
Programs, USDOL-OSHA staffed the OSHA-ABSA Alliance exhibit booth.
- October 17-20, 2004: 47th Annual Biological Safety Conference,
Adams Mark Hotel, San Antonio, Texas.
- Melody Sands, Director, Office of Health Enforcement, Directorate of Enforcement Programs,
USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "TB, Bloodborne Pathogens and More" to over 70 attendees.
- Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Office of Health
Enforcement, USDOL-OSHA, and John Beck, Region VI, Austin, Texas Area Office, staffed the
OSHA/ABSA Alliance exhibit booth.
Products and Resources
Alliance Program Participant Developed Products
- Principles of Biosafety Fact Sheet [PDF - 57 KB]. Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed "Principles of Biosafety Fact Sheet." The Fact Sheet provides laboratory employees with safety information through twelve valuable rules of biosafety. (2008, April)
- BioSafety Levels (US) [PDF - 88 KB]. Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA developed "BioSafety Levels (US)." The document describes the four levels of biosafety. (2008, April)
- Select Agent Diseases Fact Sheet [PDF - 367 KB]. Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA
developed "Select Agent Diseases Fact Sheet." The Fact Sheet provides laboratory employees with a
reference tool that includes the symptoms, transmission and treatment, for some of the most
commonly encountered pathogens or biological toxins that are federally regulated and have the
potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. (2008, July)
- Zoonotic Diseases Fact Sheet [PDF
- 478 KB]. Through the OSHA and American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Alliance, ABSA
developed "Zoonotic Diseases Fact Sheet." The Fact Sheet provides laboratory employees with a
reference tool that includes the symptoms, transmission and treatment for some of the most
commonly encountered diseases that are generally found in animals but can be spread to humans.
(2008, July)
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages
Publications and Newsletters
- On-line Resource: OSHA Infectious Dose White Paper, [PDF
- 191 KB], ABSA Alliance News.
Additional Resources
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ABSA/OSHA Alliance Page
- Online Resource: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Web Site on Legionnaires' Disease Bacteria (LDB) [PDF
- 102 KB]. ABSA Alliance News.
Areas of Emphasis
Accessibility Assistance:
Contact the OSHA Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs at 202-693-2200 for assistance
accessing OSHA PDF materials.
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