March 15, 2005 · Volume 4, Issue 6
A bi-weekly e-news memo with information, updates, and results from OSHA about safety and health in America's workplaces.

In This Issue OSHA Acting Administrator Addresses American Bar Association Workplaces with High Injury and Illness Rates Notified by OSHA National Strategic Partnership Conference Opens in Washington OSHA Schedules MACOSH Meeting Small Business Publication Offered, Bloodborne Pathogens Topics Page Updated OSHA Produces New Training Video Aimed at Reducing Shipyard Fatalities New Alliances Launched in Boston, Kansas City Milwaukee Area Office Realizes Outreach Success with Local Boy Scout Council VPP Recognition Granted to Sites in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies OSHA Acting Administrator Addresses American Bar Association      Jonathan Snare visited Key West, FL on March 2 to deliver his first major address as Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. The event was the American Bar Association's Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee 2005 midwinter meeting. Snare told those assembled that he wants to continue the agency's successful approaches, while managing "all of OSHA's resources to meet the challenges of the future" and to "draw upon the expertise of others in the safety and health community to advance the agency's mission of reducing workplace injuries, illnesses and loss of life." Workplaces with High Injury and Illness Rates Notified by OSHA     Approximately 14,000 employers received a letter this month from Acting OSHA Administrator Jonathan Snare alerting them that their injury and illness rates are above average, and that the agency can offer assistance to help fix safety and health hazards. The notifications were based on data reported by approximately 80,000 employers surveyed by OSHA last year (the survey collected injury and illness data from CY2003). Snare said the notification process is meant to raise awareness among employers and aid them in their efforts to "address the hazards and reduce occupational injuries and illnesses." National Strategic Partnership Conference Opens in Washington     March 16 marks the opening day of OSHA's first participant conference designed to spotlight successes and best practices of its National Strategic Partnership Program. The two-day event is labeled "Building Partnerships for a Safer Tomorrow" and will be held at the Frances Perkins building in Washington, D.C. OSHA staff and participants will discuss common issues, solutions, and ways to best leverage resources for continued successful programs. OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program, formed in 1998, has resulted in more than 350 national, regional and local agreements impacting more than 13,000 employers. Currently, 226 partnerships remain open, including 11 national partnerships that impact more than 225,000 workers. OSHA Schedules MACOSH Meeting    The Frances Perkins building in Washington, D.C., is the site for the March 31 meeting of the Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH), beginning at 8:30 a.m. Committee work groups (shipyard, longshoring, container safety, traffic safety, safety culture, and health) will meet from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., on March 30. MACOSH focuses on occupational safety and health issues for workers involved in shipbuilding, ship breaking, ship repair, and longshoring in the maritime industries. Details on the meeting are published in the March 2, 2005 Federal Register. Small Business Publication Offered, Bloodborne Pathogens Topics Page Updated    A new publication is available on OSHA's website and through its publication office designed to assist small business owners in not only meeting occupational safety and health requirements, but also to educate them on establishing successful safety and health programs. The Small Business Handbook includes topics such as "A Four-Point Workplace Program"; "Starting a Safety and Health Management System"; self-inspection checklists on a varied group of issues within general industry; plus a wealth of resources to aid the small business employer. OSHA has also updated its safety and health topics page for Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention. A mouse click will provide the reader information on related standards, recognizing bloodborne and needlestick hazards, recommended solutions to those hazards, important exposure information, and a list of additional resources. The enhanced information on the page is a byproduct of the agency's Alliance with the American Biological Safety Association. OSHA Produces New Training Video Aimed at Reducing Shipyard Fatalities     Reducing fatal shipyard accidents is the intent behind the joint production of a computer-animated video entitled, Examining Fatal Shipyard Accidents: Hazards and Solutions. The two-volume series features 16 animated re-enactments of fatal accidents investigated by OSHA. Hazards highlighted include cranes, confined spaces, drowning, fall and electrical hazards, lockout/tagout failures, and improper use of equipment. The scenarios depict factors contributing to the fatalities and prevention strategies. The videos (in both VHS and DVD formats) will be shipped during the week of March 21 to OSHA's regional offices for further distribution and outreach to shipyards. Consultation projects, state programs, and Alliance participants will receive additional copies soon. For more information on the videos, contact Deborah Gabry at OSHA's Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at (202) 693-1983. More information on shipyard employment, including a web-based electronic assistance eTool, is available on OSHA's Maritime Industry safety and health topics page. New Alliances Launched in Boston, Kansas City    OSHA's Boston and Kansas City regions have established new local Alliances to continue the advancement of safety and health in the workplace. The Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Career Center signed an Alliance March 2 with OSHA's Kansas City region to provide students with safety and health information, guidance and access to workplace safety training resources. Joining the agency's Boston region in an Alliance, March 8, was the New England Water Works Association (NEWWA) to focus efforts on reducing hazards and improve safety for workers in New England's water works systems, with a particular focus on cave-ins and trench collapses. Milwaukee Area Office Realizes Outreach Success with Local Boy Scout Council    As part of OSHA's efforts on youth outreach, the agency's Milwaukee Area Office recently produced a slide presentation with the Boy Scouts of America's Pottawatomie (WI) Council called "The Hazards of Helping." The presentation is designed to foster safety and health for scouts participating in the "Good Turn for America" program which promotes volunteerism and community work. The presentation helps identify common workplace hazards in which youths may find themselves volunteering, such as in food service and pantries, landscaping/agricultural, or at construction worksites. Key to the presentation are specific outlines on personal protective equipment, hazard prevention, and work requirements involving young workers. The program is in the process of being distributed nationwide to all Boy Scout councils from their national office. VPP Recognition Granted to Sites in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri     OSHA is highlighting three worksites across the nation for excellence in worker safety and health. Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jonathan L. Snare joined U.S. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert in Waterman, IL, March 7, to present Monsanto's Research Facility its VPP "Star" certification. Monsanto is a global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products. PPL Corporation's East Region Electric Utilities in Scranton, PA earned its VPP "Star" flag in ceremonies earlier this month. PPL has six VPP power generation sites and seven VPP transmission and distribution sites throughout the Keystone State. Finally, Delta Airlines-MCI Airport Customer Service in Kansas City earned its VPP "Star" membership during ceremonies March 9. Charles Adkins, OSHA's Regional Administrator in Kansas City said that the facility's safety and health management success includes "impressive hazard reporting and employee involvement programs." OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies      OSHA recently certified the following companies as Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) sites: Region VI: Interstate Highway Sign, Little Rock, AR; Highland Machine Shop, Camden, AR; Anthony Forest Products, Plain Dealing, LA; Winnfield Funeral Home, Baton Rouge, LA; OK 1 Manufacturing Co., Altus, OK; Nautilus, Tulsa, OK; Transformer Disposer Specialists, Inc., Tonkawa, OK; Pro-Fab, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK; Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK; Linde Boc Process Plants, Catoosa, OK; Cust-O-Fab, Inc., San Springs, OK; Cook Manufacturing, Duncan, OK; David's Pation Inc. #1, Springtown, TX; Chaparral Industries, Inc., Odessa, TX; Plastic Suppliers, Inc., Dallas, TX; Fiber Systems International, Allen, TX; Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Dallas, TX; Facility Construction, Inc., Dallas, TX; Universal Display & Fixtures, Lewisville, TX; Antelope Oil & Tool, Mineral Wells, TX; Greenwood Funeral Home, Fort Worth, TX; Superior Welding, Inc., Andrews, TX; Parts Channels Inc., Dallas, TX; Hub City Body Works, Lubbock, TX; Metal Specialties, Inc., Odessa, TX; Greenwood Funeral Home, Ft. Worth, TX; Sulzer Pump, Inc., Odessa, TX; Westech Seal, Inc., Odessa, TX; Wolf Creek Feedyard, Perryton, TX; Sivalls, Inc., Pampa, TX; Faith Mfg. Co., Humble, TX; Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX; Metco Supply, Inc., Junction Schooler Funeral Home, Inc., Amarillo, TX; H. D. Industries, Inc., Jacksonville, TX; Region VII: Solomon Valley, LLC, Downs, KS; Canoak USA, Inc., Salem, MO; Edward L. Baker Enterprises, Ellington, MO; Industrial Wood Products, Inc., Ozark, MO; Ozark Steel Fabrications, Inc., Farmington, MO; Douglas Manufacturing Corp., Crete, NE; Henningsen Foods, Inc., Ravenna; NE; Stanton Health Center, Stanton, NE; Region VIII: Teton Outpatient Services, Jackson, WY; Region IX: Sara Lee Bakery Group, Phoenix, AZ; Steve Christie Chrysler, Tucson, AZ; Sun Valley Hand Surgery, Phoenix, AZ; Jal Hawaii, Inc., Honolulu; HI; and Region X: US Ecology, Inc., Grand View, ID. (See the March 1, 2005 issue of QuickTakes for the most recent SHARP-certified companies from Regions I–V). Editor: Bill Wright, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999