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<<< Back to National Alliances Printing Instructions   American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) (signed September 23, 2002; renewed October 13, 2004; renewed January 29, 2007)   Milestones and Successes | Related Documents | Activities and Events | Products and Resources | Areas of Emphasis 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.   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 American Biological Safety Association Alliance Milestones and Successes (2006, May). Related Documents Alliance Agreements Agreement signed September 23, 2002. Renewal Agreement signed October 13, 2004. Renewal Agreement signed January 29, 2007. Alliance Annual Reports Alliance Annual Report 2002-2003, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. Alliance Annual Report 2003-2004, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. Alliance Annual Report 2004-2005, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. Alliance Annual Report 2005-2006, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. Alliance Annual Report 2006-2007, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. Alliance News Releases OSHA, American Biological Safety Association Form Alliance. OSHA New Release (2002, September 23). OSHA, American Biological Safety Association Renew Alliance Focus continues on Information-Sharing to Address Biological Hazards in the Workplace. OSHA News Release (2004, October 26). OSHA Renews Alliance with American Biological Safety Association. OSHA News Release (2007, March 1). OSHA, ASSE, CSSE and Industry Groups Team Up to Increase Job Safety for North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. OSHA News Release (2007, May 4). 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; presented a Professional Development Course, "Introduction to OSHA for Biosafety Professionals." October 8, 2007: Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, DEP, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA Protection: Past, Present, and Future OSHA Efforts Concerning Workers." Dionne Williams, Industrial Hygienist, Office of Health Enforcement, DEP, USDOL-OSHA, staffed 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 Background 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 Anthrax Avian Flu Biological Agents Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Botulism Foodborne Disease Hantavirus Hazardous Waste Indoor Air Quality Ionizing Radiation Legionnaires' Disease Mold and Fungi Plague Ricin Smallpox Tularemia Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers OSHA eTools Hospital Publications and Newsletters On-line Resource: OSHA Infectious Dose White Paper, [PDF - 191 KB], ABSA Alliance News. Additional Resources 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 Small Businesses   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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