1. Alliance Background
   
   Date Signed
   
   October 10, 2002
   
   Overview
   
   The OSHA/AIHA Alliance focuses on reducing and preventing employee exposure to ergonomic hazards in the workplace by providing AIHA members and others with information and specific guidance for developing, implementing, and/or improving ergonomic programs. This agreement also addresses a number of goals including:
   
   Training and Education
    
   • Develop and deliver training and education programs on ergonomics hazard reduction and elimination.
   Outreach and Communication
    
   • Develop and disseminate information at conferences, events, or through print and electronic media, including links from the AIHA and OSHA web sites.
   • Establish avenues and processes for AIHA members to mentor and assist OSHA personnel as they go through professional certification.
   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
    
   • Develop, promote and share information on best worksite practices through outreach by AIHA and OSHA.
   • Share information and examples of hazard recognition strategies and analytical tools with OSHA and others in the occupational health and safety profession.
   • Convene or participate in forums and roundtable discussions on ergonomic issues to help find innovative solutions in the workplace.
   Implementation Team Members
    

   AIHA:
   Tom Grumbles Peter O'Neil Aaron Trippler	President Assistant Executive Director Director, Government Affairs
   OSHA:
   Cathy Cronin Bob Curtis Lisa Ramber Beth Sherfy	Office of Training and Education Salt Lake Technical Center Office of Outreach Services and Alliances Office of Outreach Services and Alliances
   Contributors
   Dick Clark	Contractor for OSHA, Salt Lake Technical Center
   Evaluation Period
   October 10, 2002 - October 9, 2003

   
   
2. Implementation Team Meetings

November 15, 2002 January 7, 2003 June 23, 2003

Kick-off meeting Conference call Conference call

Joint meeting with the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
 

October 6, 2003

Conference call

3. Activities and Products
   
   Training and Education
   
   Products:
   
   
   • AIHA is working with two Alliance participants, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), to develop a definition for upper-extremity work relatedness that can be used during the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders.
   
   Outreach and Communication
   
   Events:
   
   
   • AIHA's Board and Leadership Conference, Fairfax, Virginia
     
     On January 31, 2003, OSHA Assistant Secretary John Henshaw spoke to the AIHA Board and discussed the Alliance Program and the agreement that OSHA and AIHA signed.
     
     On February 1, 2003, Paula White, Director of OSHA's Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, gave a presentation to AIHA's Leadership Conference entitled "The OSHA-AIHA Alliance: Meeting the Goals Together." Ms. White's presentation reviewed the Alliance's goals and early successes and described upcoming activities.
     
     
   • American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce), Dallas, Texas
     
     OSHA Assistant Secretary John Henshaw spoke on May 12, 2003 at the AIHce and his presentation, "Navigating Unchartered Territory," outlined OSHA's 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan goals, including OSHA's continuing focus on developing Alliances.
     
     On May 14, during the AIHce, OSHA held a roundtable discussion entitled "Expanding OSHA's Impact: Outreach and Assistance." The following speakers discussed OSHA's compliance assistance efforts and the Alliance Program.
     
     
     • Kim Lazor, OSHA, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary
     • Paula O. White, OSHA, Director, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs
     • Bob Curtis, OSHA, Director, Program Support Division, Salt Lake Technical Center
     • Thomas G. Grumbles, CIH, AIHA, President, Sasol North America Inc.
     • Michael Rivera, OSHA, Fort Worth Area Office
     OSHA also exhibited during the conference and distributed 1,000 CDs.
     
     
   • OSHA Second Annual Compliance Assistance Conference, Tysons Corner Marriott, Vienna, Virginia
     
     AIHA exhibited during the conference, June 9-13, 2003.
     
     
   • Professional Conference on Industrial Hygiene (PCIH), Rancho Las Palmas Marriott, Rancho Mirage, California
     
     Assistant Secretary, John Henshaw provided the keynote address on September 15, 2003, at the PCIH Opening Session: "Updating the OSHA PELs: Searching for Consensus." In addition, he updated the group on the AIHA Alliance.
   Products:
   
   
   • October 10 -- OSHA distributed a news release announcing the Alliance.
      
   • October 10, 2002 -- AIHA distributed a press release announcing the Alliance.
      
   • October 15, 2002 – OSHA includes information on the OSHA/AIHA Alliance signing in its bi-weekly e-newsletter; QuickTakes.
      
   • December 3, 2002 -- AIHA distributed a press release reporting on the Alliance kick-off Implementation Team meeting.
      
   • December 2002 -- AIHA included an article on the Alliance in the December edition of the association's magazine; The Synergist. This is a four-color publication that is mailed to more than 12,000 AIHA members monthly.
      
   • AIHA put together and provided OSHA with a contact list of its Chapters that are in the same geographical areas as OSHA's Ed Centers. The Ed Centers can use the list to contact AIHA chapters if they are looking for training information or instructors in a specific safety and health topic area.
      
   • AIHA added links from its Web site to OSHA's Alliance and Ergonomics Web pages.
      
   • AIHA is participating on the following twelve editorial boards for OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages:
     
     
     • Confined Space
     • Emergency Response
     • Hazard Communication
     • Indoor Air Quality
     • Ionizing Radiation
     • Noise and Hearing Conservation
     • Occupational Epidemiology
     • Occupational Medicine
     • Laboratory Health and Safety
     • Personal Protective Equipment
     • Respiratory Protection
     • Sampling and Laboratory Analysis
   • Three OSHA staffers, Brett Besser, Kim Lazor and Beth Sherfy are participating as ad hoc members on AIHA's Ergonomics Committee to facilitate communication between the two organizations and to address and jointly resolve any issues that arise. OSHA staff participated in the May 2003 meeting of this committee.
   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
   
   Events:
   
   
   • OSHA Second Annual Compliance Assistance Conference, June 9-13, 2003
     
     Frank Renshaw, speaking on behalf of AIHA, discussed the value and benefits of achieving professional certification during a conference workshop, “Achieving Professional Certification,” that was presented two times on Wednesday, June 11, 2003. The session also covered the qualifications and requirements that industrial hygiene or safety professionals must meet to be awarded the certifications and mentoring opportunities that are available for OSHA staff. Members of the workshop panel included Mark Hansen, speaking on behalf of the American Society of Safety Executives (an Alliance participant) and Stew Burkhammer for the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (signed an Alliance on September 26, 2003).
4. Results
   
   Through the Alliance, OSHA and AIHA increased communication between the organizations and awareness of the compliance assistance resources and programs that are offered by both organizations. The association demonstrated that the organization is committed to providing ongoing support to OSHA offices and personnel by supplying information and resources as requested by the Agency; including a list of contacts at its local chapters. AIHA's members are also providing OSHA with expertise through their participation on OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages' editorial boards. The knowledge that the AIHA committee members contribute is helping to increase the value of these pages for safety and health professionals and the public.
   
   OSHA's staff participation as ad hoc members of AIHA's Ergonomics Committee provides a link between the two groups that was not available prior to the Alliance. The committee is now able to hear directly from OSHA as issues are discussed during the committee meetings and, at the same time, OSHA learns more about AIHA's activities and concerns in this area.
   
   Speaking and exhibiting opportunities are invaluable to both organizations as was proven in 2003. OSHA's participation in AIHce 2003 provided an excellent vehicle for speaking directly to industrial hygiene professionals regarding the Agency's outreach efforts. In addition, AIHA's participation at the Second Annual OSHA Compliance Assistance Conference showed that the association is willing to meet OSHA representatives and be available to talk frankly about safety and health issues in the workplace and educate the Agency's staff about safety and health professional certification.
    

5. Upcoming Milestones
   
   Both organizations are committed to continuing to leverage resources and provide information to improve the safety and health of the workplace. Upcoming milestones for the OSHA and AIHA Alliance include the signing of a renewal Alliance agreement for two years. OSHA will also be speaking, and participating in workshops and exhibiting during AIHAce 2004.
   
   Working with other Alliance participants and finding ways to help OSHA educate its staff about safety and health professional certification have been identified by the Alliance as top priorities in the upcoming year. AIHA is planning to continue working with ACOEM and AAOS to develop a definition for upper-extremity work relatedness that can be used during the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders. The Alliance has also discussed working with other Alliance participants to develop the business case for safety and health. It is expected that an Alliance signed with the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) will provide an opportunity for AIHA and SCHC to work together to address hazard communication issues in the workplace.
   
   AIHA is currently exploring ways it can continue provide support to OSHA staff (e.g. providing educational opportunities, mentoring) that are studying for safety and health certification. In addition, OSHA is preparing core competencies for the training of OSHA staff and AIHA will review the information and provide input once a draft is available. Other issues that the Alliance may be called on to work on during the upcoming year include tuberculosis and hazard preparedness.