OSHA Region III, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area Office and the
Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council Alliance Uses Apprenticeship Schools to Train Thousands
of Workers
Protecting the health and safety of Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council (PRBTC or the
Council) members, including youth apprentice workers, by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards
associated with the construction industry are goals of the Alliance between the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) Region III Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area Office and the Council.
The Alliance, which was signed in May 2004 and renewed in May 2006, provides information, guidance
and access to training resources that focus on working safely in the construction industry. The
Council consists of 29 regional and local unions that have approximately 23,000 members working in
all areas of the construction industry, such as insulating, electrifying, painting and plumbing. The
Alliance addresses the issue of youth worker safety by working with the 16 apprenticeship schools
run by a Council member of the Building Trades Unions in the Pittsburgh area.
| The Council's 16 apprenticeship schools are associated with the following
unions: Asbestos/Insulators, Boilermakers, Bricklayers, Carpenters, Cement Masons, Electricians,
Ironworkers, Laborers, Operating Engineers, International Union of Painters and Allied
Trades-Painters/ Glaziers/Drywall, Plasterers, Plumbers, Roofers, Sheet Metal Workers, Sprinkler
Fitters, and Steamfitters. Yearly enrollment in all of the apprenticeship schools averages
approximately 2000 students. |
Since the inception of the Alliance in May 2004, Bob Carroll, Compliance
Assistance Specialist (CAS) in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area Office has visited each of the
apprenticeship schools twice and met with the Apprenticeship Coordinators and Instructors to discuss
their safety and health curricula, concerns and needs. During these meetings, he answered questions
on OSHA policies, procedures, and interpretation of construction standards and shared construction
safety and health teaching materials (e.g., handouts on the most frequently cited construction
standards in Region III, the fatality statistics collected by the Pittsburgh Area Office, and OSHA
construction booklets on hazards). According to Mr. Carroll, "The relationship between the OSHA and
the coordinators and instructors has made for open and easy communication about construction safety
and health."
Each apprenticeship school has at least one instructor (most have several) certified to teach the
OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach Training Program and the OSHA 30-Hour Construction Outreach
Training Program courses. The apprenticeship schools offer their safety and health training classes
to all personnel (e.g., owners, managers, superintendents, foremen) of the Alliance signatories'
contractors. In fact, the schools encourage contractors to take advantage of this opportunity in an
effort to further enhance safety efforts at construction sites.
In addition to providing safety and health instruction at the apprenticeship schools, the CAS in
OSHA's Region III Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Area Office gave a presentation on OSHA inspection
policies, procedures, commonly cited construction standards and the OSHA Web site as part of the
OSHA 30-Hour Construction Outreach Training Program course to 25 students at the Insulators and
Asbestos Workers Local #2 Apprenticeship School in Clinton, Pennsylvania. According to Bill
Birmingham, Apprenticeship Coordinator/Trainer, "The information OSHA has provided throughout the
years has been extremely valuable to our members and instructors. It's all about the safety of our
members. We're looking at production and quality without sacrificing safety."
At the Western Pennsylvania Construction Expo in February 2005 in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Mr.
Carroll presented a trenching/excavation safety seminar. During the Expo, which drew approximately
400 participants, he met with representatives of the Operating Engineers Local #66. Mr. Carroll also
meets quarterly with the Council's Business Manager to discuss the membership's safety and health
concerns and share the same information provided to the apprenticeship schools so that all of the 29
unions have the most recent OSHA information.
The efforts of the Council in promoting and providing safety and health training and information to
the members and contractor personnel of the Alliance signatories has allowed these resources to
reach a large sector of the construction industry in their jurisdiction. Rich Stanizzo, Business
Manager for the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council, said "The Alliance has been great. It
has not only had a positive impact on the safety and health of the union workforce and the
construction industry in our area, but it has also allowed us to establish and maintain a good
working relationship between Council members and the OSHA Area Office."
The Pittsburgh Area Office believes that the successful dissemination and sharing of safety and
health information accomplished through this Alliance is a contributing factor to the decrease in
the number of construction-related fatalities and catastrophes over the past three years.
Representatives of the Alliance are looking for more opportunities to provide information to
employees in the construction industry through meetings, roundtable discussions and training
sessions. For more information about this Alliance, contact
Bob Carroll, CAS, in the Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania Area Office.
-- As of December 2007.
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Alliance Among Region III's Pittsburgh Area Office, Pennsylvania/OSHA Consultation Program at
Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the SMC Business Councils Reaches Out to Small Businesses
On February 21, 2003, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Region III
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Area Office, the Pennsylvania/OSHA Consultation Program at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and the SMC Business Councils (SMC) formed an Alliance to promote
safe and healthful working conditions at small business facilities and worksites by better educating
the smaller business community on the resources and support available to them through OSHA and the
Consultation Program. The Alliance was renewed on February 14, 2005. The SMC Business Council has
over 4000 members and is the largest small business trade association in the Commonwealth. This
Alliance has helped to enhance OSHA's working relationship with the small business community in the
Pittsburgh area.
The Alliance's members recognize the value that safety and health management systems add to a
worksite and the impact of using a cooperative approach among OSHA, management and labor. They have
a relationship that promotes OSHA's compliance assistance activities and industry best safety
practices (as jointly determined by OSHA and SMC) and have worked together toward meeting the
agreement's outreach and communication goals. Sharing technical information and best practices
without infringing on confidentiality and using existing communication tools (Web sites,
newsletters, conferences) to stimulate developing new resources and tools are two of these
communication goals. Encouraging participation in OSHA's cooperative programs including the
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), the Pennsylvania/OSHA Consultation Program at IUP and its
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) and obtaining technical assistance through
OSHA's area, regional, and national offices and the Consultation Program at IUP are two additional
goals. In addition, SMC encourages its members to send their employees to an OSHA Course 501 Trainer
Course on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry.
In support of the Alliance's goals, several articles pertaining to the Alliance were published in
2003 in the SMC newsletter, HRM Update. Included among them were an article called "OSHA Does More
for Small Business" and other articles on OSHA's eTool on Emergency Action Plans and OSHA's Teen
Worker Safety and Health page on the Agency's Web site. The SMC magazine, Dynamic Business, ran an
article on the Alliance signing with a photograph of the event. In May of 2003, OSHA provided SMC
with about 200 laminated Heat Stress Cards that describe how to recognize the symptoms of and what
precautions to take for heat stress. In June, SMC based a newsletter article on information from
OSHA about protecting workers from heat exposure. Other articles in the June newsletter covered
ergonomics and an advertisement for an upcoming OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Train-the-Trainer
Course on Occupational Safety and Health Standards. In September, the Pittsburgh Area Office
participated in the SMC-sponsored "Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference on Emergency Preparedness
and Disaster Planning" by conducting training seminars for 125 SMC members. In November, members of
the Pittsburgh Area Office conducted a training seminar for 30 SMC members (representing about 500
employees) on OSHA's policies/procedures, common cited standards, and the Agency's recordkeeping
standard.
In 2004, OSHA and SMC Alliance-related outreach efforts continued. SMC requested more laminated Heat
Stress Cards; OSHA provided another 200 cards. In October of 2004, the HRM Update published an
article, written by John Engler, Project Manager for the Consultation Program at IUP, explaining the
consultation services and an advertisement for reviewing OSHA's video called Listening to Small
Business. In November, SMC requested and received approximately 200 Cold Stress Cards. In December,
the newsletter published an article explaining the Consultation's Pre-SHARP and SHARP programs.
Based on the success of the first agreement, on February 14, 2005, the Alliance renewal agreement
was signed. Through the renewal, SMC and OSHA continued to raise awareness of safety and health
issues. For example, SMC added an "Ask OSHA" column to its newsletter. In September, the Pittsburgh
Area Office participated in an SMC-sponsored conference called, "Employers' Survival Conference on
Safety and Emergency Preparedness—Practical Advice for Your Business." During the conference, OSHA
staff discussed OSHA standards for workplace emergencies (chemical spills, fires, explosions,
natural disasters), frequently cited standards that result from emergencies and emergency
incidents/accidents investigated by OSHA to 60 participants from large and small businesses. The
OSHA representatives also participated in a panel discussion on how to prepare for workplace
emergencies. In December 2005, the Office gave SMC 400 more Cold Stress Cards and sent a copy of a
joint OSHA/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration document entitled "Tips for Safe Winter
Driving" for publication in the newsletter. Also, in December, in response to an SMC request, OSHA
provided an article, "Basic Questions about OSHA's Recordkeeping Standard," for inclusion in the
newsletter.
According to SMC Vice President Karen Campbell, being a part of this Alliance with OSHA and the
PA/OSHA Consultation Program has given its members many opportunities. Of primary importance is the
opportunity to attend the safety seminars presented by OSHA.
Over the last 2 years, nearly 100 member companies have attended them and, as a result, gained
valuable information about OSHA resources, such as the Pennsylvania/OSHA Consultation Program at IUP,
and clarification about the safety and health regulations that affect their businesses. In addition,
the articles provided by OSHA for SMC publications have helped SMC's members stay current on safety
and health issues. "Once the Alliance was in place," Ms. Campbell said, "SMC staff was better able
to access OSHA's personnel resources to provide technical assistance when needed. Our organization
has greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with OSHA to promote safe and healthful workplaces
-- it has helped us to achieve our association's mission of helping businesses to succeed."
For additional information, please contact
Bob Carroll.
-- As of January 2006.
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Region III Addressing Hispanic Worker Safety and Health Through Alliance with the Delmarva Safety
Association
Staff from the OSHA Wilmington, Delaware Area Office attended the 10th Annual Hispano Festival
August, 22 2004 in Millsboro, Delaware.
Gilbert Trujillo, Region III Hispanic/ESL Coordinator, participates in a COMCAST cable television
interview. |
Improving the safety and health of immigrant workers is a special emphasis area identified in the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan.
In March 2004, OSHA's Region III Wilmington, Delaware Area Office signed an
Alliance with the Delmarva Safety Association (DSA) to provide the organization's members and
others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees' health and
safety. The Alliance is focusing on reducing workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths among the
Spanish-speaking workforce. The Alliance is working with local/regional employers and organizations
including the Associated Builders and Contractors, Delaware and Maryland Nursery and Landscape
Association, the Maryland Governor's Office of Hispanic Affairs, Maryland Occupational Safety and
Health (MOSH), Delaware Ground's Management Association, the Delaware State Police, the Delaware
Governor's Office of Hispanic Affairs, the Delaware Department of Labor – OSHA Consultation and the
Department of Defense at Dover Air Force Base.
Vincent Soss, Acting Area Director for the Wilmington Area Office, remarked after the Alliance's
signing, "Too often, language and cultural barriers contribute to workplace accidents involving
Spanish-speaking workers."
Through the Alliance, OSHA and DSA are providing outreach to various Hispanic employers and workers
and distributing OSHA Spanish-language materials including fact sheets, posters, All About OSHA and
other publications to organizations in Delaware including community and faith-based centers.
For example, OSHA and DSA conducted a Hispanic employer seminar December 1, 2004 at the University
of Delaware's Paradee Center in Dover, Delaware. The seminar discussed injury rates for Hispanic
workers and promoted safety and health training for managers and supervisors of Hispanic employees.
In addition, it highlighted success stories which focused on the reduction of workplace injuries,
illnesses and fatalities among Spanish-speaking workers in the poultry, landscaping and nursery
industries. A second seminar was held February 3, 2005 in Wilmington, Delaware. Both of the seminars
had over sixty participants including employers from the roofing/siding, chemical, general
construction and fast food industries.
Since this success story was posted on OSHA's Web site, the OSHA and DSA
renewed their Alliance March 7, 2006 and achieved numerous Hispanic employer and employee training
and outreach successes.
For example, the Alliance conducted several sensitivity training classes in 2005 with regard to
the Hispanic workforce throughout the lower counties of Delaware, reaching 40 Hispanic employers.
The classes addressed injury rates for Hispanic employees and promoted safety and health training
for managers and supervisors of Hispanic employees. On November 15, 2005, the Alliance
participated in a training seminar at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, Maryland.
The training, sponsored by Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration1,
focused on "Safety– Subcontracting and your Hispanic Workforce."
The Alliance also distributed Spanish-language materials and answered safety and health questions
at a number of outreach events. On August 21, 2005, the Alliance exhibited at the 11th Annual
"Festival Hispano" in Millsboro, Delaware and in March 2006 at the 29th Annual Delmarva Safety
Expo in Ocean City, Maryland.
In addition, the Alliance worked with the local Hispanic radio stations in Sussex County Maryland
to air OSHA's Spanish-language public service announcements featuring Orlando Cepeda, a member of
the Major Leauge Baseball Hall of Fame. The Alliance also continues to publish its quarterly
Hispanic Alliance Newsletter which is distributed to DSA members, OSHA and others. (as of January
2007) |
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The Alliance also distributed Spanish-language materials and answered safety and health questions at
a number of outreach events. For example, the Alliance exhibited at the 10th annual Festival Hispano
August 22, 2004 in Millsboro, Delaware. The Governor of Delaware, Ruth Ann Minner, spoke at the
event which over 9,000 people attended. In
addition, the Alliance had an exhibit at the 28th Annual Delmarva Safety Expo March 8-9, 2004, in
Ocean City, Maryland.
To share information on safety and health, the Alliance developed a Hispanic outreach newsletter for
DSA members, OSHA and others that is published quarterly. The newsletter is comprised of articles
submitted from companies who have taken a proactive approach to solving communication issues and
cultural barriers with their Spanish-speaking employees. Additional information in the publication
includes accident alert updates involving Hispanic workers, outreach assistance, a calendar of
events and a question and answer section. In addition, OSHA public service announcements were
broadcast on Hispanic radio stations in Sussex County, Delaware to inform Hispanic workers of their
workplace safety and health rights and to promote OSHA's national hotline number, with a
Spanish-language option, for additional assistance.
Renewal of the OSHA and DSA Alliance agreement will take place in March 2006.
For more information on the OSHA and DSA Alliance and its activities, please contact Region III,
Wilmington Acting Area Director Vince Soss.
-- As of January 2006; updated January 2007
1Maryland is one of 26 states which operate an OSHA approved state plan. Please visit the
State Occupational Safety and Health Plans Web page for additional information.
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