1. Alliance Background
   
   Date Signed
   
   October 24, 2002
   
   Overview
   
   This Alliance addresses ergonomics and safety issues in the meat industry by using the collective expertise of AMI's members to advance a culture of injury and illness prevention and the sharing of best practices and technical knowledge. The agreement also focuses on a number of goals including:
   
   Training and Education
   
   
   • Develop and deliver training and education programs on ergonomic issues.
   • Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health practitioners in AMI's ergonomic best practices or programs.
   Outreach and Communication
   
   
   • Develop and disseminate information and guidance through print and electronic media, particularly the AMI and OSHA web sites.
   • Disseminate information and guidance in Spanish and other languages.
   • Speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other events to promote the effectiveness of the AMI members' ergonomic programs.
   • Promote and encourage the AMI members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs and mentoring among AMI members.
   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
   
   
   • Encourage AMI members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA's cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists.
   • Share information on best practices of AMI's members with others in the industry.

Implementation Team Members
AMI: Regina Barker  Mike Hartley Dan McCausland Tim Newquist Eric Reynolds Gary Walters	Executive Director, Practical Ergonomics Corporate Safety Director, Smithfield Packing Co. Director, Worker Safety and Human Resources, AMI Area Director, Safety and Risk Management; Kraft Foods Manager, Safety and Ergonomics, Taylor, an Excel Foods Co Processing Safety Manager; Premium Standard Farms.
OSHA: Dick Clark Betty Copeland Cathy Cronin Lee Anne Jillings Brentley Donaldson Lisa Ramber Beth Sherfy	Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC) North Carolina OSHA Office of Training and Education Office of Outreach Services and Alliances Office of Training and Education Office of Outreach Services and Alliances Office of Outreach Services and Alliances
Contributors: Courtney Arrendale Brett Besser Doug Fletcher	Contractor for OSHA, SLTC SLTC Region VII, Omaha Area Office, Compliance Assistance Specialist

Evaluation Period

October 24, 2002 through October 23, 2003

2. Implementation Team Meetings

December 02, 2002 January 29, 2003 April 24, 2003 July 24, 2003

Implementation Team meeting, Alliance Kick-off Implementation meeting Implementation meeting Implementation meeting

3. Events and Products
   
   Training and Education
   
   Events:
   
   
   • "Ergonomics: Setting the Gold Standard"
     
     This course, held October 21-23, 2003, was sponsored by the AMI Foundation and Bettcher Industries, Inc., addresses ergonomic issues that are specific to meat packing facilities.
   
   Outreach and Communication
   
   Events:
   
   
   • Worker Safety and Human Resources Conference, Denver City Center Marriott, Denver, Colorado, March 23-25, 2003
     
     On March 24, 2003, Paula O. White, Director, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and Dan McCausland, AMI's Director of Worker Safety and Human Resources presented "Cooperative Programs: Expanding OSHA's Impact." This workshop session provided in-depth information on OSHA's cooperative programs and the OSHA and AMI Alliance.
     
     During the session 200 OSHA Meat Packing Industry CDs were distributed.
   
   
   
   • AMI Worker Safety Committee meeting, Arlington, Virginia, January 28, 2003
     
     Lee Anne Jillings, Director, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, presented "AMI-OSHA Alliance: Working Together" at AMI's headquarters in Arlington Virginia on January 28, 2003. Her presentation updated the AMI's Worker Safety Committee on the Alliance Program and discussed tentative projects that the OSHA and Alliance will develop.
     
     
   Products:
   
   
   • Safety and Health Topics Page: OSHA Assistance to the Meat Packing Industry
     
     This page addresses hazards in the meat packing industry, including red and other meat and poultry products. AMI's implementation team members are participating on the page's editorial board.
   
   
   
   • eTool: Ammonia Refrigeration
     
     AMI participated in development and review of the first section for OSHA's eTool for ammonia refrigeration, and provided contact with the International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration. It is expected that this information will be posted on OSHA's web page in 2004.
   
   
   
   • AMI Web Page
     
     AMI's web page contains a Worker Safety Page that includes links to the OSHA and AMI Alliance and the Safety and Health Topics page: OSHA Assistance to the Meat Packing Industry
   
   
   
   • OSHA and AMI Alliance Web Page
     
     The OSHA and AMI Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site contains information on the Alliance, Products and Resources, Activities and Events, and Milestones and Successes. The page is updated regularly.
   
   
   
   • October 24, 2002 -- OSHA distributed a news release announcing the Alliance.
   
   
   
   • October 24, 2002 -- AMI distributed a press release announcing the Alliance.
   
   
   
   • October 28, 2002 -- Article on the Alliance published by Inside OSHA's www.InsideHealthPolicy.com "OSHA Signs Ergo-Related Alliance with the Meat Institute."
   
   
   
   • November 1, 2002 -- OSHA includes information on the OSHA/AMI Alliance signing in its bi-weekly e-newsletter; QuickTakes.
   
   
   
   • October 22, 2003 -- Inside AMI, AMI's e-newsletter, includes an article on the OSHA and AMI Alliance and the implementation team.
   
   Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
   
   Events:
   
   
   • Nebraska Meat Partners Group, Nebraska Safety Council, Omaha, NE, March 28, 2003
     
     On March 28, 2003, Dan McCausland, AMI's Director, Worker Safety and Human Resources, spoke about the Alliance Program during a meeting of the Nebraska Meat Partners Group. Attendees included representatives from the meat industry, National Safety Council, and OSHA.

4. Results
   
   Through the years, OSHA and the meat industry have often been on the opposite sides of discussions regarding a number of safety and health issues. The OSHA and AMI Alliance has helped the Agency work together with the meat industry to address specific issues in the meat industry in a cooperative manner; including ergonomics and ammonia refrigeration.
   
   During the past year, the OSHA and AMI Implementation Team has met regularly and held productive discussions that have resulted in the development of a number of products and programs that will enhance the safety and health of the meat industry workplace. In addition, the Alliance will help educate OSHA personnel about the programs and processes that meat industry employers have implemented to address workplace hazards.
   
   These include the participation of AMI's implementation members on OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page: OSHA Assistance for the Meat Industry. Prior to the Alliance, the page did not have any input from experts who were working in the meat industry. As a result of the Alliance, OSHA now has six meat industry experts reviewing the page on a regular basis.
   
   During the past year, the OSHA and AMI Alliance implementation team discussed and agreed to hold a workshop for OSHA's staff, including State Plan States and Consultation Projects, in Region IV. The workshop will discuss the issues and hazards in the meat processing workplace and the safety and health programs that meat industry employers' have implemented. In addition, OSHA representatives from Region VII will be a part of the program to discuss the successful meat industry outreach efforts that have been conducted in Nebraska. The Alliance helped to encourage AMI's members to agree to participate in the Region IV workshop that will also result in the transfer of knowledge between Region VII and Region IV.
   
   Workshops and speeches that were presented during the year have also helped to increase the meat industry's awareness of OSHA's cooperative programs, including the Alliance Program, and OSHA's efforts to provide compliance assistance resources to the public, employers and employees.

5. Upcoming Milestones
   
   In addition to renewing the Alliance agreement, the OSHA/Alliance has some major projects planned for the upcoming year. Starting off the year will be the ergonomics workshop sponsored by the AMI Foundation and Bettcher Industries, Inc., "Ergonomics: Practical Solutions for the Meat Industry", that will be held on February 10-12, 2004 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Overland Park, Kansas.
   
   The OSHA and AMI Alliance "Meat Industry Seminar for OSHA Personnel," for OSHA's Region IV representatives, is tentatively scheduled for the first week of April 2004 in Jacksonville, Florida. The draft program includes an orientation to the meat industry, specific workplace afety and health successes, a review of the Nebraska Meat Industry and OSHA Partnership and an open discussion with a question and answer session.
   
   OSHA's Office of Training and Education (OTE) has reviewed AMI's draft course outline, that includes a meat industry focus, for revising the Agency's 10 and 30 Hour Courses and has approved of the draft. The course will highlight meat industry issues and include industry examples and pictures from the meat industry. AMI will work with a contractor in the upcoming year to draft the course and OTE will review it when requested.
   
   In addition, Paula O. White is scheduled to speak during AMI's 2004 Safety and Human Resources Conference, April 18 – 20, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix at Civic Plaza in Phoenix, AZ.