July 15, 2005 · Volume 4, Issue 14
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 Issues Alert on the Dangers Associated with Cleanup and Recovery from Hurricanes Oklahoma, Louisiana and Pennsylvania Worksites in VPP Spotlight OSHA and ABC's Pelican Chapter Partner for Construction Safety OSHA Forms Multiple Regional Alliances "Partnership" Brochure Now Available OSHA Co-Hosts Second Conference on Workplace Violence Registration Open for Spanish-language Version of Worker Safety and Health Training OSHA Compliance Officer Averts Electrocution Accident Voluntary Protection Programs Activity OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies OSHA Issues Alert on the Dangers Associated with Cleanup and Recovery from Hurricanes     OSHA urges employers and workers to take appropriate safety measures to avoid injury and illnesses associated with the recovery and cleanup efforts following hurricanes. The potential for fatal accidents involving electrocution from power lines, as well as serious injuries associated with cleanup and recovery efforts have prompted the agency to remind employers, workers and the public to observe appropriate safety and health precautions. This includes coordinating with control centers responsible for power circuits so that workers do not enter areas where there are live wires. Fact sheets on issues and hazards relating to recovery and cleanup efforts following hurricanes are available on OSHA's Natural Disaster Recovery page. Oklahoma, Louisiana and Pennsylvania Worksites in VPP Spotlight     OSHA's Dallas Region recognized Baker Hughes-Centrilift, Ardmore, Okla., as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) "Star" site during a June 28 ceremony. John Miles, OSHA regional administrator, presented the award and acknowledged Baker Hughes-Centrilift's "outstanding efforts in maintaining an injury and illness rate 79 percent below the national average for their industry." On July 12, Warehouse Specialists, Inc., of St. Gabriel, La., was praised by Miles for having no recordable injuries or illnesses in 2001, 2002 and 2004. Wheelabrator Falls, Inc., Morrisville, Pa., was also recognized for its safety and health management system. Richard Soltan, OSHA regional administrator in Philadelphia, presented the VPP "Star" award to the company, noting management's efforts in "having a three-year injury and illness rate 15 percent below the industry average." The VPP "Star" program recognizes exemplary worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems. OSHA and ABC's Pelican Chapter Partner for Construction Safety     OSHA and Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), Pelican Chapter, Baton Rouge, La., launched a partnership under OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program to promote better health and safety for construction workers. Besides increasing the number of companies taking part in mentoring activities, objectives of the partnership include reducing injuries from falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps and electrocutions. Another goal is to increase the number of ABC member companies in the association's Safety Training and Evaluation Process -- a voluntary program that guides employees in evaluating and increasing the effectiveness of their safety and health programs, policies and procedures. OSHA Forms Multiple Regional Alliances    Region I: Signing on with OSHA's Providence, R.I., Area Office was the state's consultation program and Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, which represents more than 220 businesses in the state's marine industry. The alliance will focus on developing safety training courses for marine trades' managers and workers covering chemical safety, respiratory protection, noise, fall protection and electrical safety. Safe and healthful working conditions for Maine's telecommunications workers is the goal of a newly signed alliance among OSHA's Augusta, Maine, Area Office, the state's "Safety Works" consultation program, Maine Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and the Society of Cable Telecommunication Engineers. Alliance participants will develop training and education programs on roadway work zone and telecommunications safety and health issues for employees and subcontractors working for the state's cable companies. Region II: Better safety and health for workers in Western New York industries is the focus of a new alliance between OSHA's Buffalo, N.Y., Area Office and Erie Community College's Department of Workforce Development/Corporate Training. The alliance caters to workers and industries most in need of safety and health information, including young or inexperienced workers; workers for whom English is a second language; companies using anhydrous ammonia in refrigeration systems and other high hazard workplaces; public warehousing and storage; and workers in construction, landscape/horticultural, fruit and vegetable preservation, concrete, gypsum and plaster. Alliance members will encourage bilingual individuals to complete OSHA's train-the-trainer courses for general industry and construction so they can qualify to teach Hispanic workers. Region V: Employers and employees in Wisconsin will benefit from an alliance formed between OSHA's Madison, Wis., Area Office, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the state's consultation program. The alliance encourages its members to identify the needs of businesses for specific safety and health training, and promote instruction to address the needs of non-English speaking individuals. Region VI: Joining forces with OSHA's New Orleans Area Office was Acadian Integrated Solutions and Texas Engineering Extension Service. Alliance members will come together through forums, roundtable discussions, meetings and conferences to discuss safety and health issues associated with falls, trenching and excavation hazards, and provide training and outreach to maximize worker safety. "Partnership" Brochure Now Available    OSHA has published a new brochure on its Strategic Partnership Program. It features information on how partnerships work and their valuable role in helping to improve worker safety and health management systems. The brochure can be downloaded from OSHA's web site on the publications page, or ordered by calling OSHA's publications office at (202) 693-1888. OSHA Co-Hosts Second Conference on Workplace Violence     Government, law enforcement and private sector professionals will gather together on July 21 to help New England employers develop effective means in responding to workplace violence. The second New England Conference on Workplace Violence, co-sponsored by OSHA and Western New England College, will be held at the college's Sleith Hall, 1215 Wilbraham Road in Springfield, Mass. Speakers will focus on preventing violence in health care settings, including hospitals, doctors' offices and nursing homes. To register for this free event, call (413) 782-1561 or fax request to Marj at (413) 782-1746. For more information, call Nelson Barnes of OSHA's Springfield, Mass., Area Office at (413) 785-0123. Registration Open for Spanish-language Version of Worker Safety and Health Training    Spaces are still available for the Spanish-language version of the ten-hour general industry safety and health course being offered by OSHA and participating state agencies and universities in the Chicago area. The two-day course will take place Aug. 2-3 at Chicago's West Side Technical Institute, 2800 S. Western Avenue. A wide range of subjects will be covered including machine safeguarding, personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout, bloodborne pathogens, and more. Information on the training is available through Harry S. Truman College at (773) 907-3994 or (773) 907-4367 (bilingual). OSHA Compliance Officer Averts Electrocution Accident     Two workers were saved from possible electrocution on June 9 by Compliance Officer Scot Campbell of OSHA's Bridgeport, Ct., Area Office. While responding to a complaint pertaining to a fall hazard, Campbell observed employees working on an aluminum pump jack scaffold. The scaffold was only inches from electrical lines entering the structure, and the workers' movements caused the scaffold to sway dangerously close to the electrical lines. Campbell asked the workers to exit the scaffold, and then called Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P). Once onsite, the CL&P representative directed all activity to cease until the electrical line could be de-energized since the closeness of the workers to the hazard posed injuries from electrical shock. Voluntary Protection Programs Activity     The following companies were approved this month for new or continued participation in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP): Region III: L.F. Driscoll, Hospital of the University of Penn Renovation Project, Philadelphia, Pa. (New Star); Bayer Material Science, S. Charleston, W.V. (New Star); Oxy Chemical Corp., New Castle, Del. (Cont. Star); Union Carbide Corp., South Charleston Facility, South Charleston, W.V. (New Star) Region IV: Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Middle Georgia Reg. Airport, Macon, Ga. (New Star); BE&K Industrial Services, Decatur, Ga. (New Star); NIBCO, Inc., Lithia Springs, Ga. (New Star) Region V: Kimberly Clark Corp., Neenah Nonwovens Facility, Neenah, Wis. (New Star); GE Healthcare Technologies, Magnetic Resonance Plant, Waukesha, Wis. (New Star) Region VI: Honeywell Hardware Product Group, Roanoke, Texas (New Star); Frito Lay, Technology Process Center, Dallas, Texas (Cont. Star), and Region IX: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. (Cont. Star). OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies     OSHA recently certified the following companies as Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) sites: Region I: Hydro International Portland, Maine; Market Square Health Care Center, South Paris, Maine; The Hutchison Company, Whitinsville, Mass.; Hi-Tech Profiles, Inc., Pawcatuck, Mass.; Proto-Pac Engineering, Wilmington, Mass.; J.A. Wright & Company, Keene, N.H.; Viessmann Manufacturing Co., Warwick, R.I.; Oracle Lens Manufacturing, Warwick, R.I.; Point Judith Fisherman's Company, Narragansett, R.I.; Dew Construction Corp./Springfield, Williston, Vt.; Green Mountain Power, Colchester, Vt.; Region II: Larson Juhl, Paramus, N.J.; Mater Dei Nursing Home, Pittsgrove, N.J.; Mci Optonix, Cedar Knolls, N.J.; Newark Industrial Spraying, Newark, N.J.; Noville, Inc., South Plainfield, N.J.; Usr Optonix, Inc., Hackettstown, N.J.; Canfield Machine and Tool, LLC, Fulton, N.Y.; Curtis Lumber Company, Inc., Warrensburg, N.Y.; Curtis Lumber Company, Inc., Ballston Spa, N.Y.; Diamond W. Products, Inc., Albany, N.Y.; Forsyth Industries, Inc., East Aurora, N.Y.; Hudson Haven Care Center, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Legendary Auto Interiors, Newark, N.Y.; Niagara Thermal Products, Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Royal Products Division of Curran Mfg., Hauppauge, N.Y.; Schnurmacher Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing, White Plains, N.Y.; Tracey Road Equipment, Syracuse, N.Y.; Trek, Inc., Medina, N.Y.; Warren Tire Service Center, Queensbury, N.Y.; Warren Tire Service Center, East Greenbush, N.Y.; Windowrama Enterprises, Inc., Edgewood, N.Y.; Region III: Cue, Inc., Cranberry, Pa.; Dent Manufacturing, Inc., North Hampton, Pa.; Electro Chemical, Emmau, Pa.; Ipec, New Castle, Pa.; Little Flower Manor, Darby, Pa.; Rynone Mfg. Corp., Sayre, Pa.; Tekgard, Inc., York, Pa.; Region IV: Edwards Wood Products, Inc., Marshville, N.C.; Christian Care of New Bern, LLC, New Bern, N.C.; Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Pyrotek, Neco Division, Salisbury, N.C.; Randolph Vocational Workshop, Inc., Asheboro, N.C.; Gaston Electronics, Mount Holly, N.C.; Southminster, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.; Precious Child Academy, Pineville, N.C.; Smoky Cove Company, Bryson City, N.C.; Century Care of Cherryville, Inc., Cherryville, N.C.; Suncrest Land & Timber, Waynesville, N.C.; Cypress Glen Retirement Community, Greenville, N.C.; Holt Sublimation Printing & Products, Burlington, N.C.; Powell Lumber & Kiln, Bryson City, N.C.; Mannington Laminate Floors, High Point, N.C.; Tubular Textiles, LLC, Lexington, N.C.; Broad River Forest Products, Inc., Union Mills, N.C.; Lampe & Malphrus Lumber Company, Smithfield, N.C.; Gaston County Dyeing Machine Company, Mount Holly, N.C.; Lutheran Home Albemarle, Albemarle, N.C.; Cassemco, Inc., Cookeville, Tenn.; Fi-Shock, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.; Micro Metals, Inc., Jamestown, Tenn.; MI Metals, Inc., Smyrna, Tenn.; and ARJ Manufacturing, LLC, Jackson, Tenn. (QuickTakes will publish the most recent SHARP-certified companies from Regions V-X in the Aug. 1 issue.) Editor: Elaine Fraser, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999