August 1, 2004 · Volume 3, Issue 15
A bi-weekly e-news memo with information, updates, and results from OSHA about safety and health in America's workplaces.

In This Issue Hispanic Safety & Health Summit Focuses on Culture, Outreach NACOSH Meeting Scheduled for August 18 Motor Vehicle Safety Symposium Focuses on Federal Workers OSHA Announces Training Courses for Disaster Site Workers OSHA Signs Letter of Agreement with Mexico Three Organizations Establish New Alliances, OSHA Renews Another Compliance Assistance for Hispanic Workers, Whistleblower Program WebPages Launched OSHA Strategic Partnership Program News Two Alliances Launched in Atlanta Region Voluntary Protection Programs Activity OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies Hispanic Safety & Health Summit Focuses on Culture, Outreach     "We have many projects and activities that focus on the safety and health of Hispanic workers," OSHA Administrator John Henshaw said during his welcoming remarks to more than 500 attendees at the Hispanic Safety and Health Summit in Orlando last month. "But we need feedback-we need to hear new ideas and to explore best practices for reaching Hispanic workers." Sponsored by the Department of Labor, OSHA and the Hispanic Alliance for Progress (in partnership with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), the summit allowed for the sharing of practical safety and health information and success stories, and to discuss gaps in communication, training and outreach for Hispanic workers in the United States. NACOSH Meeting Scheduled for August 18      The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) has scheduled an Aug. 18 meeting at the Labor Department in Washington. Discussions will center on OSHA and NIOSH activities, plus updates on enforcement, Voluntary Protection Programs and partnerships, regulatory issues and the recent Hispanic Summit. The Department of Labor also announced the appointment of five new committee members. Details on the meeting are in the July 27, 2004, Federal Register. Motor Vehicle Safety Symposium Focuses on Federal Workers     OSHA, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is sponsoring a motor vehicle safety symposium on Sept. 14 to encourage the federal workforce to "buckle up." The symposium will be held in conjunction with the National Safety Council Congress & Expo in New Orleans. Public and private workplace safety representatives will discuss the benefits of a motor vehicle safety program. Check OSHA's website during the first week of August for more information and to register for the symposium. OSHA Announces Training Courses for Disaster Site Workers    OSHA's Office of Training and Education (OTE) is offering two new training courses for workers who respond to disaster site operations. The four-day "train-the-trainer" course and 16-hour "disaster site worker course" are available at the agency's Education Training Centers throughout the country. The courses were developed for workers who provide skilled support in emergency response and recovery operations at man-made and natural disaster sites. A list of course offerings, dates and locations is available on OTE's website. OSHA Signs Letter of Agreement with Mexico    Reinforcing a continuing effort to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers from Mexico and other Latin American countries was the impetus of a Letter of Agreement signed July 21 by OSHA Administrator John Henshaw and Geronimo Gutierrez, Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico. The agreement outlines areas of collaboration in communication, outreach, and training to assure Mexican workers appreciate their rights for a safe and healthful work environment. The letter complements a Joint Declaration between U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Luis Ernesto Derbez that reaffirms the shared commitment of the United States and Mexico to improve compliance with and awareness of workplace laws and regulations protecting Mexican workers in the United States. Three Organizations Establish New Alliances, OSHA Renews Another     OSHA welcomed three more professional organizations and associations as Alliance participants last month. BELFOR USA, part of a global disaster restoration company, joined with the agency to focus on safety and health issues in mold removal and motor vehicle safety. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (JCAHO/JCR) Alliance highlights educating the healthcare community on various issues for healthcare workers. Material handling, fall protection, trenching and excavation issues are the focus of the agency's Alliance with the Modular Building Institute (MBI) that will help further safety and health of workers in the commercial modular building industry. Finally, OSHA Administrator John Henshaw signed a two-year renewal for the Construction Management Association's (CMAA) Alliance that will continue to address construction management issues in the workplace. Compliance Assistance for Hispanic Workers, Whistleblower Program WebPages Launched     OSHA added two new information pages on its website last month. Compliance Assistance: Hispanic Employers and Workers, offers readers a page to easily access Hispanic-related workplace safety and health resources. The page also includes links to some Spanish language compliance assistance resources. The agency's new Whistleblower Program webpage provides a single source for obtaining detailed information on the laws with whistleblower protections administered by OSHA. The page consolidates a variety of whistleblower information previously available on the website, and supplements that with access to other resources, including the Office of Administrative Law Judges, and the Administrative Review Board. OSHA Strategic Partnership Program News    OSHA's Chicago Region recently signed strategic partnerships to further the health and safety for workers at two separate projects. Power Construction Company LLC and the state of Illinois joined with OSHA's Chicago North Area Office and the North Aurora (IL) Area Office to protect workers at the Des Plaines Metropolitan Square Project, and the Calamos Building Project in Naperville, IL, respectively. The New York Region signed a partnership with the Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce in Essex County (NJ) and the New Jersey Department of Labor to safeguard Hispanic workers in Northern New Jersey. OSHA's Erie, PA Area Office is working with Erie-based Mistick Construction during the St. Paul Homes Expansion Project in Greenville, PA. Finally, OSHA's Kansas City Region signed an agreement with the Topeka Home Builders Association last month to promote safe and healthy working conditions in the local area's residential construction industry. OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program enables OSHA and its partners to work cooperatively to address critical safety and health issues. Two Alliances Launched in Atlanta Region    OSHA entered into two new Alliances in the Atlanta Region last month to foster health and safety for workers in Mississippi and Florida. OSHA's Jackson (MS) Area Office formed an Alliance with the Mississippi Chapter of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) to reduce "struck-by" accidents on construction sites. The agreement was signed during a ceremony July 24 in Destin, FL. Reducing motor vehicle and work zone traffic accidents is the focus of a new Alliance signed July 27 by the Safety Council of Palm Beach County (FL), Inc. (SCPBC) and OSHA's Fort Lauderdale (FL) Area Office. Voluntary Protection Programs Activity     The following companies were recently approved for new or continued participation in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP): Region I: Sonoco Packaging Services, Devens, MA (New Star); Wheelabrator Millbury, Inc., Millbury, MA (New Star); OSRAM Sylvania, Inc., Hillsborough, NH (New Star) Region II: Wheelabrator Gloucester Co., LP, Westville, NJ (New Star); L'Oreal USA, Somerset, NJ (Cont. Star) Region III: GE Railcar Repair Services, Sayre, PA (Cont. Star) Region IV: Georgia Pacific, Tylertown Operations, Tylertown, MS (New Star); Georgia Pacific - Yulee Distribution Center, Yulee, FL (New Star); General Electric Contractual Services, West Georgia Generating Co., Thomaston, GA (New Star) Region V: Plasticolors, Inc., Ashtabula, OH (New Merit) Region VI: ExxonMobil Chemical BCSP, Beaumont, TX (Cont. Star); ExxonMobil Chemical BOAP, Beaumont, TX (Cont. Star); Wyle Laboratories, Life Sciences, Systems and Services, @ NASA-JSC, Houston, TX (New Star); ExxonMobil Refining & Supply, Beaumont Refinery, Beaumont, TX (Cont. Star); CIBA Vision A Novartis Co., Duluth, GA (Merit to Star); Solvay Chemicals, Inc., Deer Park, TX (Merit to Star); Xerox OKC Manufacturing Site, Oklahoma City, OK (New Merit) Region VII: The Bluffs, Columbia, MO (Cont. Star) Region VIII: LPR Construction Co., Loveland, CO (Cont. Star Demo); Bobcat Co., Bismarck, ND (New Merit); Sanmina - SCI, Plant 432, Fountain CO (New Merit); and Region X: BP Exploration Alaska, Anchorage, AK (Cont. Star). OSHA Certifies Newest "SHARP" Companies    OSHA recently certified the following companies as Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) sites: Region III: Duvinage Corporation, Hagerstown, MD; Contine Corporation, Erie, PA; Die-Tech, Inc. York Haven, PA; Buckell Plastic Co., Inc., Lewistown, PA; Slothower Machine Shop, York, PA Region IV: H.J. Baker, Albertville, AL; Hired Hand, Bremen, AL; Max Packaging, Attalla, AL; Carter Brothers, Brundidge, AL; Saint Machinery Co., Russellville, AL; Nailfast, Inc., Haleyville, AL; Albertville Health Care Center, Albertville, AL; Talladega Health Care Center, Talladega. AL; Hillview Terrace, Montgomery, AL; Vita-Form, Tupelo; MS; Homan Industries, Fulton, MS; American Cellulose, Fulton, MS; Bandit Lures, Sardis, MS; T.W. Metals, Charlotte, NC; Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District, Roanoke Rapids, NC; Kinston Pulmonary Associates, PA, Kinston, NC; Town of Nags Head, Nags Head, NC; Smith, Lanning, Bundy & Miller DDS PA, Thomasville, NC Region V: Daco Incorporated, Batavia, IL; Reynolds Food Packaging, Grant Park, IL; Cancer Treatment Center, Belleville, IL; Weyerhaeuser Building Materials-Southern Great Lakes Region, Naperville, IL; Countryside Care Center, Aurora, IL; Nor-Wood Life Care NFP Norwood Park Home, Chicago, IL; Norweco, Inc., Norwalk, OH; American Weatherseal, Orrville, OH; Malco Products, Annandale, MN; Minnesota Freezer Warehouse Co., Albert Lea, MN; Kieffer & Co. Inc., Sheboygan, WI Region VI: Pacific MDF Products, El Dorado, AR; Walker-McGuire Co., Inc., Pocahontas, AR; Hot Springs Packing Co., Inc., Hot Springs, AR; Bass Cat Boats, Midway, AR; Waskey Bridges, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA; McElroy Mfg., Inc., Tulsa, OK; Expanded Solutions LLC, Wewoka, OK; U.M.C Automation, Andrews, TX; Texas Die Casting, Inc., Gladewater, TX; Texarkana Machine, Inc., Texarkana, TX; Printegra, Arlington, TX; Basden Steel Corporation, Burleson, TX Region VII: Lowen Corporation-Sign Division, Hutchinson, KS; Cross Mfg., Inc. (Fitting Division), Pratt, KS; St Mary's Manor, Onaga, KS; Frankfort Clinic, Frankfort, KS; Holton Family Health Clinic, Holton, KS; Holton Home Health, Holton, KS; Western Beverage, Inc., Dodge City, KS; Machinery Fabrication, Inc., Ellington, MO; Prestressed Casting Co., Ozark, MO; W.W. Wood Products, Inc. (Mill Division), Dudley, MO; Elliott Equipment Co., Omaha, NE Region VIII: Colorado Crystal Corporation, Loveland, CO; Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care, Colorado Springs, CO; Dataworks, Inc., Englewood, CO; Great Western Tortilla Co., Denver, CO; Mesa Supply Co., Grand Junction, CO; Front Range Steel, Wellington, CO; DakoCytomation, Fort Collins, CO; Simms Fishing Products, Bozeman, MT; Superior Air Handling, Clearfield, UT; Freedom Arms, Inc., Freedom, WY; Wyoming Recycling Iron & Metal, Mills, WY; Automation & Electronics, Casper, WY; Timberline Service, Casper, WY; Evans Construction, Inc., Jackson, WY; Philip's Welding Service, Gillette, WY; Tyrrell-Doyle Chevrolet, Cheyenne, WY; Industrial Plating & Grinding, Sheridan, WY; The Powder Horn, Sheridan, WY; BPI, Inc., Evanston, WY; Searle Brothers Construction Co., Rock Springs, WY; and Teton Orthopedics, Jackson, WY. Editor: Bill Wright, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999