| July 1, 2006 · Volume 5, Issue 13 | |
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| A bi-weekly e-news memo with information, updates, and results from OSHA about safety and health in America's workplaces. | |
| NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only. |
In This Issue Sears Adopts Corporate Wide Safety and Health Program Under Settlement Agreement Agency Seeking Proposals for $6.8 Million in New Safety and Health Training Grants OSHA Resumes Regular Enforcement in Mississippi OSHA Clarifies Jurisdiction for DOE Sites in 14 States New Safety and Health Topics Page for Concrete Industry OSHA and Girl Scouts Team Up to Raise Awareness About Workplace Safety and Health Upcoming Speech by Assistant Secretary Foulke OSHA Shines at Recent Alaska Conference Strategic Partnership Program News National Alliance Signed, One Renewed Regional Alliance Update E-mail Scam Alert 'QuickTips' from QuickTakes Sears Adopts Corporate Wide Safety and Health Program Under Settlement Agreement As part of a settlement agreement with OSHA, Sears, one of the nation's largest retailers, will implement a safety and health program to ensure that all powered industrial trucks are operated in a safe manner. OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke said the settlement demonstrates Sears' strong commitment to workplace safety and health particularly by their willingness to work cooperatively with OSHA, as a good corporate partner, to further the safety and health of all their employees. Sears is taking the added step of implementing safety and health programs in all their stores throughout the nation. The agreement settles citations issued on Sept. 29, 2005, to a Sears store in Monaca, Pa., following an accident investigation in which the company was cited for exposing employees to fall hazards from powered industrial trucks. Agency Seeking Proposals for $6.8 Million in New Safety and Health Training Grants OSHA is making approximately $6.8 million available in new grants to nonprofit organizations for safety and health training and educational programs under the agency's Susan Harwood Training Grant program. An additional $3.3 million will be used to fund renewal grants for recipients of 2005 institutional competency building grants. OSHA will be accepting new applications for Targeted Topic Training Grants, which will support training for construction hazards, general industry hazards, and other safety and health topic areas. Details about the grants and application process appear in the June 29 Federal Register. OSHA Resumes Regular Enforcement in Mississippi OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke announced June 28 that the agency would resume regular enforcement of job safety and health standards south of Interstate 10 in Mississippi. Prior to that announcement, OSHA had exempted that part of the state from its normal enforcement operations as a result of last year's hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The agency resumed normal enforcement throughout Florida and Alabama, and in part of Mississippi, on Jan. 25. The cities of New Orleans and Slidell, La., and eight other parishes in Louisiana remain exempt from normal enforcement. Additional information on topics related to hurricane season 2006 will be developed on a continuing basis and posted to the agency's hurricane recovery page. OSHA Clarifies Jurisdiction for DOE Sites in 14 States OSHA announced that fourteen states with OSHA-approved state plans will exercise jurisdiction over private sector contractors at various Department of Energy (DOE) sites which are not subject to the Atomic Energy Act. Those states include Arizona, California, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. More details on jurisdiction and enforcement responsibilities appear in the June 29 Federal Register. New Safety and Health Topics Page for Concrete Industry Employers and employees in the concrete industry stand to benefit from a new safety and health topics Web page posted by OSHA. Concrete and Concrete Products - Manufacturing and Construction, a product of OSHA's strategic partnership with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, highlights OSHA standards, compliance directives, and standard interpretations related to manufacturing and construction in the concrete and concrete products industry. A number of additional resources are also available, including lists of the leading workplace hazards and links to safety and health resources for controlling those hazards, training information, and success stories. OSHA and Girl Scouts Team Up to Raise Awareness About Workplace Safety and Health In support of OSHA's ongoing efforts to heighten young employees' awareness about workplace safety and health, OSHA's New England and New York Regions joined forces with the Girl Scouts on patch projects to reach out to scouts through age appropriate, learner-focused activities on occupational safety and health. Patches are a cornerstone of the scouting program and function as immediate recognition for completing the requirements for, or demonstrating basic knowledge of, a concept. Each region designed a special patch. Upcoming Speech by Assistant Secretary Foulke OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke is scheduled to travel to New Bedford, Mass., on July 7 to officially present the Voluntary Protection Program "Star" certification flag to officials at Acushnet Company's Titleist Golf Ball Plant III. OSHA Shines at Recent Alaska Conference OSHA's Seattle Regional officials participated in the Second Annual Statewide Small Business and Faith-Based Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, June 15-16. The workshop on OSHA Benefits for Small Business was well received by attendees at this event, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. Special guests included Alaska Gov. Frank H. Murkowski, and staffers for Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Strategic Partnership Program News OSHA's New Hampshire Area Office and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Consultation Program recently signed strategic partnerships with Cobb Hill/Pro Con Construction Joint Venture LLC and E.D. Swett Inc. to protect employees at the Capitol Commons construction project in Concord, and the rebuilding of the Granite Street Bridge in Manchester, respectively. The Chicago Region renewed a partnership with the Central Ohio Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association Inc., and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' Local 683 and 1105 to enhance workplace safety and health protection for electrical employees in Ohio. National Alliance Signed, One Renewed Promoting safer and more healthful workplaces for employees in the marine cargo handling industry is the focus of a new alliance signed June 23 with the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA). The goal is to provide NMSA members and others with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly reducing and preventing exposure to hazards associated with intermodal container lashing and marine terminal traffic. OSHA renewed an alliance with the American Pyrotechnics Association to continue focusing on reducing and preventing work-related accidents involving fireworks. Regional Alliance Update Region IV: OSHA's Atlanta Region teamed up with the Georgia Department of Education to reduce injuries and illnesses among Georgia's youth employees. Region V: OSHA's Cincinnati Area Office joined forces with the Independent Electrical Contractors of Greater Cincinnati to promote safety and health for electrical industry employees in the city. Region X: An alliance renewed between OSHA's Seattle Region and the North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners' Association will focus on shipyard fire protection outreach and training, compliance assistance on the new hexavalent chromium regulations, and continued emphasis on lockout/tagout in the industry. E-mail Scam Alert OSHA has been informed of an e-mail currently in circulation that is using a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) office, and the QuickTakes banner, to solicit and recruit "farm workers." That same e-mail is asking readers for personal information, e.g., name, country of origin, and international passport numbers. This message was not generated by DOL or OSHA; QuickTakes is generated only from this e-mail address . Also, we at QuickTakes do not solicit personal information in any form. If you receive similar scam messages in the future, we recommend that you delete them totally from your mailbox. Further, we encourage you not to open attachments or click on any hyperlinks in the body of any electronic message in which you're unsure of its origin. 'QuickTips' from QuickTakes July is designated as Eye Injury Prevention Month. The best way to prevent eye injuries in the workplace is to use proper protective eyewear. Some immediate tips for protecting your eyes on the job include: OSHA's Eye and Face Protection Safety and Health Topics page is a good resource for information to prevent eye-related workplace injuries. Look for more safety and health 'QuickTips' in the next issue. Editor: Elaine Fraser, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999 |