ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LABOR STANDARDS AND SAFETY DIVISION OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AKOSH PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

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Naomi Osborne
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1 ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LABOR STANDARDS AND SAFETY DIVISION OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AKOSH PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM I. Purpose. The purpose of this instruction is to provide the background and procedures to establish a strategic partnership agreement between Alaska Occupational Safety and Health (AKOSH), Division of Labor Standards and Safety, and employers. The goal of this partnership is to improve worker safety and health in a work place and reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities. II. III. IV. Scope. This instruction applies to AKOSH jurisdiction sites. References. OSHA Instruction TED 8-0.2, November 13, 1998, OSHA Strategic Partnerships for Worker Safety and Health; AKOSH Program Directive High Hazard Targeting Plan annual lists; Consultation Policies and Procedures Manual (TED 3.6). Originator. This document was developed by Earl Metier and Cliff Hustead for approval by Grey Mitchell, Director of Labor Standards and Safety. V. Background. In 1998, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration established a new program called Partnerships. States operating their own program for occupational safety and health are encouraged to adopt Partnerships. VI. VII. Description of Partnership Program. Partnerships are an agreement between Alaska Occupational Safety and Health (AKOSH) and employers committed to workplace safety and health. A partnership provides the opportunity for employers and AKOSH to work together to provide site visits, training for employers and employees, evaluation of safety and health programs, employer assistance in complying with applicable safety and health regulations and safe operating procedures in order to prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Definitions. A. Alaska Partnership Program: AKOSH Partnerships are formalized, voluntary cooperative relationships with employers. Partnerships must meet progressive requirements for managing the employer s safety and health program. The employer must establish and maintain effective site specific safety and health programs, ensure that employees receive

2 training to understand and comply with applicable safety and health regulations and operating procedures, and maintain a workplace that is free of hazards. Partnerships provide opportunities to exchange ideas, convey concerns, raise issues, educate and advocate efforts to eliminate serious hazards, all aimed at achieving higher levels of worker safety and health. B. Liaison: AKOSH staff is given the responsibility to review partnership agreements, provide initial consultations, review and provide assistance with the development of safety and health programs and provide training to the employer and employees as needed. VIII. Eligibility: The Partnership program is open to: A. Employers in Alaska under State Jurisdiction: Partnerships will be a cooperative agreement with AKOSH and an employer or group of employers. In some instances, the partnership will build on existing relationships with AKOSH that have developed through other cooperative efforts such as consultation and training assistance. IX. Requests for Partnerships: Proposals from employers for a partnership with AKOSH must include all of the following information: A. Name and address of organization; B. Contact person, phone number, and fax; C. Potential benefits and positive impact on workplace safety and health; D. Outreach and achievement to be accomplished by the partnership. X. Requirements for a Partnership: AKOSH will evaluate all requests received to form partnerships, considering available agency resources, current program priorities, and similarity to existing partnerships and programs. The employer shall: A. Agree in writing to create and maintain effective, comprehensive written safety and health programs and to conduct site inspections and audits to ensure safety and health requirements are being followed at each selected site. This written agreement will generally include basic goals and strategies, performance measures and employer/employee rights and responsibilities. 2 B. Have a written policy that includes requirements to ensure compliance with workplace safety and health standards and regulations, and requirements for adequate safety training, site inspections, accident investigation, safety meetings and other site specific programs.

3 C. Ensure employees are trained in hazard recognition specific to OSHA, AKOSH, and employer specific safety and health policies and procedures. D. Perform and document comprehensive safety and health inspections of its operations to address all aspects of the safety and health management program. In addition to the comprehensive inspections, daily site inspections will be conducted. Hazards will be documented, including time, date and action taken to gain compliance. Any hazards with a high probability of causing serious injury are to be immediately corrected and action taken to ensure the condition does not recur. Interim controls shall be implemented to eliminate employee exposure to any identified hazard prior to abatement of the hazard. E. Establish an effective policy for correcting noncompliant managers, supervisors and employees. F. Agree to promote employee involvement by requiring full employee participation during safety meetings and site inspections. On or before March 1 of each year, provide the following documentation to AKOSH to help evaluate partnership effectiveness: 1. Information on accident investigations conducted and training provided by the employer during the previous year. 2. OSHA 300 injury logs from facility specific locations; and the total employee work hours for the year. 3. Verification of safety hazards found during inspections which shall include the number and description of hazards found, along with the date and how the hazards were corrected. 4. A description and count of safety and heath meetings and training courses held for employees and employers during the years, hygiene sampling conducted, engineering or administrative safety and health changes, employee safety and health improvement suggestions and incentive or promotion programs for employees to engage in workplace safety and health solutions. 5. A summary of Worker Compensation injury and cost information for the preceding year. This information may be presented in summary form. 3

4 XI. Establishing a Partnership. AKOSH and the participating employer shall develop a written agreement outlining the activities which will be pursued through the partnership. A. Agreements establishing a partnership will establish employer/employee rights and responsibilities and define a set of short and long-term goals and strategies along with specific performance measures that fall into three categories: 1. Reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities; 2. Provide for training, outreach and promotion; 3. Promote dialogue within the State of Alaska on workplace safety and health concerns. B. An evaluation component shall be included in the written agreement to include basic goals and strategies, performance measures and employer/employee rights and responsibilities. Partnership participants shall provide a self-evaluation of accomplishments and share lessons learned and best practices throughout company facility locations and with AKOSH. A joint annual report will be prepared for each Partnership that will include AKOSH staff involvement, events, results achieved and lessons learned/best practices. The Partnership participants and AKOSH will promote the achievements and lessons learned/best practices. C. Agreements shall not be written for more than a five-year period, but may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties and shall include the ability for either party to cancel the agreement upon written notification. XII. Consultation Scheduling System: A. The selection for scheduled comprehensive consultation visits to worksites will be conducted in accordance with TED 3.6. Once each year a schedule will be developed for sites that will receive a comprehensive consultation visit. Each site within the partnership agreement should receive a comprehensive consultation visit during the term of the partnership. The employer will provide a list of worksites and locations. B. The employer must: 1. Complete a two part application consisting of: a. Summary of the OSHA 300 logs for the last 3 years b. A self audit evaluation checklist for each facility proposed for partnership inclusion; 4

5 2. Receive a comprehensive on-site consultation visit according to the guidelines established in TED 3.6 and meet with AKOSH once a year in the month the partnership agreement was initially signed to schedule worksites for comprehensive consultation visits; 3. Receive initial training and assistance in developing site-specific safety and health programs; 4. Be taken off the general scheduled inspection list for one year following a comprehensive consultation visit and making corrections in accordance with 8 AAC at a particular site and, for all remaining sites, be placed at a low priority on the general scheduled inspection list for enforcement upon AKOSH approval of the partnership. C. Comprehensive facility-specific consultation visits will be performed by AKOSH to ensure that the employers Safety and Health management programs meet minimum standards. The review will assess whether the required written program elements and procedures are in effect, if imminent danger hazards are corrected immediately, if appropriate personal protective equipment is provided and worn, and if the employer provides adequate worker safety training. D. Sites that receive a comprehensive consultation visit and correct the identified hazards will receive a one-year deferral from general scheduled enforcement inspections. Un-programmed enforcement inspections conducted in response to complaints, referrals, accidents and fatalities shall be conducted in accordance with established Federal OSHA and AKOSH procedures. XIII. Disqualification: If any employer in Alaska receives a citation classified as willful or failure-toabate which has become a final order within the last three years, that employer will not be accepted for partnership. In addition if an employer receives a willful or failure-to-abate citation during the term of this agreement, the employer will be terminated from the partnership agreement. Enforcement inspections conducted at partnership sites resulting in numerous violations (more than three) or high-severity serious violations may result in disqualification as a partnership site by AKOSH. 5

BHG Operational Awareness Program May 8, 1998 Hazard Identification, Analysis, Control and Abatement Revision 0 Page 1 of 10

BHG Operational Awareness Program May 8, 1998 Hazard Identification, Analysis, Control and Abatement Revision 0 Page 1 of 10 Page 1 of 10 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, ANALYSIS, CONTROL, AND ABATEMENT 1.0 SCOPE This Performance Assessment Guide for Hazard Identification, Analysis, Control, and Abatement will be used to carry out the