OSHA Cooperative Programs for Small Business

1. OSHA – On the Radar ScreenOSHA – On the Radar Screen
and Working For Youand Working For You
Paula O. White, Director
Cooperative and State Programs
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
NEHS Conference
March 8, 2005

2. OSHA’s InterventionOSHA’s Intervention
StrategiesStrategies
Expanded outreach, education, andExpanded outreach, education, and
compliance assistance effortscompliance assistance efforts
Improved voluntary and partnershipImproved voluntary and partnership
effortsefforts
Strong, effective, and fair enforcementStrong, effective, and fair enforcement

3. OSHA’s CooperativeOSHA’s Cooperative
ProgramsPrograms
Alliance ProgramAlliance Program
Consultation ProgramConsultation Program
& SHARP& SHARP
Voluntary ProtectionVoluntary Protection
ProgramsPrograms
OSHA StrategicOSHA Strategic
Partnership ProgramPartnership Program

4. OSHA’s Alliance ProgramOSHA’s Alliance Program
Broadly written agreementsBroadly written agreements
Established at OSHA’s National,Established at OSHA’s National,
Regional, Area Offices orRegional, Area Offices or
by State Plan Statesby State Plan States
Formed with trade associations, businesses,Formed with trade associations, businesses,
educational institutions, unionseducational institutions, unions
72 National Alliances72 National Alliances
232 Regional and Area Office Alliances232 Regional and Area Office Alliances

5. Who’s Entering Alliances?Who’s Entering Alliances?
•Abbott
•The Steel Group
•Health Physics Society
•National Hearing Conservation
Association
•Drug-Free Workplace
•Independent Lubricant
Manufacturers Association
•National Safety Council
•Board of Certified Safety
Professionals
•Club Managers Association of
America
•Center for Business and Public
Policy, McDonough School of
Business
•Graphic Arts Coalition
•Dow Chemical Company
•Construction Institute of American
Society of Civil Engineers
•American Dental Association
•National Association of
Homebuilders
•Modular Building Institute
•Industrial Truck Association
•American Heart Association
•American Apparel and Footwear
Association
•Tree Care Industry Association
•Shipbuilders Council of America
•American Shipbuilding
Association.
•American Meat Institute
•International Safety Equipment
Association
•National Federation of
Independent Business
•Washington Group International

6. Benefits of an AllianceBenefits of an Alliance
•• Build a cooperative and trustingBuild a cooperative and trusting
relationship with OSHArelationship with OSHA
•• Network with other organizationsNetwork with other organizations
committed to workplace safety andcommitted to workplace safety and
healthhealth
•• Leverage resources to maximize workerLeverage resources to maximize worker
protectionprotection

8. Some National AllianceSome National Alliance
ResultsResults
Society of the Plastics IndustrySociety of the Plastics Industry
– Machine guarding & LOTO TrainingMachine guarding & LOTO Training
– Machine guarding e-ToolMachine guarding e-Tool
The Dow Chemical CompanyThe Dow Chemical Company
– Ergonomics case studyErgonomics case study
– Motor vehicle safety programs caseMotor vehicle safety programs case
studiesstudies
– Best practicesBest practices –– PSM WorkshopPSM Workshop

9. Airlines Industry AllianceAirlines Industry Alliance
Ergonomic issues of baggage-handlingErgonomic issues of baggage-handling
OSHA, 13 Airlines, NSC –OSHA, 13 Airlines, NSC –
International Air Transport SectionInternational Air Transport Section
Revised eToolRevised eTool
Developing training manualDeveloping training manual

12. Consultation: Help forConsultation: Help for
Small BusinessesSmall Businesses
Free, confidential, and professional help forFree, confidential, and professional help for
employers to identify and correct hazardsemployers to identify and correct hazards
Assists small businesses in developingAssists small businesses in developing
safety and health management systemssafety and health management systems
and providing trainingand providing training
No citations issued or penalties proposedNo citations issued or penalties proposed
Service delivered by state & territorialService delivered by state & territorial
governments using well-trainedgovernments using well-trained
professional staff.professional staff.

13. Dear Senator Biden:
Penn Fibre Plastics, Inc. is a manufacturer that employs 65 people in
Greenwood, DE. I am writing to inform you of the valuable service that is
provided by the Department of Labor's Office of Safety and Health
Consultation.
This Consultation service is of great benefit to small and medium-sized
companies such as ours to ensure compliance to all applicable Codes of
Federal Regulations of the OSHA ACT. Their approach of working together
with us is highly productive. As a result, the negative stereotype of OSHA as
an enforcer and regulator is corrected through the work of the Delaware
Office of Safety and Health Consultation service, which demonstrates that
compliance is good for business and good for people. Frankly, we would be
hard-pressed to remain in compliance or in a competitive position without
this service. The OSH Consultation is a true partnership between government
and business that effectively establishes and promotes safe and competitive
work environments.
Thank you in advance for your support and recognition of a truly
beneficial program such as this.

14. Safety & Health AchievementSafety & Health Achievement
Recognition Program (SHARP)Recognition Program (SHARP)
An effective safety and healthAn effective safety and health
management systemmanagement system
Injury and illness rates below theInjury and illness rates below the
industry averageindustry average
Removed from programmedRemoved from programmed
inspection list for at least 1 yearinspection list for at least 1 year

15. Sharp Success StorySharp Success Story

16. What is VPP?What is VPP?
1,230 VPP Participants1,230 VPP Participants
A process for achievingA process for achieving
safety and health excellencesafety and health excellence
Labor – Management –Labor – Management –
Government cooperationGovernment cooperation
Official recognition ofOfficial recognition of
excellenceexcellence

17. OSHA ChallengeOSHA Challenge
Road Map for safety andRoad Map for safety and
healthhealth
RecognitionRecognition
Conserve OSHA resourcesConserve OSHA resources
Increase and expediteIncrease and expedite
participationparticipation

18. VPP CorporateVPP Corporate
Maximize reliance onMaximize reliance on
corporate pre-screeningcorporate pre-screening
Streamline applicationsStreamline applications
Streamline onsite evaluationsStreamline onsite evaluations
Maximize leadership andMaximize leadership and
outreachoutreach

19. VPP for ConstructionVPP for Construction
A RedesignA Redesign
Provides flexibility toProvides flexibility to
meet unique aspectsmeet unique aspects
of industryof industry
Companies mayCompanies may
attain recognition atattain recognition at
corporate, division orcorporate, division or
business unit levelbusiness unit level

20. International PaperInternational Paper
A Business Case for VPPA Business Case for VPP
IP has had over 90 sites in VPP sinceIP has had over 90 sites in VPP since
1992.1992.
Safety performance at VPP sites wasSafety performance at VPP sites was
compared to non-VPP sites for years 2000compared to non-VPP sites for years 2000
and 2001.and 2001.

21. VPP vs. Non-VPPVPP vs. Non-VPP
Total Incidence Rate (TIR)Total Incidence Rate (TIR)
2-year Difference: VPP sites = 28% lower2-year Difference: VPP sites = 28% lower
Lost Workday Incident Rate (LWIR)Lost Workday Incident Rate (LWIR)
2-year Difference: VPP sites = 48% lower2-year Difference: VPP sites = 48% lower
Workers Compensation costs:Workers Compensation costs:
VPP sites cost 58% lessVPP sites cost 58% less

22. Benefits Foregone by Non-VPPBenefits Foregone by Non-VPP
If non-VPP sites had performed as well asIf non-VPP sites had performed as well as
VPP sites for the 2 years:VPP sites for the 2 years:
18% or 165 Recordable Incidents would18% or 165 Recordable Incidents would
have been preventedhave been prevented
45% or 56 Lost Workday cases would45% or 56 Lost Workday cases would
have been preventedhave been prevented
$16,523,181$16,523,181 would have been saved inwould have been saved in
Workers Compensation claimsWorkers Compensation claims

23. OSHA Strategic PartnershipsOSHA Strategic Partnerships
227 active partnerships227 active partnerships
12,895 employers and12,895 employers and
721,186 employees impacted721,186 employees impacted
since 1994since 1994
11 National partnerships11 National partnerships

24. United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
OSPPOSPP
Focus on Ergonomic Risk ReductionFocus on Ergonomic Risk Reduction
14,196 employees & 59 facilities14,196 employees & 59 facilities
covered (93 sites by 8/05)covered (93 sites by 8/05)
19% reduction to Total Case Incident19% reduction to Total Case Incident
RateRate
22% reduction in Days Away,22% reduction in Days Away,
Restricted and Transferred (DART)Restricted and Transferred (DART)
raterate
17% reduction in Lost Workday rate17% reduction in Lost Workday rate

25. Koch Industries PartnershipKoch Industries Partnership
Partnership covers 18 sites with 384 employeesPartnership covers 18 sites with 384 employees
2 sites have achieved VPP Star, 1 site has2 sites have achieved VPP Star, 1 site has
application pending, and 7 sites will apply inapplication pending, and 7 sites will apply in
20042004
8 partnership sites have not had an injury or8 partnership sites have not had an injury or
illness in the past three yearsillness in the past three years
13 out of 18 sites have TCIR and DART rates13 out of 18 sites have TCIR and DART rates
which are 50% lower than national average forwhich are 50% lower than national average for
their industry for last 3 yearstheir industry for last 3 years

26. Compliance AssistanceCompliance Assistance
Compliance Assistance SpecialistsCompliance Assistance Specialists
Web:Web: www.osha.govwww.osha.gov
eTools & Safety & Health Topic PageseTools & Safety & Health Topic Pages
OSHA Hotline: 1-800-321-OSHAOSHA Hotline: 1-800-321-OSHA
QuickTakesQuickTakes

27. Small Business AssistanceSmall Business Assistance
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/

28. Hispanic OutreachHispanic Outreach
National complianceNational compliance
assistance clearinghouse ofassistance clearinghouse of
Spanish language outreachSpanish language outreach
materialsmaterials
Hispanic complianceHispanic compliance
assistance web-pageassistance web-page
National Hispanic Summit –National Hispanic Summit –
July 2004July 2004
Hispanic Workers Task ForceHispanic Workers Task Force

34. ContactContact
Paula White
white.paula@dol.gov
202-693-2200