OSHA, NMSA Renew Safety Alliance
An alliance between OSHA and the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) has been renewed to further the promotion of safety and health for employees in the marine cargo handling industry. OSHA and NMSA will concentrate particularly on hazards related to intermodal container lashing and marine terminal traffic.
"It is a privilege to continue working alongside the National Maritime Safety Association as we push for a safer marine cargo handling industry," said Edwin G. Foulke Jr., assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. "We look forward to developing additional resources and communication methods that help ensure marine terminal operators and their employees arrive home safely each day."
Through the OSHA and NMSA Alliance, NMSA produced the Marine Terminal Traffic Safety Tip Sheet, which is posted on both organizations' Web sites. In addition, OSHA representatives have made presentations on safety and health topics at NMSA's annual meetings in 2006, 2007, and 2008. The alliance will remain focused on providing NMSA members and others with information and resources to protect employee safety and health. OSHA and NMSA will further the cause of safety and health in the marine cargo handling industry through activities such as the joint promotion of the Department of Labor's Drug-Free Work Week from October 20-26, 2008.
"The National Maritime Safety Association applauds OSHA and Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. on the two-year renewal of the OSHA and NMSA alliance to reduce workplace hazards on marine terminals," said Walter Egee, NMSA president. "Outreach and tripartite communication between OSHA, terminal management, and longshore labor is critical to reducing work related injuries, and NMSA and its terminal operators are indebted to OSHA's leadership and expertise."
NMSA is a national trade association representing twelve regional maritime associations' members from the major ports on the East, Gulf, and West coasts, as well as longshoring and marine terminal operators that are responsible for moving approximately 85 percent of the United States' containerized cargo. The association's members employ more than 80,000 people who are responsible for tasks such as cargo handling aboard ocean going vessels and landside operations.