OSHA Renews Health and Safety Partnership with Trade Associations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed a strategic partnership that has helped further its objective of reducing workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities with several electrical contractors and industry trade associations. The partnership, which was established four years ago, has five main goals: analyzing data and identifying target areas; identifying and implementing best practices; developing and delivering training; performing outreach and communication initiatives; and evaluating the partnership's performance.
"The major milestones this partnership has achieved thus far confirm that we are making positive strides in helping to reduce the number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities for employees in this industry," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "We will continue to develop and implement resources that promote safe and healthful working conditions."
The organizations that joined OSHA in this strategic partnership are Asplundh Tree Expert Co., Henkels & McCoy, Inc., MDU Construction Services Group, Inc., MYR Group, Inc., Pike Electric, Inc., Quanta Services, Inc., the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the National Electrical Contractors Association and Edison Electric Institute.
The partnership completed several significant projects during the past four years including developing an industry-specific OSHA 10-hour Outreach Training Program course presented to more than 20,000 employees and supervisors; developing an industry-specific supervisory and leadership outreach training course; communicating eight best practices to partner employees; and analyzing injury, illness and fatality data for the industry. Partner fatality rates decreased by more than 50 percent during the partnership's existence.
"Only by working together through this partnership with OSHA could we have achieved the gains in reducing injuries and fatalities across the electrical transmission and distribution industry," said Rod Henkels, chief executive officer of Henkels & McCoy and chairman of the partnership Executive Committee. "With this renewal we are committed to continuing our efforts to making our industry safer for the people who do the work."
The partnership encourages industry members, employees and other interested parties to participate in the occupational safety process. Additionally, the agreement emphasizes that the partners commit to providing a safer and more healthful workplace for employees.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.