The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently formed an Alliance with the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) to further promote worker safety and health, with a focus on preventing exposure to ergonomic- related hazards.
“This Alliance greatly expands OSHA’s reach in our effort to provide safety and health information to professionals in these two important industries,” said Jonathan L. Snare, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. “We look forward to using our joint expertise to provide workers in the forest and paper- related industries with training and knowledge that will help them stay safe and healthy on the job.”
“Our association is very pleased to join with OSHA and PPSA on this important venture,” added Sharon Kneiss, vice president of regulatory affairs at AF&PA. “We support efforts to reduce musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. We look forward to working together with these organizations and achieving our common objective.”
“We are very pleased to join the American Forest & Paper Association in an Alliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,” stated Pamela J. Cordier, PPSA executive director. “We look forward to assisting both OSHA employees and our industry’s workers in determining what ergonomic-related hazards may exist in our production processes and to the development of success stories.”
The Plan
Through the Alliance, OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA will provide members of the organizations and others in the forest, pulp, paper, and paper-converting industries with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic hazards. The Alliance members will develop workplace safety and health curricula and materials on the recognition and prevention of ergonomic-related hazards, and provide expertise in developing ways of communicating the information to employers and employees in the industry. The organizations will participate in forums, round table discussions, and stakeholder meetings. A team of OSHA, AF&PA, and PPSA representatives will meet at least three times a year to develop an action plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. OSHA will also encourage state plan states and consultation projects to participate in the Alliance. Learn more at www.osha.gov.
Sources: U.S. Newswire; OSHA.