Signed ~ Sept. 28, 2007
Overview:
The AMI/OSHA Alliance goal is to develop and provide training and education
programs for the mushroom growing industry to prevent falls and amputations, and
to reduce or eliminate chemical, electrical and physical hazards. Other goals
include the development and implementation of effective safety and health
programs and providing expertise in communicating safety and health information
to employers and employees.
Implementation Team Members
OSHA Alliance Committee
Eugene Richard--AMI/CAC
James Touey—OSHA- Philadelphia Area Office Compliance Assistance Specialist
Chris Alonzo--Pietro Industries
Daniel Beltran--Masda Mushroom Co.
Tyler Blackwell--C. J. Mushroom Co.
Gus Carozzo--Mushroom Spawning Co.
Efren Diego--Kaolin Workers Union
Nancy Frush--Giorgi Mushroom Co.
Peter Gray--Phillips Mushroom Farms, Inc.
Serafina Youngdahl Lombardi--Kaolin Mushroom Union
Michael Pia Jr.--Kaolin Mushroom Farms Inc.
Monica Rocha--Country Fresh Mushroom Co.
Sam Wilson--Needham Mushroom Farms, Inc.
Jerry Yeatman--C. P. Yeatman & Sons, Inc.
Jose Roberto Zavala-- Doel Vasquez-Ortiz Giorgi Mushroom Co. Safety Committee
Members
Contributors
Laura Phelps--American Mushroom Institute, President, John Hilliard Safety
Intern, Giorgi Mushroom, Sara Manning, AMI Community Awareness Committee, OSHA
Compliance Safety & Health Officer Magnolia Torres, OSHA Compliance Safety &
Health Officer Marie Armstrong.
Evaluation Period
The evaluation covers from the time frame of September 28, 2007 through
September 28, 2008.
Implementation Team Meetings
Initial Implementation Meeting held at OSHA
Philadelphia Area Office on October 16, 2007.
First Alliance Quarterly Meeting held on November 8, 2007 at the American
Mushroom Institute’s facility in Kennett Square.
Second Alliance Quarterly Meeting held on March 6, 2008 at the American
Mushroom Institute’s facility in Kennett Square.
Third Alliance Quarterly Meeting held on May 22, 2008 at the American Mushroom
Institute’s facility in Kennett Square.
Fourth Alliance Quarterly Meeting held on August 21, 2008 at the American
Mushroom Institute’s facility in Kennett Square.
Events and Products
Training and Education
November 8, 2008, Initial Alliance Meetings- Power Point presentation,
Introduction to OSHA and the Inspection Process, Working with OSHA through
Cooperative Programs, Most Frequently Cited Standards in the Farming Industry.
March 6, 2008, Power Point Presentation- Safety & Health Management Systems.
August 21, 2008, Power Point presentation covering LOTO and Electrical Safety
Related Work Practices.
Outreach and Communication
- OSHA’s Philadelphia Area Office Compliance Assistance Specialist performed
outreach on February 14, 2008 at the Penn State Ogontz Campus at a seminar
entitled "Keep Farming First" on behalf of the Alliance. The KFF Program was
attended by approximately 300 farming business representatives from
Pennsylvania.
- More than 50 people attended a June 19, 2008 OSHA Alliance break out session
to learn about the program established by AMI and OSHA to create an ongoing farm
safety relationship. The program was held at the Stroud Water Research Center in
Kennett Square, PA. The agenda featured an overview on safety programs governed
by OSHA, interactive Web tools available for farms, how to fill out and when to
post OSHA forms, training suggestions, the importance of a safety team made up
of supervisors and employees, and the insurance saving costs that come with a
reduction in accidents. Effective Alliance member Safety programs were
highlighted.
Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health
- Four articles have been published by Alliance members in the American Mushroom
Institute’s National Monthly Magazine "Mushroom News"
- December 2007 – OSHA & AMI set up an alliance program to educate and train
employees on mushroom farms. Eugene Richards, AMI.
- May 2008 – Principles of Safety and Health Management Systems, James Touey,
Compliance Assistance Specialist.
- September 2008 – Mushroom News: American Mushroom Institute/OSHA Alliance –
Update – Eugene Richards, AMI.
- September 2008- "The Safety Committee: Just the Tip of the Iceberg- John Hillard Giorgi Mushroom Company.
| Type of
Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) |
Number of
Individuals Reached or Trained |
| Keep Farming First Conference
Power Point Presentation |
300 |
| Safety & Health Management
Systems, Safety Committees & Recordkeeping |
50 |
| TOTAL |
350 |
Results
The Alliance had a great first year. The implementation team has continued to be
enthusiastic about the unlimited potential of the cooperative program. One
hurdle that the Alliance has faced is limited or non-existent BLS injury/illness
data for the mushroom growing industry. Through trust the local mushroom growers
have voluntarily provided their respective injury/illness data which has served
dual purposes. First it has allowed the whole to share in trends in the industry
and to develop a reliable focus for the alliance. Second it has established a
measurable base-line for the employers to be compared to in future years.
Upcoming Milestones
The focus of the second year will be train-the-trainer sessions on electrical
hazards, machine guarding and accident investigation.
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