Annual Evaluation Report
| Partnership Name |
|---|
| National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) National Partnership |
| Purpose of Partnership |
|---|
| The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will work to provide a safe and healthful work environment for employees and contractors involved in the telecommunications tower erection industry by preventing serious accidents and fatalities through increased training, implementation of best work practices, enhancement of safety and health management systems, and compliance with applicable OSHA standards and regulations. |
| Goals of Partnership | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Strategy | Measure | |
| 1) Reduce the percentage of injuries, illnesses and fatalities of participating telecommunication and broadcast tower erection employers, and their subcontractors, to an aggregate rate that is below the BLS average, based on most recently published data. | a) Analyze participant data to identify causal factors and corrective actions. Share corrective actions. b) Establish a baseline year to provide for the analysis of results. c) Participants to use tools such as the NATE Site Safety Audit Checklist. d) Create/disseminate safety and health materials to NATE participants. e) OSHA to provide 10 Hour training up to two times a year as resources allow. All supervisory personnel to receive OSHA 30 hour training. f) Develop, implement, and share best practices with participants. Establish a website or tool to communicate best practices among participating NATE members. For example, produce/disseminate guidelines for the use of gin poles and tower maintenance activities. g) Participants to provide 100% fall protection. h) Review annually and provide feedback on participants' safety and health management systems as needed. |
i. OSHA 300 Logs ii. Percent of participant employees and contractors receiving requisite OSHA 10- or 30-hour training iii. Percent of participants using each tool iv. Number of best practices developed and the percentage of implementation among NATE participants v. Number of injuries/fatalities related to falls (compared to baseline) vi. Number of casual factors identified and abated by participants vii. Percentage of participants Safety and Health Management Systems reviewed by NATE as part of the application process. viii. Percent or number of fatalities reduced from baseline ix. Results of NATE audits |
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| 2) Recognize participants that successfully achieve reductions in illnesses, injuries, and fatalities. | a) Develop a recognition system to recognize participants for reductions in injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the telecommunications and broadcast tower erection industry. | i. Number and percentage of participants recognized | |
| 3) Improve awareness of OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) on the hazards/issues associated with the tower erecting industry. | a) Increase the number of employees that attend the OSHA 3150 Tower Safety course. | i. Number of CSHOs completing the course from the time of the established baseline. | |
| Anticipated Outcomes | |||
The partners will work to provide a safe and healthful work environment for employees and contractors involved in the telecommunications tower erection industry by preventing serious accidents and fatalities through increased training, implementation of best work practices, enhancement of safety and health management systems, and compliance with applicable OSHA standards and regulations. Partnership goals will be accomplished by focusing the efforts, skills, knowledge, and resources of NATE and OSHA to benefit tower erector industry employees. Increased communication and respect between partners are additional benefits expected to be realized through this Partnership. |
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| Strategic Management Plan Target Areas (check one) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | X | Amputations in Manufacturing | |
| General Industry | |||
| Strategic Management Plan Areas of Emphasis (check all applicable) | |||
| Amputations in Construction | Oil and Gas Field Services | ||
| Blast Furnaces and Basic Steel Products | Preserve Fruits and Vegetables | ||
| Blood Lead Levels | Public Warehousing and Storage | ||
| Concrete, Gypsum and Plaster Products | Ship/Boat Building and Repair | ||
| Ergo/Musculoskeletal | Silica-Related Disease | ||
| Landscaping/Horticultural Services | |||
Section 1 General Partnership Information
| Date of Evaluation Report | January 8, 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation Period | |||
| Start Date | November 8, 2006 | End Date | November 7, 2007 |
| Evaluation Contact Person | Rex Morgart | ||
| Originating Office | OSHA National Office - Washington DC | ||
| Partnership Coverage | |||
| # Active Employers | 85 | # Active Employees | 1,630 |
| Industry Coverage and SIC of each participant | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Company | SIC | Company | SIC |
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Section 2 Activities Performed
| Note whether an activity was provided for by the OSP and whether it was performed | ||
|---|---|---|
| Required | Performed | |
| a. Training | Yes | Yes |
| b. Consultation Visits | No | No |
| c. Safety and Health Management Systems Reviewed/Developed | Yes | Yes |
| d. Technical Assistance | No | Yes |
| e. VPP-Focused Activities | No | Yes |
| f. OSHA Enforcement Inspection | No | Yes |
| g. Offsite Verifications | Yes | Yes |
| h. Onsite Non-Enforcement Interactions | No | No |
| i. Participant Self-Inspections | Yes | Yes |
| j. Other Activities | No | Yes |
| 2a. Training (if performed, provide the following totals) | |
|---|---|
| Training sessions conducted by OSHA staff | 4 |
| Training sessions conducted by non-OSHA staff | 1 |
| Employees trained | 1,230 |
| Training hours provided to employees | 20,500 |
| Supervisors/managers trained | Included above |
| Training hours provided to supervisors/managers | Included in Line 4 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| As a result of the Partnership, 813 employees received OSHA 10-hour training, and 411 received OSHA 30-hour training. In addition, NATE and OSHA held an OSHA 500 course in September 2007 and another will be offered in December 2007. Finally, a VPP Mobile Workforce Training Conference Call was held December 2007 and presented to the NATE Board. | |
| 2b. Consultation Visits (if performed, provide the following total) | |
|---|---|
| Consultation visits to partner sites | N/A |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| N/A | |
| 2c. Safety and Health Management Systems (if performed, provide the following total) | |
|---|---|
| Systems implemented or improved using the 1989 Guidelines as a model | 85 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| Each SHMS was evaluated/reviewed by NATE and will continue to be reviewed for continuous improvement. | |
| 2d. Technical Assistance (if performed, note type and by whom) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Provided by OSHA Staff |
Provided by Partners | Provided by Other Party | |
| Conference/Seminar Participation | 6 | 4 | |
| Interpretation/Explanation of Standards or OSHA Policy | 4 | 4 | |
| Abatement Assistance | Assistant Sec. Foulke - National Conf. | Patrick Howey - OSHSPA | |
| Speeches | |||
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |||
| In 2007, six OSHA staff members actively participated in NATE's Annual Conference including: Rex Morgart, Rob Medlock, Jocko Vermillion, and A/S Edwin G. Foulke Jr. was the keynote speaker. OSHA exhibited at the NATE 2007 show distributing compliance assistance materials, posters, CFR's, and Partnership application materials. Two members of the Nashville TN Area Office assisted with the Booth; Michelle Sotak and Phillip Harrell. The National Conference provides an excellent opportunity for OSHA to provide outreach, compliance assistance, and general advice to NATE members, tower employers and employees. The face to face interaction is especially helpful in forming cooperative and friendly relationships within the industry. OSHA held its 10-hour training course at NATE 2007 along with a National Partnership workshop attended by hundreds. Other activities include: NATE and OSHA hold regular Partnership Management Team (PMT) meetings (5 have been conducted over the past 12 months). Other activities included NATE Executive Director Patrick Howey addressing the annual OSHSPA meeting attendees. NATE and OSHA held an OSHA 500 training course in September 2007 and will be offering it again in December 2007. In addition, NATE and OSHA are working together to develop a Public Service Announcement on Tower Safety, Mr. Foulke is expected to participate. Overall, the NATE PMT has been very active in promoting the Partnership and working together to move the partnership forward. | |||
| 2e. VPP-Focused Activities (if performed, provide the following totals) | |
|---|---|
| Partners/participants actively seeking VPP participation | 0 |
| Applications submitted | 0 |
| VPP participants | 1 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| Mid America Tower Services has applied for VPP and was accepted. A VPP Mobile Workforce Training session was conducted by the OSHA National Office for NATE Board members. There is an interest in more NATE companies potentially pursuing VPP in the future. | |
| 2f. OSHA Enforcement Activity (if performed, provide the following totals for any programmed, unprogrammed, and verification-related inspections) | |
|---|---|
| OSHA enforcement inspections conducted | 5 |
| OSHA enforcement inspections in compliance | 3 |
| OSHA enforcement inspections with violations cited | 2 |
| Average number of citations classified as Serious, Repeat, and Willful | 1 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| OSHA enforcement inspections are not required in the Partnership but several were performed. Five enforcement inspections were conducted at NATE member sites in CY2007. | |
| 2g. Offsite Verification (if performed provide the following total) | |
|---|---|
| Offsite verifications performed | 85 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| Applications are reviewed by NATE and OSHA for every member applying to the Partnership. Data is submitted to NATE and forwarded to OSHA for review. | |
| 2h. Onsite Non-Enforcement Verification (if performed provide the following total) | |
|---|---|
| Onsite non-enforcement verifications performed | N/A |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| 2i. Participant Self-Inspections (if performed provide the following totals) | |
|---|---|
| Self-inspections performed | 594 |
| Hazards and/or violations identified and corrected/abated | 232 |
| Comments/Explanations (briefly describe activities, or explain if activity required but not performed) | |
| 2j. Other Activities (briefly describe other activities performed) |
|---|
| As noted, the NATE PMT is very active. In addition to the Partnership activities, OSHA National Office Staff provided NATE with an information session on OSHA Challenge, VPP, and VPP Mobile Workforce. NATE was very interested in pursuing VPP applications in the future as the Partnership moves forward. Furthermore, NATE and OSHA are working together to develop a Public Service Announcement on Tower Safety, Mr. Foulke is expected to participate. The PSA will provide a powerful message promoting safety within the industry. |
Section 3 Illness and Injury Information*
| Year | Hours | Total Cases | TCIR | # of Days Away from Work Restricted and Transferred Activity Cases | DART |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2005 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2006 | 5,857,645 | 121 | 4.1 | 151 | 5.2 |
| Total | 5,857,645 | 121 | 151 | ||
| Three-Year Rate (2008-2010) | NA | NA | |||
| BLS National Average for 2006 | 5.8 | 3.2 | |||
| Baseline | 41% Below | 39% Above | |||
| Comments |
|---|
| The first year of the Partnership was used primarily to create a baseline of injury and illness data. The data collected this year will be used to evaluate the progress of the Partnership in future evaluations. Currently, The baseline data shows that the overall Total Case incidence Rate for the partnering companies is 4.1, 41% below the BLS national average for 5.8. The overall Days Away, Restricted, and Transfer rate for the partnering companies is 5.2, 39% above the BLS national average for 5.2. It is important to note that the NAICS code used to measure the baseline is 23713, however not all partnering companies report under that NAICS code. It was determined that 23713 best describes the majority of the work being performed by the partnering companies. In addition to reporting TCIR and DART rates, the Partnership is attempting to monitor the Insurance Experience Modifier Rates (EMR). Partnering companies currently have an average modifier of .91 (.09 below the 1.0 standard). |
*Sample Chart - not required format
Section 4 Partnership Plans, Benefits, and Recommendations
| Changes and Challenges (check all applicable) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Changes | Challenges | |
| Management Structure | ||
| Participants | ||
| Data Collection | ||
| Employee Involvement | ||
| OSHA Enforcement Inspections | ||
| Partnership Outreach | ||
| Training | ||
| Other | X | |
| Comments | ||
| As a unique National Partnership, it is recognized that our partnering companies are located all across the United States and abroad. Furthermore, partners often perform work on mobile sites in many different states which includes State Plan States (SPS). NATE and OSHA have made a dedicated effort to have our State Plan States recognize the Partnership. The process has been a challenge as we must deal with each SPS individually. However we have seen some progress and some states have been very responsive. We hope to see this improve throughout the partnership. | ||
| Plans to Improve (check all applicable) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Improvements | N/A | |
| Meet more often | ||
| Improve data collection | X | |
| Conduct more training | X | |
| Change goals | ||
| Comments | ||
| As a primary method of evaluating the progress/success of the Partnership, we will continually seek ways to improve our data collection. We also hope to continuously improve and increase the training efforts and training opportunities available to both OSHA and NATE. | ||
| Partnership Benefits (check all applicable) | |
|---|---|
| Increased safety and health awareness | X |
| Improved relationship with OSHA | X |
| Improved relationship with employers | X |
| Improved relationship with employees or unions | X |
| Increased number of participants | X |
| Other (specify) | X |
| Comments | |
Increased Safety and Health Awareness: With nearly 100 NATE member companies participating in the Partnership, there has been a sustained effort to increase safety and health awareness. Partners demonstrate their willingness to voluntarily hold themselves to higher standards for job site safety by identifying and resolving potential health and safety hazards via the required site safety audits. Safety awareness is also accomplished by requiring partners to requisite levels of training, implementation of a safety and health program and presence of a competent person on site at all times. Furthermore, NATE has been very proactive in promoting its Partnership with OSHA and re-enforcing the value and importance of safety in the tower industry. Improved Relationship with OSHA: The formation of the Partnership Management Team (PMT), consisting of NATE and OSHA representatives, has increased communication and strengthened the relationship between the organizations. This working relationship with federal regulators has extended beyond the Partnership for addressing issues of concern. The partnership has become a forum for OSHA and NATE to discuss issues and concerns with an emphasis on improving overall industry safety. NATE and its partners have also got to meet and talk with OSHA officials face to face at the national conference and other training sessions, helping to form a positive working relationship and helping to alleviate fears of the agency. Improved Relationship with employers: Through the Partnership, OSHA has been able to work closely with NATE and its partners to discuss, address, and resolve issues relating to safety. The result has been an open forum of communication where companies no longer fear OSHA but rather look to the agency for help and guidance. Improved Relationship with employees or unions: Employees of partnering companies know that their employers are taking steps to ensure their safety. The partnership is one more method to make certain that tower climbers go home safely at the end of the day. Increased Number of Participants: The first membership application period yielded 87 participating companies - far above our expectations. The mid year application period added another 14 companies bringing the total partners to 100. The interest level has remained high and OSHA plans to once again participate in NATE's Annual Conference. |
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| Status Recommendation (Check one) | |
|---|---|
| Partnership Completed | |
| Continue/Renew | X - continue |
| Continue with the following provisions: | |
| Terminate (provide explanation) | |