July 12, 2002—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation and the Screenprinting & Graphic Imaging Association International have formally agreed to work together to share best practices and technical knowledge on ergonomics to foster prevention of injuries and illnesses in the printing and graphic arts industries. OSHA expects this to be the first of many alliances with industries. Under the Alliance, the partners will work together to develop and disseminate best practices information on ergonomics at conferences. They will also make information available in print and on their Web sites. Companies that are members of these associations will be encouraged to implement these best practices and dramatically reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders. They will also be encouraged to participate in OSHA cooperative programs such as Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
In addition, Alliance members will promote the national dialogue on workplace safety and health through joint outreach efforts, sharing data that support solutions to ergonomic hazards and convening and participating in forums and round table discussions to identify innovative solutions to ergonomic issues in the printing and graphic arts industry. Finally, participants will develop and deliver training and education programs for workers in the graphic arts industry.
To implement the Alliance, a team representing each organization will meet quarterly. The implementation team will establish working procedures; identify roles and responsibilities under the Alliance; and track, analyze and share information on activities and results. The alliance has a one-year term, which can be automatically renewed annually.
