OSHA/Air Transport Section’s Ergonomic Alliance for

Baggage Handling

National Safety Congress

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

10:00 a.m.

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• History-OSHA Alliance Program

-Forming the Airline Industry Alliance

• Lee Anne Jillings

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA’s StrategicManagement Plan, 2003-2008

By 2008, reduce fatality rates 15% and injury/illnessrates 20% through:

• Goal 1 – Reduce occupational hazards through direct intervention

• Goal 2 – Promote safety and health culture through compliance assistance, cooperative programs, and strong leadership

• Goal 3 – Strengthen agency capabilities and infrastructure

Goal 2: Compliance Assistance, Cooperative Programs & Leadership

Promote a safety and health culture through compliance assistance, cooperative programs and strong leadership.

Strategy 2-1: Improve OSHA’s ability to capture opportunitieswhere compliance assistance, leadership,outreach, and cooperative programs will maximizeimpact.

Strategy 2-2: Promote a safety and health culture throughAmerica’s worksites.

Strategy 2-3: Improve the effectiveness of OSHA’s approachesfor promoting safety and health.

OSHA’s Alliance Program

Broadly Written AgreementsEstablished at OSHA’sNational, Regional, Area Officesor by State Plan States

• Goals focus on:– Training and Education– Outreach and Communication– Promoting the National Dialogue

Customized Implementation Teams Two-years, Renewable Quarterly Update Meetings or Conference Calls

Benefits of an Alliance

• Build a cooperative andtrusting relationship withOSHA

• Network with otherorganizations committedto workplace safety and health

• Leverage resources to maximize worker protection

6 11 13 16 2230

4156

6574 80

50

05

10152025303540455055606570758085

Number of Alliances

Oct.'02

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept.'03

FY 03'Goal

New OSHA National/Regional/Area Office Alliance Growth Chart

FY '03 YTD (Through 8/31/03)

FY '03Alliance GoalNew FY '03Alliances

National Alliances

Signed• The Dow Chemical Alliance Company

• American Biological Safety Association

• Society of the Plastics Industry

• The Printing Industry

Recent/Upcoming• International Safety Equipment Association

• National Safety Council

• Network of Employers for Traffic Safety

• Work Zone Coalition for Safety and Health

Airline Industry Alliance Members

•American Airlines

•American Trans Air

•America West Airlines

•Continental Airlines

•Delta Air Lines

•Jetblue Airways

•Midwest Express Airlines

•Southwest Airlines

•United Airlines

•US Airways

•NSC International Air Transport Section

•Air Canada

•Airtran Airways

•Alaska Airlines

Airline Industry Alliance Vision

Year 1

• Define strategy and best practices

• Educate and communicate process with interested parties

• Share successes with others-NSC Congress-VPP Seminar

Airline Industry Alliance Vision

Year 2

• Reaffirm membership

• Review past year and identify specific projects and goals for upcoming year

• Communicate with and educate interested parties

• Expand awareness of the Alliance world-wide

Alliance Action Items

Training and Education•Develop a baggage handling training manual for employees

Outreach and Communication•Review and provide input on way to improve OSHA’s e-tool•Develop Safety and Health Topics Page for the Airlines Industry•Hold a one-day seminar on OSHA’s VPP process

-June 4, 2003, Delta Airlines, Atlanta, Georgia•Sponsor a workshop on the Alliance Program

-National Safety Council Congress, September 10, 2002, Chicago, IL

-Review the Alliance’s first year for OSHA’s National Office

Promote the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety & Health•Educate interested parties on the ergonomics of baggage handling

Alliance Timeline – Year 1

• December 18, 2002 - Kick-off Meeting– OSHA, Washington, DC

• January 27 & 28, 2003 - Workshop– OSHA Salt Lake Technical Center, Salt Lake City, UT

• April 28 & 29, 2003 - Workshop– OSHA Salt Lake Technical Center, Salt Lake City, UT

• June 4, 2003 - VPP Presentation – Delta Airlines, Atlanta, Georgia

• September 10, 2003 - NSC Presentation/Panel Discussion– National Safety Council Congress, Chicago, IL

• October 2003 - Group Performance Appraisal

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• VPP Seminar

• Jim Swartz

Delta Air Lines

OSHA Programs

What is an OSHA Alliance?

Program created by OSHA to enable organizations committed to safety and health to collaborate with

OSHA to prevent injuries.

Partnerships VPPAlliance

VPP Workshop

• Who?– 16 Airlines and Labor

Groups

– 4 Airline Servicing Companies

– 3 Government Agencies

– 4 Other Private Industries

– 3 National Associations

• UAL, IAMAW

• Alliance Members

• COMAIR, Skywest, Northwest, ASA

• LSG SkyChefs, ARAMARK, ITS Aviation, GAT Airline Ground Support

• Corporate Performance Solutions, Marsh, Tropicanna, Georgetown University

• VPPPA, NATA, NSC

• Federal OSHA, State OSHA, TSA

VPP Workshop

• When and When?– Delta Air Lines “Star” Status Maintenance Facility– June 4, 2003

VPP Workshop• Why VPP?

• What is VPP?–National VPP/Alliance Overview

• How VPP?–Application/Evaluation Process Overview

–Delta VPP Team Process Overview

–Mentoring Process Overview

• Benefits of VPP–VPPPA

VPP Workshop

• Why?– Relate VPP to Aviation Industry– Share Employee Driven Process– Establish Network for Outreach

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• The Experience

• Holly Geiger Zimmerman

Alaska Airlines

Industry Apprehension

Some airlines may have feared:

• Alliance will result in more frequent inspections;

• Federal & State OSHA inspectors would use Alliance information and work products inconsistently in the enforcement actions; or

• One size does not fit all: each airline sees their business characteristics as unique

Traditional OSHA-Industry Perceptions

• Industry personnel may have perceived OSHA as:-non-collaborative-rule focused, not solution-oriented

• During inspections/investigations, boundaries maintained, information flow is restricted

• Inspections may only scratch the surface:-visual observations-written program review

• OSHA personnel not always familiar with industry-specific challenges that influence compliance capabilities

Planned Approach

• To ensure individual airline Planeside Loading

support and continued participation, the Alliance parameters were set:– Specific goals– One-year timeline for completion of work

products

Airline Participation

• All signatories on the Alliance sent representation to the meetings;

• Meetings were conducted efficiently and at convenient times/locations;

• Open sharing of best practices between airlines to familiarize OSHA with existing efforts;

• Participants were open-minded to recommendations;

• Resulted in immediate changes to and development of resources

OSHA Participation • OSHA representatives dedicated many hours to

Alliance implementation;

• OSHA representatives were considerate of inherent industry challenges;

• OSHA actively participated at all meetings including hosting airline members at SLC Technical Training Center and planning and presenting at the VPP Seminar;

• Recommendations for changes were realistic (economically/technologically feasible) and received well by airline representatives

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• eTool

• Ashley West

Delta Air Lines

eTool Updates

• Terminology updated to fit the Airline Industry

-Original eTool was more based on the manufacturing environment

-Terminology was mutually agreed upon by Alliance members

• eTool format follows the process flow of airport

-Now divided into three sections (Check-In, Make-Up Room, Ramp) instead of four (Check-in, Bag Cart, Loading Conveyor, Bag Compartment)

-Dimensions of aircraft bins and equipment are now included

eTool Updates

• Within the process flow, hazards are listed by level of automation and type of equipment utilized-Original eTool listed hazards inconsistently from the front-line employees’ perspective

-Hazards are now listed by type of handling device (manual, semi-automated, automated), type of conveyor system (flat plate carousel, sloped carousel, double pier belts), and type of cart/container

eTool Updates

• Possible solutions are now listed according to feasibility of implementation-Original eTool possible solutions required consideration of limitations placed on airlines by:

• TSA• Airport authorities• FAA• Equipment (ground support and aircraft type)• Operation

-Possible solutions (administrative, work practice and engineering) are now listed based on operational and economical feasibility

Progress

• Ramp Section published July 2003

• Ticket Counter and Make-Up Room Sections to be published September 2003

• eTool will be reviewed and updated annually per OSHA process and Alliance objective

Benefits for Airlines

• Better understanding of the different processes within each company

• Better understanding of OSHA’s approach

• Documented solutions to support and validate projects within each company

• Sharing of ergonomics best practices among airlines

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• Baggage Handling Training Manual

• Penny Prince

American Airlines

Areas of Concern

• Injuries associated with baggage handling are the most prevalent injury for the aviation industry

• Use of engineering controls is limited at this time due to technical and economic feasibility

• The aviation industry does not have consistent training for best methods in baggage handling

Purpose

• Cost effective and consistent training materials

• Training that is most applicable to essential job functions

• Training that is in the most usable format

Areas of Focus

• The largest # of injuries and employees

-baggage handling on the ramp

• The type of injury with greatest concern

-musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

• Top priority for all participating airlines

-planeside loading and unloading

Training Content

• Injury Prevention

–Contributing Risk Factors for MSDs

• Safe Work Practices

–Principles of Body Mechanics

–Stretches and Exercise

• The Baggage Handling Process

–Proper Body Mechanics (task specific)

Functions to be Analyzed

• Skycap

• Ticket Counter

• Gate Check-in

• Baggage Make-up (T-point)

• Planeside Loading and Unloading

• Aircraft Cargo Compartments

• Baggage Claim

Extended Reaching(unloading cart without shelf)

• Brace oneself with an arm or leg

• Slide load or pull load close to body before lifting

• Stay in control of the load

Twisting while Lifting(unloading cart with shelf)

• Angle cart to reduce degree of turn

• Keep load directly in front of body

• Step into the turn when turning body

One-handed Lifting(loading cart with shelf)

• Use two-handed lift whenever possible

• Keep load at waist height

• Avoid lifting bags by handles

OSHA/Airline Industry Alliance

• Future of the Alliance

• Barry Brown

Southwest Airlines

Continue Work on Current Initiatives

• eTool– continuous review & update– add job functions

• Baggage Handling Training Manual– further development of

function specific training– expand to include other

aviation-related operations

• Interested Parties Process

Initiatives Being Consideredfor 2004

• Airport Facilities Communication

• Public/Customer Education

• NATA/International Outreach

• OSHA Alliance Website Enhancement

Acknowledgements

• John Andrus Southwest• Bob Curtis OSHA• Kristi Dearing OSHA• Brently Donaldson OSHA• Greg George OSHA• Ann Giles AirTran• Travis Hannan OSHA• Dee Hinckley JetBlue• Lee Anne Jillings OSHA• Cindy Keiser Continental • Richard Lindsay American

Airlines• Ray McCleary US Airways• Kim McDaniel Southwest• Richard Petriatis United

• Penny Prince American Airlines

• Tim Racicot Continental • Lisa Ramber OSHA• Christopher San Giovanni JetBlue• Hillary Schneider United • Kevin Summerlin Continental • Jim Swartz Delta Air

Lines• Debra Vujasin US

Airways• Terri Weiland Midwest

Express• Ashley West Delta Air

Lines• Bill Wright OSHA• Holly Zimmerman Alaska

Airlines