Maritime Advisory Meeting to Focus on Shipyard Worker Hazards

OSHA will hold a Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) meeting July 13-14, 2010, in Long Beach, Calif. Meeting discussions will include an update on OSHA activities and their impact on maritime workers, and agenda topics such as scaffolding and fall hazards, repairing terminal equipment safely and providing workers with proper ventilation during welding operations.

MACOSH was established in 1995 to advise the Secretary of Labor on various issues related to safe and healthful work conditions in maritime industries, such as ways to increase the effectiveness of maritime safety and health standards; injury and illness prevention; use of stakeholder partnerships to improve training and outreach initiatives; and enforcement initiatives that will help improve the safety, health and working conditions of maritime workers.

The committee and workgroups will meet at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 111 East Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, Calif., 90802. The Longshoring and Shipyard workgroups will meet Tuesday, July 13, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., PDT. The committee will meet Wednesday, July 14, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., PDT. MACOSH meetings are open to the public.

Written data or comments on MACOSH agenda items should be mailed to Vanessa Welch, Office of Maritime, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. Materials may also be sent by facsimile to 202-693-1663. Submissions received by July 13, 2010, will be provided to committee members and will be included in the meeting record. Requests to make oral presentations to the committee may be granted as time permits.

General information inquiries should be directed to Joseph Daddura, OSHA Office of Maritime, at 202-693-2067. Individuals with disabilities wishing to attend the meeting should contact Vanessa Welch at 202-693-2080 no later than July 13, 2010, to obtain appropriate accommodations.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. Comprehensive Safety Resource is a nationwide provider of 10 and 40-hour training, both on-site and online. More information can be found in the links on this blog.