Crane, hoist and monorail makers renew alliance with OSHA

Alliance aims to improve safety for equipment owners and operators.

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 11/27/2007

Manufacturers of cranes, hoists and monorails have renewed their alliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to improve workplace safety.

Last month, the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), the Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI) and the Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA) signed a two-year renewal of the alliance originally signed with OSHA in October 2005.

CMAA, HMI and MMA are affiliated trade associations of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA).

Their alliance with OSHA focuses on providing crane, hoist and monorail systems owners and operators with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety. The statement announcing the renewal emphasized the alliance’s efforts to protect Spanish-speaking and other vulnerable, “hard-to-reach” employees.

“Our alliance has made substantial progress over the past two years in reducing and preventing serious or fatal incidents in the material handling industry,” says Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr.

Alliance activities:

• OSHA participated in ProMat 2007 (the materials handling trade show sponsored by MHIA)
• OSHA developed the Thermoforming Machines module of its Machine Guarding eTool with input from other alliance members
• Alliance members developed the OSHA Basic Steel Products Safety and Health Topics page, which more than 18,000 people have visited
• Alliance members developed a series of fact sheets and safety tip sheets