NAIMA Gives OSHA Second Annual Report On Worker Protection Program

ALEXANDRIA, VA – May 18, 2001 – The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) has successfully completed, ahead of schedule, major steps of a comprehensive, voluntary work practice program developed in conjunction with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and key contractor organizations. This achievement comes on the two-year anniversary of the official endorsement of the Health and Safety Partnership Program (HSPP). Adopted on May 18, 1999, the HSPP is designed to protect worker health and safety by providing specific and uniform job site work practice recommendations for the manufacture, fabrication and installation of fiber glass, rock wool, and slag wool insulation products. The HSPP also provides a comprehensive education and training program for workers.

In its second annual report to OSHA, NAIMA reiterated the industry’s commitments to the HSPP and described how those commitments were satisfied. The report documented that NAIMA has not only fulfilled the obligations scheduled for completion by May 2001, but has surpassed them. These obligations include the number of training sessions and workers trained, responses to health and safety inquiries, training videos distributed, and literature disseminated.

"NAIMA’s" major task during the second year centered around the increased population of the industry’s exposure database," said Kenneth D. Mentzer, President of NAIMA. "Our success in the second year is demonstrated by the positive feedback from users and insulation installers and underscored by our members’ commitment to this program for the health and safety of industry workers."

As part of the HSPP, NIAMA has three years to fully implement all program elements, followed by a five-year compliance period. During the coming years, NAIMA will continue its promotion and distribution of materials to support training seminars and will conduct workshops around the country to promote worker safety.