WASHINGTON—The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have formed an alliance to promote health and safety in recycling industry workplaces.
Through the alliance, ISRI and OSHA will work together to provide ISRI members and other recycling industry entities with information, guidance, training and other resources to protect the health and safety of workers in all aspects of scrap recycling, ISRI said in an Oct. 19 news release.
“ISRI's alliance with OSHA underscores the recycling industry's commitment to worker and safety and the fact that it is truly a core issue for the association and its members,” said ISRI Chairman Doug Kramer in the release.
With the alliance, ISRI and OSHA hope to foster a culture of safety within the scrap recycling industry that will both reduce workplace accidents and prevent worker exposure to hazards, ISRI said. Powered industrial trucks and other machinery, insufficient hazard communication, lead, improper electrical wiring and control of hazardous energy are some of the most common potential risk areas in the industry, it said.
ISRI and OSHA will use injury, illness and hazard exposure data to prioritize the alliance's activities, it said.
According to the release, the alliance will focus on three areas:
• Raising awareness of OSHA rulemaking and enforcement activities;
• Training and education, including greater utilization of existing resources as well as development and dissemination of new educational tools; and
• Communication and outreach.
As part of the alliance, ISRI and OSHA will collaborate on events such as ISRI Safety and Environmental Council meetings, ISRI's Safety Stand-Down Day and ISRI's annual convention, ISRI said.
ISRI will encourage all its members to take full advantage of the resources and training provided by the alliance, and there is no additional cost or requirements for ISRI members to participate, ISRI said.