New Alliance to Aid La. Professional Safety Workers

Professional safety workers in Louisiana will reportedly benefit from an alliance among the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Acadian Integrated Solutions (AIS) and the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX).

OSHA’s alliances are part of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao’s ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of workers through cooperative partnerships with trade associations, labor organizations and employers. A formal signing ceremony was held this week at the American Society of Safety Engineers conference in New Orleans, La. The 3-day conference, featuring more than 200 sessions and about 300 exhibitors, will focus on safety, health and environmental issues.

“This is an opportunity for OSHA and members of the AIS and TEEX to come together through forums, roundtable discussions, meetings and conferences to discuss safety and health issues specifically associated with falls and trenching and excavation hazards,” said Greg Honaker, OSHA area director in Baton Rouge. “This voluntary cooperative relationship will provide training and outreach to maximize worker safety.”

The AIS, which employs about 560 workers in Lafayette, La., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Acadian Ambulance Service, which provides safety and regulatory compliance training, as well as medical and safety services. Training courses include asbestos awareness, bloodborne pathogens, confined space awareness and crane operator safety.

TEEX, a member of the Texas A&M University System, employs about 1,000 workers and is the site of OSHA’s Southwest training education center for the Dallas region, which comprises the states of Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.

Alliances enable organizations committed to workplace safety and health to collaborate with OSHA. They provide opportunities to build trust, exchange information about best practices and leverage resources to maximize worker safety.

For more information on this alliance or about forming an alliance or partnership with OSHA’s Baton Rouge area office, call (225) 298-5458.