EPA releases new auto emissions mandate
Ford receives award for electricity-generation process
GM increases minority supplier spending to $7.2 billion
GDP, jobless claims increase in most recent report
ASSE: Safety programs return cost savings
Instant job cuts may produce adverse effects
Durable goods orders rebound in February
MEP association awaits House committee meeting results
"Show Us the Jobs" tour departs Missouri
Italian engine maker opens factory in the U.S.
Shingo Prize winners announced
Ford to expand Kentucky Truck Plant
Older workers would continue work with phased retirement
OSHA fines cannery after death of maintenance worker
Los Angeles to refocus on aerospace manufacturing in 2004
NAM praises Bush administration for China/WTO dispute
BSH Home Appliances finishes $200 million plant expansion
OSHA unveils hazard communication initiative

EPA releases new auto emissions mandate
Auto manufacturers will be required to show new vehicles would meet emissions standards throughout the "useful life period," or 120,000 miles for most cars and trucks, under a proposed rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These procedures are part of EPA's vehicle emission certification program, under which vehicle prototypes are tested to demonstrate compliance with the federal emission standards. Upon this demonstration, EPA issues certificates of conformity allowing the manufacturer to produce and sell cars in the U.S.

The proposed aging procedures include methods to accumulate mileage on prototype vehicles on a track and to simulate mileage accumulation using rapid aging techniques.

EPA is undertaking this action to fulfill a court mandate issued Oct. 22, 2002, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to vacate the existing aging procedures and to write new regulations.

This decision arose from a petition from the Ethyl Corp. to reconsider EPA's existing durability regulations. Click here for additional information.

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Ford receives award for electricity-generation process
Ford Motor Co. received a Clean Air Excellence Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its innovative Fumes-to-Fuel process that turns paint fumes into hydrogen fuel to create electricity.

Ford’s process, in place at the Ford Rouge Center, was selected in the EPA’s Clean Air Technology category from among 120 applications and was cited for its impact, innovation and ease of replication.

"The Fumes-to-Fuel project at the Rouge is about both lean manufacturing and environmental stewardship," said Jim Padilla, Ford executive vice president and president of the Americas. "The common thread in these philosophies is the elimination of waste. And one of the exciting things about this technology is that it’s not limited to the automotive industry."

Installed in the paint shop of the Ford Rouge Center, the Fumes-to-Fuel pilot system was developed by Ford and Detroit Edison.

The system captures the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paint fumes and concentrates them into a rich mixture of hydrocarbons, which are a source of fuel. The mixture is fed into a reformer that turns it into a hydrogen-rich gas. From there, the gas is fed into a stack of solid oxide fuel cells, where a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen creates electricity, water vapor and a trace amount of carbon dioxide.

The Ford Rouge Center paint shop pilot generates about 5,000 watts of electricity, enough to power an average home. A larger Fumes-to-Fuel system, to be installed later this year, will have the capacity to generate more than 100,000 watts.

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GM increases minority supplier spending to $7.2 billion
General Motors continued its aggressive efforts to grow a competitive minority supplier base, spending a record $7.2 billion with minority suppliers in 2003.

GM minority spending for direct and indirect materials increased 16 percent over spending in 2002. Last year, Tier 1 spending accounted for $4.2 billion and Tier 2 spending totaled $3 billion in the United States.

"Supplier diversity is critical to GM's success in the marketplace," said Bo Andersson, vice president GM Worldwide purchasing, production control and logistics.

"To that point, we have aggressively invested in and mentored minority suppliers," he said. "In return, our minority suppliers are demonstrating they can compete with the best automotive suppliers in the world."

GM, the first automotive company to establish a supplier diversity program, has spent approximately $44.3 billion with minority-owned businesses since 1968.

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GDP, jobless claims increase in most recent report
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2003, according to the Commerce Department. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 8.2 percent.

GDP is defined as the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States. This most recent report is based on more complete source data than were available for the preliminary estimates issued last month.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 1,000 to 339,000 for the week ended March 20, according to the Labor Department. The four-week moving average of jobless claims declined 3,000 to 341,500.

The four-week moving average is generally considered by economists to be the more reliable of the two because it smoothes out week-to-week volatility. Both rates remained below 400,000, which is the level economists use to define a weak labor market and a stable one.

Continuing claims for unemployment insurance declined by 46,000 to 3 million for the week ended March 13. Continuing claims are those older than two weeks.

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ASSE: Safety programs return cost savings
In response to the recent Labor Department job report showing little change in the employment rate, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) suggested businesses invest now in workplace safety, as part of their business strategy, to decrease injuries and illness, increase profits and create jobs.

Companies that invest in safety realize positive, bottom-line results, reduced absenteeism, lower turnover rates, higher productivity, increased employee morale and a positive brand image. Additionally, as illnesses, injuries and fatalities decline, so too do health care and workers compensation costs.

Studies have shown that the indirect cost of an incident can be up to 10 times that of the direct costs. For every $1 invested in an effective workplace safety program, $4 to $6 may be saved as illnesses, injuries and fatalities decline.

Indirect costs include: 
• training and compensating replacement workers;
• repairing damaged property;
• accident investigation and implementation of corrective action;
• scheduling delays and lost productivity;
• administrative expenses;
• low employee morale and increased absenteeism; and,
• poor customer and community relations.

According to ASSE's Return on Investment (ROI) For Safety, Health and Environmental (SH&E) Management Programs white paper, investment in a SH&E program is a sound business strategy for any organization regardless of size and will lead to having a positive impact on the financial bottom line.

For example, the ASSE paper points out that a SH&E director for an environmental services company in Massachusetts saved $8 for each dollar spent on a quality SH&E program. A fall protection program implementation reduced one employer's accident costs by 96 percent, from $4.25 to 18 cents per person-hour.

"There is a direct positive correlation between investment in SH&E and its subsequent return on investment," said ASSE president James Kendrick. "Ultimately, company executives who recognize that they have a duty to provide a safe and healthful workplace to those who work for the company or visit the worksite are able to reap the rewards of their prevention efforts."

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Instant job cuts may produce adverse effects
While worries mount over outbursts in the workplace, a trend may be emerging: instant job cuts, where job loss occurs with little or no warning and is sometimes effective upon notice.

In one recent instant facility closing, a major fire occurred within a few hours after workers were told the unit would close that day. Fire officials labeled the fire as arson.

At least 3,700 employees were affected by instant job cutting in the last two months, according to research by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

Challenger said the 3,700 figure is probably low, since 98 percent or 5.6 million of the nation's 5.7 million businesses have fewer than 100 employees and are exempt from federal rules on reporting mass layoffs and business closings.

"In a global economy, business conditions can change in the blink of an eye, particularly for small business. Job cuts resulting from the volatility can occur without warning," said John A. Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "In some situations, employees come to work only to find themselves unemployed a few hours later."

Such was the recent case for the 990 workers at a Midwest plant who, upon arriving for the morning shift, were notified that the plant would close that day.

"While nothing untoward is known to have happened in most cases of instant job cuts, companies should be concerned that instant discharging could cause a violent eruption," warned Challenger.

In fact, about four hours after the Midwestern plant revealed plans for an immediate shutdown, a fire that fire officials called arson caused about $750,000 in damage to the plant.

"No one was injured at the plant, but it is a fresh reminder that the potential for violence is real," said Challenger.

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Durable goods orders rebound in February
New orders for manufactured durable goods increased 2.5 percent, or $4.5 billion, in February to $183.8 billion, according to the Department of Commerce. This followed a 2.7 percent decrease in January.

Transportation equipment had the largest increase, $4.9 billion or 9.9 percent to $54.4 billion. This was the largest percent increase in transportation equipment since July 2002.

Computers and electronic products, up nine of the last 10 months, increased $400 million, or 1.2 percent, to $31.6 billion, mostly due to communications equipment.

New orders for machinery increased $1.3 percent to $23.2 billion in February, and capital goods orders increased 4.1 percent to $70.1 billion.

Durable goods are costly manufactured products expected to last three or more years. They include cars, trucks, appliances, furniture, industrial machinery, material handling equipment and so on.

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MEP association awaits House committee meeting results
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will discuss the state of American industry March 24 with Commerce Secretary Donald Evans.

Evans is expected to take questions on Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP),  a national network of more than 1,500 professionals in more than 400 locations around the country and Puerto Rico. MEP provides technical assistance, support services, engineering services and business advice to small manufacturers.

The Modernization Forum, an association of MEP centers, is closely watching the discussion in hopes of turning around recent appropriations cuts delivered for the MEP program in fiscal 2004 and 2005.

Congress funded the MEP program at $106.6 million in fiscal 2003. The fiscal 2004 funding level is $40 million. The administration proposed eliminating the program in fiscal 2003 and fiscal 2004 and requested a fiscal 2005 funding level of $39 million.

In February, the administration released an executive order that encouraged innovation in manufacturing by highlighting the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

In a later speech at Manufacturing Week 2004, Evans referred to “beefing up the MEP program, and R&D grants.”

Earlier this month, Evans said MEP would soon be eligible to compete for up to $45 million in economic adjustment assistance provided by the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

After follow up questions by Senate appropriators, it appears that as little as $5 million in unobligated funds are available for competitive EDA grants this year, while the fiscal 2005 funds would not total $45 million for competitive EDA applicants.

”The administration has recently issued some political fig leaves and done everything except provide funding for the MEP system that serves small and medium manufacturers,” said Mike Wojcicki, president of the Modernization Forum. “Encouraging SBIR or STTR or EDA to fund manufacturing projects does little to help MEP deliver services to American manufacturers.”

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"Show Us the Jobs" tour departs Missouri
Fifty-one citizen representatives of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will board a bus to visit 18 cities in eight states and Washington, D.C., beginning March 24 to address the lack of jobs in the U.S.

Co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO and Working America, a national organization for working people, the "Show Us the Jobs" tour will visit America's Rust Belt. The riders will share stories about losing their jobs in hopes of raising the issue of 2.2 million jobs lost in the U.S. since 2002.

The 51 riders represent all aspects of the job crisis, including:
• white collar IT workers whose jobs were outsourced overseas;
• a teenager working low-wage jobs to support his family instead of going to college;
• a father depleting his savings to pay for family health insurance;
• manufacturing workers who lost their jobs to plant closings and outsourcing; and,
• families risking home foreclosure because of long-term unemployment.

The tour will make stops at 18 cities in Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

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Italian engine maker opens factory in the U.S.
Italian commercial vehicle and diesel engine manufacturer Iveco opened its U.S. engine operations, Iveco Motors of North America, in conjunction with the unveiling of its new brand name, Iveco Motors.

The new U.S. operation, located in Carol Stream, Ill., will serve as an independent engine business that will focus on application development, sales, marketing and support of Iveco’s total line of engines. The new location will include a service and parts department to assure customer satisfaction.

“Iveco Motors’ expansion into North America shows the company’s commitment to providing global customers with the best engines in the marketplace, and a pledge to product support and customer service,” said Vincenzo Perrone, general manager of Iveco Motors of North America.

Iveco Motors’ complete line of diesel engines covers outputs from 40hp to 2,150hp and are designed for industrial, agricultural, marine and power generation applications. They comply with the strictest certification standards, emission control regulations and are EPA Tier 2 certified.

With production of nearly 400,000 engines in 2003, the company has nine plants and three research facilities, located throughout Italy, France, South America and Asia.

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Shingo Prize winners announced
The largest missile manufacturing facility in the world, the first appliance manufacturer and 10 automotive suppliers are recipients of the 2004 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing.

Dubbed the “Nobel prize of Manufacturing” by Business Week, the Shingo Prize is one of the premier manufacturing awards and recognition programs in North America. Nine state-level awards and a public-sector category, primarily for Military Depots doing remanufacturing, were implemented in recent months.

Three notable achievements of the 2004 recipients include:
• seven of the 12 achieved product quality of less than 10 “returned parts per million opportunities” from the customer; 
• seven of the 12 have inventory turns of more than 25 per year, compared to a U.S. average of eight; and,
• premium freight as a percent of production costs averaged 0.12 percent.

These data cover the full-year 2003 and are all clear indicators of world-class manufacturing achievements.

“Once again the recipients of the Shingo Prize demonstrate that they are prepared to weather economic uncertainty by not wasting precious manufacturing and business resources, “said Ross Robson, Shingo Prize executive director. “Shingo Prize recipients and lean manufacturers clearly stand out among the manufacturers of North America in terms of quality, cost, delivery and business results.”

The 12 winners included:
• ArvinMeritor Light Vehicles Systems Gladstone plant in Columbus, Ind.;
• Delphi Corp., Delphi Electronics and Safety, Delnosa 5&6 Operations in Reynosa, Mexico;
• Delphi Electronics and Safety, Kokomo Operations, Plants 7&9 in Kokomo, Ind.;
• Delphi Corp., Energy & Chassis Systems, Empresas Ca-Le de Tlaxcala, Mexico;
• Delphi Systems de Energia S.A de C.V, Plt. 57; Chihuahua, Mexico;
• Delphi Corp., Packard Electric Systems, Plant 50, Del Parral Chihuahua, Mexico;
• Delphi Corp., Packard Electric Systems, Plant 58, Meoqui, Chihuahua, Mexico;
• Delphi Packard, Plant 98, Delphi Corp., Packard Electric Systems, Centro Tecnico Herramental S.A de C.V, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila;
• Delphi Packard, Plant 51, Nuevo Casas Grandes Chihuahua, Mexico;
• Maytag Jackson Dishwashing Products, Jackson, Tenn.;
• Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson Operations, Tucson, Ariz.;
• TI Automotive, Cartersville, Ga.

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Ford to expand Kentucky Truck Plant
Ford Motor Company's Kentucky Truck Plant (KTP) is expanding in Louisville with a $73 million dollar investment to increase parts production for Ford trucks.

Construction started for a new facility to house a new stamping press line, scheduled for completion during the first half of 2006.

The stamping facility will add 95,000 square feet to the current  Kentucky Truck Plant, which is now is more than 6 million square feet.

When the stamping facility opens in 2006, it will operate with a unique, flexible operating pattern, allowing employees to produce parts 24 hours-per-day, seven days-per-week.

"This arrangement speaks to the kind of innovative flexibility that exists at KTP between the union and management that has allowed us to secure this investment," said Kentucky Truck Plant manager John Crew.

Additional stamping production will allow Ford to insource more parts that make up Ford F-250 and F-350, the Super Duty pickup trucks built by KTP employees. An additional 15 parts for KTP products will be stamped in the new facility. The new parts will include front fenders, sides for pickup box beds, roof panels, hoods, tailgates and floor pans. The new stamping facility will be joined to an existing KTP stamping facility built in 1998.

Today, about 70 percent of KTP's stamping production is devoted to Ford Explorer and Ford Excursion. The current facility also stamps some body sides, body side inners and roofs for Lincoln Aviators built in St. Louis and some door and roof parts for KTP-built Super Duty trucks. In addition, it stamps some door parts for Ford Escapes built at the company's Kansas City and Ohio Assembly plants.

When the new stamping press begins operating, it is expected to turn out approximately 100,000 parts per week, more than doubling the number of parts now produced by KTP. The new, state-of-the-art stamping press will result in higher quality parts at a lower cost, a fundamental part of Ford's strategy to deliver outstanding products, lower costs and aggressively invest for future growth in its products, processes and facilities.

KTP employs approximately 5,900 men and women. They built a total of 402,768 trucks in 2003, including 377,149 F-Series Super Duty trucks and 25,619 Ford Excursions.

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Older workers would continue work with phased retirement 
One out of three older workers would continue working longer than otherwise planned if their employer offered a phased retirement program.

However, many employers have yet to establish formal or informal arrangements -- such as shorter work weeks, flexible hours or the opportunity to try something new -- that would encourage older workers to delay full retirement, according to consulting firm Watson Wyatt.

In a recent survey of 1,000 workers and retirees at or near retirement age, Watson Wyatt sought to further understand worker attitudes toward phased retirement.

“Worker attitudes about retirement are changing dramatically, and employers have some catching up to do,” said Janemarie Mulvey, assistant director of Watson Wyatt’s Research & Information Center and one of the study’s authors. “We found that a significant gap exists between what older workers are looking for and the opportunities employers provide. For example, a majority of survey participants would like to work fewer hours late in their careers, but less than half of them expect their employer to offer this opportunity.”

The opportunity to phase has significant implications for the timing of workers’ retirement. Nearly one-fourth of survey participants already in phased retirement programs expect to work past age 65, while another 20 percent do not plan to retire.

In addition, one out of three older workers said they would continue working longer than otherwise planned if the employer offered a phased retirement program.

“As the economy recovers and baby boomers reach traditional retirement ages, labor shortages will re-emerge as an important issue,” said Valerie Paganelli, a senior consultant with Watson Wyatt and authority on phased retirement programs. “Employers would be wise to consider phased retirement strategies that address older workers’ needs and that will help maintain an adequate supply of talent and experience in the years to come.”

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OSHA fines cannery after death of maintenance worker
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Allen Canning Co. for failing to protect workers from safety hazards that contributed to the death of an employee at the company's Moorhead, Miss., cannery.

"The tragic death of this worker could have been avoided," said Labor Secretary Elaine L Chao. "To ensure that workplace fatalities continue to decline, we must make sure that employers protect employees from workplace hazards. The significant penalty of $229,000 in this case should send a strong signal that disregard for worker safety will not be tolerated."

OSHA's investigation reports that a maintenance worker was electrocuted Sept. 11 while working with new wiring inside an energized electrical panel. The worker reportedly was not wearing insulated gloves or using insulated tools at the time of the fatal accident.

OSHA issued 20 alleged serious violations with proposed penalties totaling $59,000. Alleged violations directly related to the accident include allowing employees to work on energized electrical lines and failing to provide proper equipment for workers. The company was also cited for other serious hazards, including failing to provide employees with hearing protection, a lack of fall protection, failure to guard machinery parts and electrical violations unrelated to the accident.

OSHA also issued 11 alleged repeat violations with $170,000 in proposed penalties. Hazards included failure to install seatbelts in forklifts, as well as failure to train employees to use procedures to render machinery inoperable during maintenance and repair.

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Los Angeles to refocus on aerospace manufacturing in 2004
Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. (LAEDC) chief economist and vice president Jack Kyser spoke at a Boeing Co. luncheon March 22 sponsored in conjunction with the opening of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' (SME) WESTEC 2004.

His message focused on the Los Angeles metro area's manufacturing activities. Los Angeles was the largest manufacturing center in the U.S. in 2003.

"In fact, average manufacturing employment in Southern California's six counties of 953,000 jobs last year would rank the area second in the nation if it were a separate state, after California and ahead of Texas," Kyser said.

About 85 executives, community leaders and manufacturing customers in attendance also heard Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif., discuss the significance of California paying more attention to aerospace and manufacturing, which created nearly 1 million high-quality jobs.

Kyser noted that the industries with the best growth prospects in 2004 include: classic aerospace, international trade and tourism. He said the technology sector will be turning around, and Defense Department prime contracts awarded locally are up sharply.

"There were $14.2 billion worth of DOD prime contract awards last year in the Los Angeles five-county area compared to $10.4 billion in year 2001, a 16.5 percent increase," said Kyser. "Those dollars will soon be translating to jobs."

Kyser also noted that the nine county San Francisco Bay area also saw a 45 percent jump in contract awards in 2003. San Diego County enjoyed a 75 percent increase in prime contracts over the same period.

"The economy of Southern California is on a growth track in 2004, but the state's poor business environment will limit job growth in the area," said LAEDC president and CEO Lee Harrington. "Many of the new jobs created will tend to be in lower-wage occupations, so it is important to refocus on manufacturing."

Kyser pointed out that the region's manufacturing base is under extreme pressure from imports, but it is not defenseless. Los Angeles County has nine engineering schools as well as specialized activities such as the Jet Propulsion Lab.

"We will always have to be on the cutting edge in both aerospace and manufacturing, have the latest technology and the best quality," said Kyser. "We will constantly have to re-invent ourselves, but it will be worth it."

In his remarks, Kyser noted that the hourly earnings in manufacturing in Los Angeles County are $17.55 with benefits, while in aerospace, hourly earnings are $29.61.

Harrington added that the most economic development efforts seem to focus on retailing, which does generate tax revenue for cities but creates low-wage jobs.

Kyser said there are several challenges facing the local aerospace manufacturing including:
• the high cost of doing business in California;
• the high-value reputation aerospace enjoys;
• no understanding of aerospace's importance in greater Southern California;
• providing a trained workforce; and,
• the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, which puts the Los Angeles Air Force Base at risk.

WESTEC 2004 is North America's largest annual manufacturing and metalworking exposition and it is held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

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NAM praises Bush administration for China/WTO dispute
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) commended the Bush administration’s decision to file a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement case against China for discriminating against U.S. exports of semiconductors.

“Hitting U.S. exporters of semiconductor chips with a 17 percent tax while charging only 3 percent for chips that are designed and built in China violates the most basic WTO guarantee of fair treatment for foreign companies,” said NAM president Jerry Jasinowski. “Fairness is not achieved by telling U.S. companies they can get the tax break if they produce in China, but not if they produce in the U.S. and ship to China.

“This case isn’t about semiconductors, as important a product as they are,” said Jasinowski. “It’s about making sure that China doesn’t discriminate against any U.S. manufactured goods. If we don’t draw the line here, the same thing will happen to a growing range of our exports.”

Frank Vargo, NAM vice president for international economic relations, added, “This case is an excellent example of why the NAM pushed so hard to get China into the WTO; we needed to have China begin adhering to a rules-based system.”

Vargo said that China still seems to be trying to pursue an industrial policy aimed at compelling foreign companies to transfer production and technology to China.

“They can’t do that any more, and this case is necessary to establish that point firmly," he said. "They have got to follow the rules.”

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BSH Home Appliances finishes $200 million plant expansion
BSH Home Appliances Corp. just completed a $200 million, 400,000-square-foot expansion at its New Bern, N.C., facility, where it manufactures dishwashers and cooking appliances. 

With the addition of two new factories, the New Bern plant now manufactures its first line of free-standing ranges plus an all-new line of washers and dryers.

BSH's growth at New Bern has meant the addition of at least 300 jobs over the past year for a current total of 750. The expansion is expected to add 1,000 jobs in total.

"In North Carolina, we have found a plentiful supply of talented, hard-working employees who take pride in working with quality products in a highly sophisticated manufacturing facility," said Franz Bosshard, president and CEO of BSH Home Appliances.

BSH Home Appliances manufactures such brands as Bosch, Thermador, Siemens and Gaggenau.

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Consisting of compliance assistance and enforcement components, it is aimed at improving the quality of hazard communication and helping employers and employees comply with the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). 

The HCS, adopted 20 years ago, covers some 650,000 hazardous chemical products and more than 30 million American workers. An attached fact sheet provides more details on the initiative.

"Appropriate and accurate hazard communication is essential to safe chemical management programs in the workplace," said OSHA administrator John Henshaw. "Employers need good information to design protective programs for their employees, and employees need the same information to protect themselves. This initiative will help improve that process."

Compliance assistance is a key component of the initiative. OSHA developed a new page on the agency's Web site that contains compliance assistance materials, OSHA's review of the issues, and draft documents for public comment.

The Model Training Program provides guidance for developing and conducting an employee training program, including a number of slides that employers can adapt to their workplaces. This is also posted for comment.

The Guidance for Preparation of MSDSs will be posted for comment after comment periods close for the first two documents. It will address accuracy and clarity of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and will suggest sources of information and types of information to include. Chemical manufacturers and importers must develop MSDSs on each product they identify as hazardous.

OSHA also formed an alliance with the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC), a professional society that focuses on hazard communication issues.

OSHA and SCHC will work together to produce several products for this initiative, including:
• a course for small businesses on preparation of MSDSs;
• development of a training program for OSHA compliance staff on review of MSDS information; and,
• development of a checklist to use to review MSDSs for the inclusion of certain information will be made available on OSHA's Web site. 

OSHA will also work with other alliance program participants to provide outreach on this issue.

In addition, International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs) are available on OSHA's Web site to use as a screening tool for reviewing MSDSs. They cover more than 1,300 substances and are available in multiple languages.

For the enforcement component of this initiative, compliance safety and health officers will use sample hazard information on selected chemicals to check the accuracy of MSDSs. Deficiencies will be brought to the attention of the party responsible for supplying the MSDS, and failure to make corrections may result in the issuance of citations.

OSHA is also evaluating the adoption of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), and preparing a guide to increase awareness of the GHS. GHS adoption in the U.S. could improve the MSDS and label quality.

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