OSHA, Liberty Mutual To Share Safety Research

"Liberty Mutual's long expertise in tracking and developing solutions to work-related injuries will be of great value to OSHA's mission of reducing injuries and illnesses in the workplace," said John L. Henshaw, assistant secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health, in a statement.

He spoke during a ceremony yesterday marking the signing of the alliance agreement at the LMRIS facilities in Hopkinton, Mass.

Karl Jacobson, senior vice president of loss prevention, who signed for Liberty Mutual, said the alliance will focus on "the principal causes of work-related injuries and how to give employers the information they need to combat them."

He explained that according to Liberty Mutual's Workplace Safety Index, slips, trips and falls, for example, cost employers $13.4 billion in 2001.

"The alliance might review the findings of the various studies done at our Research Institute on how to measure and control floor slipperiness, a leading cause of slips, trips and falls," he said. "And through the alliance, better promote the understanding of controlling slips and falls in the workplace."

The alliance will involve OSHA Region I and the LMRIS, which will share information about causes and solutions to work-related injuries developed by LMRIS research and OSHA experience.

This includes:

? Hazard recognition strategies and analytical tools

? Cost-benefit information demonstrating the effectiveness of sound safety interventions

? Promoting the benefits of establishing comprehensive safety and health management systems in the work environment

? Organizing or participating in forums and roundtable discussions on work-related injuries to discuss innovative solutions in the workplace

? Establishing lines of communication to assure that outreach resources are used efficiently to further the goals of the alliance.

Mutual spokesperson Richard Angevine noted that this is one of the first alliances between OSHA and an insurer.

As a next step, he said, a joint OSHA and Liberty Mutual team would meet to identify specific areas of collaboration and research the most effective ways to inform employers about the findings.

An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants, Liberty Mutual said.

They will meet at least semi-annually to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals and objectives of the alliance. The agreement will remain in effect for one year and will be renewed annually thereafter, the company said.