During the Global Cold Chain Alliance's (GCCA) Cold Chain Policy Forum, held recently in Washington, DC, GCCA further demonstrated its commitment to safety in the cold chain industry by renewing an Alliance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
Loren Sweatt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, OSHA addressed the audience and was joined onstage by association leaders as well as GCCA President and CEO, Corey Rosenbusch for a signing ceremony.
"We are excited to continue our alliance with OSHA," said Rosenbusch, "especially as we seek to provide richer resources, training and educational offerings to our members on the issues related to workplace health and safety.
The Alliance has worked closely with the OSHA Training Institute to provide web-based training to over 150 OSHA inspectors over the years. The Alliance has also supported training for agency personnel in connection with the WFLO Institute, hosting in-person education programs. These trainings and education sessions help inspectors better understand the unique aspects of industrial refrigeration facilities and the IIAR standards specifically developed to support them.
Since its inception in 2010, the OSHA/GCCA Alliance has been very productive in developing and disseminating resources to support safety in the cold chain. With a focus on ammonia safety, the alliance began by developing posters that are still actively being used today in facilities across the country, and internationally. The Alliance provides GCCA members and others in the cold chain with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by preventing exposure to hazards related to ammonia refrigeration systems.