OSHA to Hold Maritime Advisory Committee Meeting

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is holding an open meeting of the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) and its workgroups in Washington on Nov. 27 and 28, 2007. The workgroups will meet on Nov. 27, and MACOSH will meet on Nov. 28. Both meetings will be at the U.S. Department of Labor, Frances Perkins Office Building, 200 Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C., 20210. The 15-person committee advises the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on issues relating to occupational safety and health in maritime industries. The committee has five workgroups: health, longshoring, cranes and falls, shipyards, and outreach and safety culture. Some of the topics for discussion include radiation exposure at maritime terminals from cargo screening devices; traffic safety guidance; roll-on roll-off cargo guidance; cargo lashing safety; working over water from aerial work platforms; recommendations of the National Transportation Safety Board; leading indicators; e-tools; non-English speaking employee issues; new technology and safety; updating the OSHA Training Institute shipyards and longshoring courses; the new maritime outreach training course; and OSHA's maritime alliance on the 10-hour and 30-hour outreach courses.