CHM gains Ambassador status with OSHA

CHM, which consists of the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI), and Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA), has been a member of the OSHA Alliance since 2005, thanks to support from then MHI executive vice president Hal Vandiver (with subsequent renewals in 2007, 2012, and 2016). 

The three partners have consistently worked together to improve workplace health and safety by sharing information, guidance, and access to training resources that address occupational hazards, and promoting and understanding the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.  

The CHM Partners are managed by the US Material Handling Industry (MHI).  

In an exclusive video interview with Hoist Magazine TV (HMTV) Chris Becker, president, GW Becker and former president CMAA (2015-2016), now presided over by Karen Norheim, president/COO, American Crane and Equipment Corporation (ACECO), talks about the upcoming Safe & Sound Campaign, August 9-15 and the soon-to-be released Overhead Lifting Best Practises Guide 2021.

By gaining Ambassador status CHM’s position is elevated within OSHA to further promote cooperative programs, raising awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education.  

The terms of the agreement of the OSHA and CHM Partners Ambassador Alliance include ‘continuing to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to improve safety and health practices and programs in American workplaces, and commit to continue their work together through an Alliance Program Ambassador relationship’. 

CHM will also be able to use the official OSHA Alliance logo. 

“We’re very excited to announce we just got elevated to ambassador status which means it’s an elevation of status within the alliance programme, as part of the top tier programmes that have demonstrated a history of promoting safety and awareness and meeting the stipulations of the alliance programme. It is a recognition of all the outstanding work of all the numerous people within the association and what they have done throughout the year,” said Becker. 

Becker is the spokesperson for the CHM alliance and its communication. He said a lot of work is done thanks to its various committees and Becker attends these meetings with other representatives and is the ‘mouthpiece’ passing information onto its members. 

“We post content on the CHM web page on the MHI website with recommendations, best practices, factsheets, safety tips and safety quick reference cards and to raise awareness of OSHAs role and enforcement initiatives by reaching out to the workforce and providing training and education. One such initiative is promoting Safe & Sound Week in August. 

CHM has also submitted a draft version of its Overhead Lifting Best Practises Guide 2021 currently being reviewed by OSHA and developed by its member companies to educate the worker and maintenance people to convey some knowledge on training and education. This is in the final approval stages, and will be updated each year. 

“Within the industry we find the workforce is getting a lot younger with less experienced so health and safety training is of paramount importance today. 

“Next on the agenda, is an upcoming alliance forum, provisionally scheduled for September 2021, either in person or as a virtual event allowing member companies from national alliances to come together and share ideas for content and how to get that out to the users and what has been successful in the past and how we can emulate that.”