RFA Ethanol Podcast

Fertilizer Safety Alliance Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

Fertilizer Safety AllianceHere is the list of organizations involved with today’s alliance signing to advance fertilizer safety.

The Agricultural Retailers Association
The Fertilizer Institute
International Fire Fighters Association
National Volunteer Fire Council
Ammonia Safety and Training Institute
Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners Alliance
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Environmental Protection Agency

In the photo is Chris Jahn, President, TFI; Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Health and Safety, Department of Labor; Daren Coppock, President & CEO, ARA; and Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA, as they sign the Fertilizer Safety and Health Partnership Alliance agreement Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2015 in Washington, D.C.

“Over the last several months, we’ve partnered with OSHA and EPA on the Ammonium Nitrate Chemical Advisory, and others to get safety messages out to our members,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “But, we discovered that there was no official communication agreement between OSHA and ARA to ensure workplace safety.”

In early 2014, ARA began working with OSHA to set up an alliance program to improve communication between retailers and first responders regarding workplace hazards and the safe handling of fertilizers. Since then, EPA and trade organizations such as The Fertilizer Institute, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Ammonia Safety and Training Institute joined the effort.

The alliance will develop several projects to strengthen fertilizer safety efforts:
– Present a joint commitment to worker safety and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
– Conduct best practices seminars on effective emergency response procedures for between volunteer fire fighters and industry partners.
– Create online compliance assistance tools and resources for retailers and first responders.
– Produce case studies focusing on injuries and fatalities in the agricultural retail industry that result from ammonia releases or Ammonium Nitrate fires.
– Update and promote Ammonium Nitrate Guidance and Government Alerts.

Ag Groups, ARA, Fertilizer, Safety