Marble Institute of America: Industry and Professional Resources

Marble Institute of America Stone Industry Employee Safety Initiative

Begun in 2003, the MIA Safety Program continues to offer guidance and training for stone business owners and employees. This safety program focuses on several key areas:

OSHA Inspection and Enforcement
Personal Protective Equipment
Electrical Safety
Hazard Communications
Respiratory Protection
Equipment Operation Procedures
Slab Handling, Transport, Loading, Unloading
Compressed Air Safety
Tips for Conducting Safety Meetings

In 2006, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) signed an alliance to provide MIA members and others with information and training references to help them protect employees' health and safety.

To meet the Alliance goals of increasing the national dialog and helping to educate employers and employees in the natural stone industry, OSHA and MIA annually facilitate day-long seminars. These seminars focus on:

Dust Exposure in the Stone Industry
Slab Handling & Other Safety Hazards in the Shop
Free Consultation Services available for Employers
Developing a Safety & Health Program
How to Prepare for an OSHA Inspection (includes a mock-OSHA inspection in a stone fabrication shop)
and information on other safety resources available.

For information about a safety seminar being conducted in your area, consult the MIA education page.

Other safety activities taken through the Alliance,

Produced two safety videos, one dealing with the Basics of Stone Shop Safety and a tandem production that focused on how to protect consumers who visit stone industry facilities.
Distributed 10,000 free copies of two safety videos, Basics of Safe Slab Handling and Basics of OSHA Compliance for the Natural Stone Industry to the fabricator and distributor readers of StoneWorld magazine.
Translated these two safety popular videos into Spanish.
Introduced Safety in the Stone Business, a technical guide that features a wide range of information on safety issues in the natural stone industry.
Coordinated many 1-day safety seminar utilizing OSHA officials regarding important safety considerations and how to utilize the many services offered by the MIA & OSHA.
Designed a set of 6 Safety Posters to raise safety awareness. The six-poster set covers slab handling, use of hard hats, dust protection, saw safety, drugs and alcohol in the workplace, and the "10 Commandments of Safety."
Added the Safety Meetings Toolkit to its Management Toolkit series. It offers a collection of safety agendas to assist stone companies in formulating a comprehensive safety meetings program that is on-going, effective, and compliant with OSHA.
Released a new title in the popular Management Toolkit Series: Forklift Safety Training Manual.
Produced a training video, "Silicosis: Incurable but Preventable" to address employee exposure to dust and dust monitory fabrication is done (wet or dry or a combination of both). Distributed 11,000 free copies to stone companies.

Other safety related endeavors include:

Numerous MIA newsletter articles promoting Safety and Health
Monthly 'Safety Tip' published in MIA newsletter
Released 5 MIA Stone Facility Safety Videos as a 2-disc set
Display Alliance logo and link on www.marble-institute.com home page
Print stand alone 'Shop Safety Advice' article in MIA newsletter
Translated MIA Management Tool Kit, Safety Meetings into Spanish
Launched new Management Tool Kit, Forklift Safety Training Manual
Offer downloadable English and Spanish versions of the "Safety in the Stone Business" technical module.
Renewed its OSHA Alliance as published at www.osha.gov on the Region V Success Stories page.

For more information about the MIA's safety initiative, contact 440-250-9222. The MIA's online bookstore (www.marble-institute.com) also features many training guides and videos.

For more information about OSHA and their various safety programs, contact www.osha.gov.