AHFA supports the professional development of safety professionals within member companies by providing ergonomics workshops, safety schools and other programming focused on industry-specific practices and issues. A safety awards program recognizes member companies with outstanding safety records. Safety bulletins and OSHA alerts are issued as necessary to keep member companies apprised of current issues.

In addition, AHFA's Advisory Committee on Safety represents the furniture industry on safety and health issues as an advocate before various governmental and regulatory agencies. To facilitate compliance with the ever-widening landscape of safety standards, the committee provides solutions, education and training - SET - for safety and health professionals. This section of the AFHA website serves as a repository for information on emerging issues.

Events
Training workshops are slated throughout the year. These include Safety Schools and Ergonomics Workshops.

Contacts
Bill Perdue
Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Health, Safety and Standards
American Home Furnishings Alliance
317 West High Avenue
High Point, NC 27260
336/884-5000, ext. 1017
Fax: 336/884-5303

Gail Stricklin
Executive Assistant
336/884-5000, ext. 1037

MEMBERS ONLY

North Carolina Department of Labor Partnership >

Documents:

• Safety Bulletins >
• Hazard Alert for 1-Bromopropane >
• NC Worker's Compensation Bill >
• OSHA Written Programs: Wood Products, Furniture and Related Manufacturing >
• General IH Issues for the Non-IH Pro >

Integrated Safety Performance
The Integrated Safety Performance (ISP) system can enhance the welfare of your employees, improve your company's community image, promote your company's credibility with regulators and decrease incidents and injuries. In these presentations and documents, strategies for developing an HSMS are described.
Go to ISP >

Voluntary Ergonomics Guideline
The Voluntary Ergonomics Guideline assists furniture manufacturing employers and employees in recognizing and controlling potential ergonomic hazards. It was developed by AHFA in alliance with the North Carolina Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Division, and the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA. The 109-page guideline is organized in five sections: Ergonomics Program Management, Identifying Ergonomics Concerns, Ergonomic Control Strategies, Administrative Management and Ergonomics Program Evaluation. Appendixes include examples of teamwork structures, ergonomic plans, reporting and analysis methods that are currently working for companies in the industry.
Go to Guideline >

Wood Dust
In June 2005, Tulane University Medical School completed a six-year, $1.9 million study of the respiratory health effects of wood dust. AHFA, along with other woodworking industry associations, sponsored the study. The results are expected to help guide federal and state wood dust regulations.
Go to Wood Dust >

List Server
AHFA's List Server is a convenient way to share ideas and opinions, as well as an effective means of conducting group discussions. Participants choose a topic, send their comments in an e-mail to one address, and those comments are distributed to all the other users signed up under that topic area. This creates a conversation via e-mail.
Go to List Server >

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