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Region VI |
 Printing Instructions |
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Region VI Active Partnerships with the Associated General Contractors of America, Inc. (AGC) |
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In Region VI, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has had a
long and beneficial relationship with the Associated General Contractors of
America (AGC) and its local chapters region-wide. Since 1998, OSHA has formed 49
distinct partnerships with AGC, and 23 were in Region VI.
Among the 23 partnerships, three distinct models of Partnerships were developed
to allow OSHA and AGC to provide assistance tailored to the various needs of the
general contractors. Below, each model is described accompanied with a list of
Partnerships utilizing the model. (Note: The third model, Construction Health
and Safety Excellence (CHASE) is not used in a currently active Partnership so
please refer to the
Region VI Closed Partnerships
Web Page listing for the description.)
SHARE (Safety and Health Agreement Regarding Enforcement):
The first model, Safety and Health Agreement Regarding Enforcement (SHARE),
focuses on assisting general contractors who need assistance with developing and
implementing effective Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS).
In this Partnership model, by participating, the employer agrees to implement an
effective safety and health management system by focusing on the elements
outlined in the
1989 OSHA Guidelines (Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines,
Issuance of Voluntary Guidelines, January 26, 1989)." The employer also agrees
to provide data on a regular basis to allow for performance tracking including
OSHA 300A logs, safety and health management system documents, and a monthly
summary of all safety/health assessments for all work sites.
Benefits for participating in the program includes, so long as the employer is
meeting the intent of the partnership, OSHA on-site enforcement verification
visits will be limited in scope to a review and evaluation of the safety and
health management system(s), analysis of injuries, interviews of select
employees to verify quality, and then a focused inspection to verify compliance.
Also, participating employers will be eligible for penalty reductions. Finally,
OSHA will endeavor to support the employer with reasonable requested training
and also will furnish technical advice, publications and training material to
the employer upon request.
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Austin |
| #622 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors – Austin Chapter |
| Date Signed: |
December 11, 2007 |
| Contact Information: |
Austin Area Office (512) 462-1234 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: In 2008, the 3 contractors representing
almost 55,000 employees achieved TCIR and DART rates of 1.6 and 1.2
respectively. While considerably lower than the average general contractor,
the TCIR rate experienced by the Partnership reduced slightly compared with
the previous year’s. The DART rate, on the other hand, increased slightly.
However, both are well below the BLS National Averages for the Construction
industry, by 68% and 63% respectively. This can be attributed to AGC’s
emphasis on safety and health management which was materialized by over 4,000
hours of training for over 250 employees and 400 supervisors. Training
subjects included cranes, scaffolds, confined spaces, trenching, fall
protection, driver safety, and First Aid. Also, self-inspections were strongly
emphasized as an integral component of a successful SHMS. In 2008, the
partnering companies reported 506 self-inspections performed identifying over
780 hazards. OSHA contributed to the effort by providing technical assistance
and attending safety committee meetings in addition to performing enforcement
inspections as verification with all three inspections in compliance. |
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SHAPE (Safety and Health AGC Partnership of Excellence)
The second model, Safety and Health AGC Partnership of Excellence (SHAPE), is
for general contractors who already have an effective safety and health
management system in place. This program is intended to push these contractors
to safety excellence beyond the minimum as defined by the 1989 OSHA Guidelines.
The goals for this Partnership approach are:
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Reduce by 1.5% annually the number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities
affecting participant employers, with an emphasis on reducing injuries and
fatalities resulting from falls, struck-by, caught-in/between mishaps, and
electrocution (focused four construction hazards).
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Increase the number of construction companies that implement effective safety
programs
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Decrease worker compensation costs and OSHA penalties for member companies
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Improved safety and health management systems, a higher level of employee
safety and health training, and as a secondary benefit, improved job site
safety, and health program commitments by other companies working with the
Partnership participants.
With this type of model, both AGC and OSHA recognize the importance of providing
a safe and healthful work environment for the construction workforce. To advance
the mutual goal, there is the need to develop a working relationship that
fosters mutual trust and respect for each organization’s respective role in the
construction safety process. Accordingly, this Partnership contains the
following strategies and objectives:
- Implementation of a continuing and open communication policy between the AGC
membership and the OSHA Area Offices
- Sharing of knowledge of the best industry technology, innovations and work
practices that improve jobsite safety and health performance
- Cooperation in the development and improvement of safety training programs for
the construction industry and OSHA personnel
- Promotion and recognition for construction safety excellence
In order to participate, eligible employers must meet the following criteria:
- Injury / illness rates 15% below the industry averages
- Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of .75 or below
- Have had no willful violations in the previous three years
- Employ a safety and health representative with at least one year of experience
in managing an effective construction safety and health management system and
has received appropriate training in identifying and correcting construction
hazards
With its participation in the Partnership, the employer agrees to have in place
an effective safety and health management system containing:
- Meaningful input from employees meeting or exceeding the OSHA Guidelines for
Safety and Health programs published in 1989
- Employee involvement in the safety and health management system
- Employee training for avoidance of hazards specific to the Associate
Contractor’s work site(s)
- Providing construction site supervisors with safety training
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Arkansas |
| #528 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors, Arkansas Chapter |
| Date Signed: |
August 9, 2006; renewed January
16, 2009 |
| Contact Information: |
Little Rock Area Office (501) 324-6291 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: As of the most recent evaluation period,
this Partnership now covers 21 participating employers and over 300 employees.
Under the aegis of this Partnership, AGC provided OSHA 10 and 30 hour courses
to the foremen and supervisors. Also, 11 enforcement verification inspections
were performed and 10 were found to be in compliance. |
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El Paso |
| #613 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors – El Paso Chapter |
| Date Signed: |
September 12, 2007 |
| Contact Information: |
Lubbock Area Office (806) 472-7681 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: The Partnership achieved a 3 year
(2005-2007) TCIR rate of 5.50 and DART rate of 2.5 which both are below the
BLS National Averages for the Construction industry. This is a result of the
efforts on both AGC and OSHA to continue to strive and provide awareness of
safety and health processes for all partners and subcontractors by providing
training, education, and proactive measures. For example, during the most
recent evaluation period, the 14 participating companies and their 900
employees received almost 3,000 hours of training. Also, Partners are required
to perform weekly self-inspections. |
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Texas Panhandle |
| #614 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors – Panhandle Chapter |
| Date Signed: |
November 5, 2007 |
| Contact Information: |
Lubbock Area Office (806) 472-7681 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: This Partnership continues to strive to
provide awareness of safety and health processes for all partners and
subcontractors by providing training, education, and proactive measures.
Training on forklifts, fall protection, and OSHA 30 Hour were provided to the
participating members. OSHA contributed to the Partnership by performing 4
consultation visits in the most recent evaluation period in addition to the 2
enforcement verification inspections, which both were in compliance. While the
2008 TCIR rate remained slightly above the BLS National Average, it
represented an almost 75% reduction compared with the previous year. The
3-year DART rate continues to remain below the BLS National Average. |
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Texas Building Branch
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| #635 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractor
Texas Building Branch |
| Date Signed: |
February 15, 2008 |
| Contact Information: |
Houston North Area Office (281) 591-2438
Houston South Area Office (281) 286-0583/0584 |
| Links: |
Construction
Press Release |
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Exemplary
Associates Partnership |
| (#634) |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors
Houston Chapter |
| Date Signed: |
February 15, 2008 |
| Contact Information: |
Houston North Area Office (281) 591-2438
Houston South Area Office (281) 286-0583 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: During the most recent evaluation period,
the Partnership maintained TCIR and DART rates of 4.3 and 2.2 respectively,
continuing to meet and exceed the Partnership goals of injury and illness
rates of 15% below the industry averages and an Experience Modification rate
of .85 or less. Both rates are below the industry averages for Construction as
reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The results can be attributed to AGC’s emphasis on safety and health
management which was materialized by the training for its employees and
supervisors. For the past five years, this Partnership offered an 8 hour
Spanish construction safety class each quarter with additional classes offered
upon request.
Also, self-inspections were strongly emphasized as an integral component of a
successful SHMS. In 2008, the partnering companies reported 1,114
self-inspections performed identifying over 2,165 hazards. OSHA contributed to
the effort by providing technical assistance and attending safety committee
meetings in addition to performing enforcement inspections as verification
with all three inspections in compliance. |
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Houston Chapter |
| #636 |
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| Partners: |
Associated General Contractors of America, Inc.
Houston Chapter (AGC) |
| Date Signed: |
February 15, 2008 |
| Contact Information: |
Houston North Area Office (281) 591-2438
Houston South Area Office (281) 286-0583/0584 |
| Links: |
Construction
Partnership Agreement |
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Results: In 2008, the 9 contractors representing
almost 12,000 employees achieved TCIR and DART rates of 2.0 and 0.5
respectively which exceeded the requirement of having injury and illness rates
15% below the industry averages. Both are well below the BLS National Averages
for the Construction industry, by 56% and 76% respectively. This can be
attributed to AGC’s emphasis on safety and health management which was
materialized by training Also, self-inspections were strongly emphasized as an
integral component of a successful SHMS. In 2008, the partnering companies
reported over 4,600 self-inspections performed identifying over 5700 hazards.
OSHA contributed to the effort by providing technical assistance and attending
safety committee meetings in addition to performing enforcement inspections as
verification with all eight inspections in compliance.
As a part of this Partnership’s emphasis on sharing of information, the ADs
and CASs from the Houston North and Houston South Offices attend monthly
safety committee meetings to discuss local and state fatality trends; new,
pending, and proposed regulations; and industry trends. OSHA also assists in
teaching the AGC Hispanic Safety Training program on a quarterly basis. OSHA
also assists in the planning committee for the Houston area AGC Safety Stand
Down and spoke at a partner site for the Stand Down. OSHA staff also attended
a mobile crane inspection course provided by a Partner and its insurance
company. |
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