AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Dental Association (ADA) recognize the value of continuing their collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and ADA hereby renew their Alliance originally signed on April 12, 2004 and renewed May 18, 2006, to provide ADA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic hazards. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and ADA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and ADA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA’s and the ADA’s Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.


• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or ADA’s conferences, local meetings, or other events, such as the ADA Annual Session, and meetings of the Council on Dental Practice.


• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ADA’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by ADA and through OSHA- or ADA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).


• Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on ergonomics that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

OSHA and ADA will work together to achieve the following goal related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.

OSHA’s Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health. These Alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party, OSHA is not endorsing any of that party’s products or services; nor does the Agency enter into an Alliance with the purpose of promoting a particular party’s products or services.

The information provided by ADA and/or its members is for the purpose of contributing to informed decision-making by the Agency and any other recipients of this information. Information provided by ADA does not constitute an official statement or position by ADA and is not intended by the parties to create any legal obligations for ADA or its individual members. Information provided pursuant to this Alliance Agreement is not intended as a legally binding standard or guideline.

An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations will continue to meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. Team members will include representatives of OSHA’s Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Either signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the concurrence of both signatories.