AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE AMERICAN FOUNDRY SOCIETY

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The American Foundry Society (AFS) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and AFS hereby form an Alliance to provide AFS members and others, including small businesses in the metalcasting industry, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly focusing on workplace issues, including personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilation and reducing and preventing exposure to silica. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and AFS recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• With OSHA's input, develop AFS training and education programs to address hazards in the foundry workplace and review and provide input into the AFS OSHA Compliance.
• Work with OSHA to provide expertise to OSHA's Office of Training and Education in developing education and training regarding hazards in the foundry workplace.

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

• Develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including electronic assistance tools, presentations and links from OSHA's and AFS's Web sites.
• Speak, exhibit, and/or appear at OSHA and AFS conferences, local meetings, and other events such as the annual Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) conference and the Washington Conference.
• Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals in foundry best practices or effective approaches, as jointly determined by OSHA and AFS.
• Promote and encourage AFS member worksites to participate in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
• Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects regarding silica, PPE and ventilation issues that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
• Encourage AFS chapters and worksites to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.

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

• Raise others' awareness and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health whenever AFS's leaders address groups.

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 proven 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.

An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations will 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 quarterly 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, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine 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. Signatories may terminate this agreement 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 signatories.