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

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and APCA hereby renew in part the Alliance signed January 25, 2007, and renewed February 25, 2009, with a continued emphasis on pipeline industry safety. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing APCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address equipment operation (e.g., bulldozer, excavator, and sideboom), trenching and excavation, and hydrostatic testing hazards, and issues related to small businesses, distracted driving, and non-English and limited-English-speaking workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and APCA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following goals related to raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on equipment operation (e.g., bulldozer, excavator, and sideboom), trenching and excavation, and hydrostatic testing hazards, and issues related to small businesses, distracted driving, and non-English and limited-English-speaking workers to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA’s and APCA’s Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or APCA’s conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the APCA Annual Meeting.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. 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 or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization 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 three times per year to track and shareinformation on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Construction, and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site 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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 30th day of January, 2012