AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
American Staffing Association

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American Staffing Association (ASA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces.  To that end, OSHA and ASA hereby form an Alliance to provide ASA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them: 1) protect the health and safety of temporary workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to safety and health hazards during temporary job assignments, and 2) 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 use relevant data, such as injury and illness data, workers’ compensation experience, and data on known and suspected exposure to hazards in the client industries to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities.  The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for staffing firms, clients, and temporary workers.  In developing this Alliance, OSHA and ASA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance will be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

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 share information on OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.

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 ASA’s websites) to staffing firms, host employers, and temporary workers.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or ASA’s conferences, local meetings, or other events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ASA best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.

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 from the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, 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 21st day of May, 2014.