AGREEMENT
ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
COUNCIL FOR ACCREDITATION IN OCCUPATIONAL HEARING CONSERVATION (CAOHC)

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and CAOHC hereby form an Alliance to provide members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to occupational noise hazards, preventing occupational hearing loss, encouraging the establishment of effective workplace hearing conservation programs, encouraging workplaces to institute controls to reduce occupational noise, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance's activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet the requirements for program participation laid out in the "Fundamental Requirements for OSHA Alliance Program Participants" and the "Guidelines for OSHA's Alliance Program Participants: Alliance Products and Other Alliance Projects."

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use available injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options, including but not limited to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and CAOHC recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

Raising Awareness: Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives related to raising awareness among employers and employees of the hazards associated with occupational noise, the importance of establishing effective hearing conservation programs and the means to reduce and prevent hearing loss among workers exposed to occupational noise. The participants will:

• Share information on OSHA's National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of occupational hearing loss, and communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the CAOHC websites) to employers and workers.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and CAOHC conferences, local meetings, or other events.
• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions or stakeholder meetings on safety and health programs to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace to prevent occupational hearing loss among workers exposed to occupational noise hazards.
• Share information regarding best practices or effective approaches for occupational hearing conservation to OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
• Collaborate with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on occupational hearing loss.

OSHA's Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. By entering an Alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet one to two times per year to discuss the responsibilities of the participants, to share information on activities, and to track results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan' and OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' 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 17th day of April, 2023.