AGREEMENT
ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF CRANE OPERATORS,
AND
NCCCO FOUNDATION

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (CCO), and the NCCCO Foundation recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces.  To that end, OSHA, CCO, and NCCCO Foundation (the participants) hereby form an Alliance to provide CCO certificants and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to Focus Four hazards and addressing crane safety issues (e.g., safety in lift zones), 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 certificant surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health.  In developing this Alliance, OSHA, CCO, and NCCCO Foundation 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:

• Share information on OSHA's National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Collaborate to develop education and information sharing around "Focus Four" hazards that are present during the life cycle of crane operation and communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA, CCO, NCCCO Foundation, and Alliance websites) to employers and workers in the industry. Ensure information developed encourages and reflects the diversity of the workforce and are accessible in multiple languages and formats.
• Communicate industry alerts to certificant crane operators (also called candidate base segments) through print and electronic media, other electronic assistance tools, and social media.
• Encourage crane industry participation in and support of OSHA events and programs such as National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.
• Convene roundtable discussions or stakeholder meetings on crane industry safety to help forge innovative solutions for the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• Provide opportunities for OSHA to speak and participate in crane industry meetings and events such as the NCCCO Foundation's annual Industry Forum on Personnel Qualifications.
• Explore the benefits of and opportunities to raise awareness of resources and tools that will assist operators in efforts to comply with OSHA regulations.
• Share information on OSHA load handling regulations and enforcement such as certification and evaluation requirements.
• Develop surveys of key safety and regulatory information for candidate base segments and share survey information. Share candidate base demographic data, information, and trends.
• Encourage CCO key test sites to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to promote crane safety and awareness.
• Identify and coordinate opportunities for the training of OSHA compliance staff focused on operator qualification, certification standards and crane job-site responsibilities as well as equipment demonstrations or innovations.
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by engaging with crane industry experts, including but not limited to representatives from CCO, NCCCO Foundation, and International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) to ensure that resources and training materials/programs developed and offered through this alliance are designed and are made available in appropriate languages to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Develop effective training and education programs for the crane industry regarding Focus Four hazards and/or crane safety issues, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Develop effective training and education programs/tools for the crane industry to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers.

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 into 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, and any other appropriate offices.  OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years.  Any 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 all signatories.

Signed this 16th day of November, 2023.