AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE NATIONAL GRAIN AND FEED ASSOCIATION

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and NGFA hereby form an Alliance to provide NGFA members and others with information, guidance, and access to resources that help to protect the safety of workers, specifically by further reducing and preventing exposure to safety and health hazards associated with grain bin entry, machine guarding, respiratory protection, falls, heat, combustible dust, struck-by, and lockout/tagout in the grain handling industry, 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 will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and NGFA 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 projects and the 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 objective related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, and guidance resources, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.

Outreach and Communication

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

• Gather and share OSHA- and NGFA-recommended practices or other effective approaches on the recognition and prevention of grain handling hazards among OSHA personnel, industry safety and health professionals, and others through workshops, seminars, lectures, and websites (or other comparable communication methods).
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA or NGFA conferences, local meetings, or other events, such as the Grain Industry Stand-Up focusing on grain engulfment prevention; and NGFA events, including regional regulatory compliance seminars.
• To encourage NGFA's state and regional affiliates to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including grain handling safety.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for various purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. 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 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 from each organization will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least two times per year to track and share information 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, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, and selected Regions, including 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10. NGFA representatives will include members from the Association's Safety, Health, and Environmental Quality Committee. In addition, the Alliance will invite the American Feed Industry Association and the Grain Elevator and Processing Society to participate as guests on the Alliance Implementation Team.

OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-Site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two (2) 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 13th day of September, 2017.