AGREEMENT
ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE FERTILIZER INSTITUTE
AND
AGRICULTURAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Fertilizer Institute (TFI), and the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, TFI, and ARA hereby form an Alliance to provide partner members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect the health, safety, and security of workers, emergency responders, and the communities surrounding establishments in the agricultural retail and supply industry, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). The Alliance will focus on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and anhydrous ammonia), as well as the sharing of emergency response information between the agribusiness communities and first responders. The Alliance will build upon the stewardship efforts associated with the ResponsibleAg program, a voluntary program created in 2014 by TFI and ARA to enhance health and safety performance at agricultural retail facilities.

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 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 effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of the overall effort on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA, TFI, and ARA recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort to ensure that employers provide safe and healthy workplaces, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners to advance their common goals.

Raising Awareness: Outreach and Communication

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

• Enhance the success of the ResponsibleAg program, which is an industry training program that works to enhance health and safety performance at agricultural retail facilities.
• 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.
• Share information about safety and health tools and resources on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards (e.g., through print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and the TFI and ARA websites) with employers and workers in the industry.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, TFI, and ARA conferences, local meetings, or other events, including the OSHA Alliance Program Forum.
• Share information among OSHA personnel, small businesses, and industry safety and health professionals regarding TFI and ARA good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage TFI and ARA Local Sections to build relationships with OSHA Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including the safe storage and handling of fertilizers.

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 initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. 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 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 Enforcement Programs, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, 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 4^th day of February, 2019.