AGREEMENT RENEWING 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) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, TFI and the ARA hereby renew the Alliance signed February 4, 2019, with a continued emphasis on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and anhydrous ammonia), as well as the sharing of emergency response information between agribusiness communities and first responders. Specifically, TFI and ARA are committed to providing their members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will 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). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to 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 facilities.

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 relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. In renewing 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, 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 Alliance 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.

• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.

• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, TFI, and ARA conferences, local meetings, or other events, including the OSHA Alliance Program Forum and the National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School.

• 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 worker participation in workplace safety and health training programs through the ResponsibleAg program and the National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School.

• Invite workers to participate in Implementation Team Meetings, Alliance outreach activities, and development of any Alliance products.

• Build relationships between OSHA Regional and Area Offices and members of the agricultural retail industry to address health and safety issues, including the safe storage and handling of fertilizers.

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 proved 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, 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 five 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 22nd day of February, 2022.