AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
OKLAHOMA CITY AREA OFFICE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENMT OF LABOR
OSHA CONSULTATION
AND
THE NATIONAL UTILITY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
OKLAHOMA CHAPTER

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Oklahoma City Area Office, the Oklahoma Department of Labor OSHA Consultation Division and the National Utility Contractors Association Oklahoma Chapter (NUCA of Oklahoma) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, OSHA Consultation and NUCA of Oklahoma hereby form an Alliance to provide NUCA of Oklahoma’s members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to trenching and excavation hazards and confined spaces addressing safety and health issues 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 “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, ODOL OSHA Consultation, and NUCA of Oklahoma recognize that OSHA’s 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/Regional/Local 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 workplace hazards, and communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the NUCA of Oklahoma websites) to employers and workers in the industry. Ensure information developed encourages and reflects the diversity of the workforce and is accessible in multiple languages and formats.

• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and NUCA of Oklahoma conferences, local meetings, or other events.

• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on trenching/excavations or confined spaces to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding utility industry good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

• Ensure Alliance activities are informed by the perspectives of non-managerial workers employed in the utilities industry by providing training on trench/excavation safety and confined space entry safety.

• Collaborate with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on trenching/excavation stand down and confined space entry safety.

• Develop and disseminate case studies on trenching/excavation and confined space entry and publicize their results.

• Encourage the NUCA chapter and utilities worksites to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Office to address health and safety issues, including trench/excavation safety and confined space entry hazards.

Training and Education

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

• Develop effective training and education programs regarding the underground utility industry hazards and communicate such information to constituent employers and workers. Ensure training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.

• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of appropriate, existing courses including:

  • NUCA Competent Person training
  • NUCA Confined Space training
  • NUCA’s Essential Skills for Crew Leaders training

• Develop effective training and education programs for utility workers to promote understanding of workers’ rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers to communicate such information to workers and employers. Ensure training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.

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, communications, 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 track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of OSHA Consultation and NUCA Oklahoma Chapter and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage OSHA On-Site Consultation program’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any signatory may terminate their organization’s participation in the agreement 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 8^th day of April, 2024.