AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
WICHITA AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF KANSAS AND THE KANSAS CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NETWORK, THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS, AND THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH DIVISION

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Wichita Area Office, Associated General Contractors (AGC of Kansas) and it's Kansas Construction Safety Network (KCSN), Mental Health Association of South Central-Kansas (MHASCK), and The Kansas Department of Labor Consultation Program (KDOL) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL hereby form an Alliance to provide Kansas construction industry companies and workers, and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources and best practices that will help them protect workers by promoting positive mental health, preventing the misuse of opioids, reducing the occurrence of suicides in construction, and preventing exposure to fall hazards. Additionally, the alliance will seek to promote the understanding of 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, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL 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:

Behavioral Health

• Share information on OSHA's Regional and Local Initiatives to address behavioral health (including both mental health and substance abuse) topics in the workplace and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share information on workplace policies that support behavioral health, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• OSHA, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL will share summary information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding good practices or effective approaches to address behavioral health in the workplace through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL conferences, local meetings, or other events promoting behavioral health in the workplace.
• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on behavioral health in the workplace to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on challenges to behavioral health.
• Organize and launch an annual suicide prevention campaign.

Fall Prevention

• Share information on OSHA's Regional and Local Initiatives to address the prevention of falls in construction and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share information on workplace policies that support fall prevention, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• OSHA, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL will share summary information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding good practices or effective approaches to address fall prevention in the workplace through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, AGC of Kansas, KCSN, MHASCK, and KDOL conferences, local meetings, or other events promoting fall prevention.
• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on the prevention of construction falls to help forge innovative solutions.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AGC of Kansas and KCSN best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by actively seeking and supporting worker participation in the planning and execution of the annual fall prevention and behavioral health stand-up events.

Training and Education

OSHA will provide technical support and health and safety information to AGC of Kansas and KCSN members as they work to achieve the following objectives:

• Develop effective training and education programs for construction workers regarding behavioral health and the prevention of falls, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Develop programs, practices and policies and materials to be delivered at the workplace (e.g., Toolbox Talks) addressing the impact of behavioral health on workplace injury and illness, the warning signs of suicide, and the need to reduce stigma associated with behavioral health and treatment.
• Develop programs, practices and policies and materials to be delivered at the workplace (e.g., Toolbox Talks) addressing the prevention of construction falls.
• 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 the Wichita Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation program' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two 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 all signatories.

Signed this 6th day of May, 2024.