Region 2 - Ambassador Document - April 21, 2023


ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE PROGRAM AMBASSADOR RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN

THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PUERTO RICO OFFICE,

AND
THE PUERTO RICO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES,

AND

THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO – RIO PIEDRAS CAMPUS

Since entering into an Alliance on January 22, 2004, with subsequent renewal(s) on April 3, 2006, April 15, 2008, September 30, 2010, December 18, 2012, December 17, 2014, February 28, 2017 and March 29, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Puerto Rico Area Office, the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, through the Division of Continued Education and Professional Studies (DECEP, in Spanish), the Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety Office (OPASO, in Spanish) and the Institute of Labor Relationships (IRT, in Spanish) from the Faculty of Social Sciences, have worked together to improve workplace health and safety by sharing information, guidance, and access to training resources that address occupational hazards, and promoting understanding of the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

OSHA and the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to improve safety and health practices and programs in American workplaces, and commit to continue their work together through an Alliance Program Ambassador relationship.

In recognition of this ongoing commitment, OSHA will continue to foster an active relationship with the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico by:

  • Providing routine communications on enforcement, regulatory, and outreach initiatives.
  • Sharing invitations to and offering opportunities to speak at OSHA Alliance Program and other agency stakeholder meetings or events, such as outreach and training activities through the National, Regional, or Area Office, and the National Alliance Program Construction Roundtable and Forum.
  • Engaging in information sharing and technical discussions, as appropriate, including completing special projects of mutual interest that align with agency priorities and as resources allow.
  • Maintaining the organization’s status as Alliance Program Ambassador on the agency’s public webpage.

The Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico will continue to foster an active relationship with OSHA by:

  • Sharing information with members and stakeholders on OSHA’s National Initiatives (Enforcement, Regulatory, and Outreach), and encouraging their participation in OSHA’s outreach initiatives and rulemaking processes.
  • Sharing information with members and stakeholders on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
  • Encouraging the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico to build relationships with OSHA’s National, Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.
  • Sharing information with OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PROSHA), and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
  • Offering OSHA opportunities to speak, exhibit, or appear at one another’s conferences, local meetings, or other outreach and occupational safety and health information dissemination events.
  • Adhering to requirements laid out in the Alliance Program Directive regarding the prohibition on promoting or implying the agency’s endorsement of their policies, products, or services, including acknowledging that they will not receive any preferential treatment related to any statutory function of the agency.
  • Abiding by all terms and conditions for the use of the Alliance Program logo as specified in OSHA’s Guidelines for Use of the Alliance Logo.

OSHA’s cooperative programs provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary, collaborative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These programs have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and participants. By entering into this Ambassador relationship, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization’s products or services.

This Ambassador relationship will remain in effect for the duration of an ongoing cooperative association and a good faith effort by all parties to meet the intent of this document and its underlying policies. Any signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 days’ written notice. Termination by one signatory will not nullify the Ambassador relationship with all signatories, with the exception of OSHA; OSHA may terminate the Ambassador relationship as a whole or its relationship with one or more individual signatories.

Signed this 21 of April, 2023.


Michael T. Scime
Acting Area Director
Puerto Rico Area Office
Occupational Safety and Health Administration


Angélica Varela Llavona, PhD.
Chancellor
Rio Piedras Campus
University of Puerto Rico


Judith Cruz Concepción
Assistant Secretary of Labor
Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and
Health Administration