AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SIOUX FALLS AREA OFFICE
AND
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROGRAM AND
SOUTH DAKOTA ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION BOARD

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the South Dakota State University Engineering Extension Program and the South Dakota One-Call Notification Board (SD One-Call) 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 and SDSU Engineering Extension and SD One-Call hereby renew the Alliance signed February 19, 2021, with a continued emphasis on trench and excavation activities. Specifically, excavation safety practices and education activities targeting trench/excavation contractors throughout the state. Each organization is committed to providing their members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers 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 address hazards associated with trench excavation activities.

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. 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 renewing this Alliance, OSHA and SDSU Engineering Extension and SD One-Call 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 particularly through Spring Damage Prevention Meetings.

• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards and communicate such information in conjunction with the SD One-Call Certification Program to employers and workers in the industry.

• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and SD One-Call conferences, local meetings, or other events.

• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on excavation and trench safety to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues particularly through Spring Damage Prevention Meetings.

• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding SD One-Call's 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 through the Spring Damage Prevention Meetings and the SD One-Call Certification Program.

• Collaborate with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on trench safety.

• Share case studies on excavation mishaps and publicize their results via SD One-Call website.

• Encourage SD One-Call's customers to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices as well as SDSU Engineering Extension Program to address health and safety issues, including excavation safety.

Training and Education

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

• Develop effective training and education programs for the excavation industry in South Dakota regarding Excavation Safety and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.

• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of training products through presentations and outreach with affected stakeholders.

• Develop effective training and education programs for excavators to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers.

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 and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for three years. Any signatory may terminate this 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 23rd day of May, 2023.