AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE PUERTO RICO AREA OFFICE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
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

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 (PR OSHA), 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, continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, PR OSHA, and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico hereby renew the Alliance signed January 22, 2004 and renewed April 3, 2006, April 15, 2008, September 30, 2010 and December 18, 2012 with a continued emphasis on reducing and preventing exposure to occupational safety and health hazards. Specifically, each organization is committed to providing the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico' members and others 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 struck by, caught by, fall, electrocution, exposure to chemicals, and psychosocial (including workplace violence) hazards as well as emergency management issues, and legal aspects focused on employees' rights under the OSH Act. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA, PR OSHA, and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Division partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

Raising Awareness of OSHA' s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following goals related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on construction, general and maritime industry hazards, including psychosocial hazards such as workplace violence, as well as emergency management issues, and legal aspects focused on employees' rights under the OSH Act, to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health issues by disseminating information on the various meetings and seminars being conducted by the organizations participating in this Alliance.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• To develop effective training and education programs for employees, students and the general community regarding construction, general and maritime industry related hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To develop effective training and education programs for construction, general and maritime employees and employers 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.
• To deliver or arrange for the delivery of safety and health courses, seminars, and training sponsored by DECEP, IRT, and OPASO.

Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's, PR OSHA's and the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's, PR OSHA's or the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico's conferences, local meetings, or other educational events to further the goals of this Alliance.
• To share information among OSHA and PR OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico's good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures developed by the participants.
• To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on construction, general and maritime industries, that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. These Alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least three 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 Puerto Rico Area Office and any other appropriate offices. PR OSHA team members will include representatives from the Consultation Division.

This agreement will remain in effect for two 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 17th day of December, 2014 by:

• Robert Kulick, Regional Administrator, OSHA
• Eng. José A. Carpena, Puerto Rico Area Director, OSHA
• Carlos Severino Valdes, Chancellor, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
• José I. Droz Alvarado, Assistant Secretary, PR OSHA