AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE WILKES-BARRE AREA OFFICE OF
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
A CONSORTIUM OF THE
NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY NETWORK
AND
LUZERNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY PROFESSIONALS
(NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER)

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Wilkes-Barre Area Office, the Northeast Pennsylvania Safety Network (NEPASN), Luzerne County Community College (LCCC), and the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and the NEPASN (hereinafter referred collectively to as “the Participants”) hereby form an Alliance to provide workplaces and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to general industry hazards, the impact of workplace fatalities and emergency preparedness 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 participants may 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 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety. In developing this Alliance, the participants recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of OSHA’s 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 Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.

• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.

• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on general industry hazards, work and life wellness programs, and emergency preparedness to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

• Develop pathways to communicate information regarding the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA’s and the NEPASN’s, LCCC’s and/or the American Society of Safety Professionals – NEPA Chapter’s local emails and newsletter) to employers and workers in the industry.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education objectives, as the opportunities or resources permit:

• Develop effective training and education programs for NEPASN members and others regarding general industry hazards, emergency preparedness, and work and life wellness programs, and communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.

• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of such courses as: Emergency Preparedness, including National Incident Management System and Incident Command Systems; Ergonomic issues; Job Safety Analysis; Personal Protective Equipment; and, Safety Committee operations.

• Develop effective training and education programs for NEPASN members and others 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 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 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 Wilkes-Barre Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' participation on the team.

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 20^th day of September, 2022