AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE PHILADELPHIA AREA OFFICE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE MECHANICAL & SERVICE CONTRACTORS’ ASSOCIATION OF EASTERN PA
AND
UA LOCAL 420 STEAMFITTERS
AND
PLUMBERS UNION LOCAL 690

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Philadelphia Area Office and The Mechanical & Service Contractors’ Association of Eastern Pennsylvania UA Local 420 Steamfitters & the Plumbers Union Local 690 (herein after referred to collectively as “the Participants”) 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 the Participants hereby renew the Alliance signed January 31, 2019. Specifically, the Participants are committed to providing mechanical workers and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect 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 reducing and preventing exposure to: fall, trenching, silica and other occupational safety and health hazards.

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 Participants will use 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, the Participants 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, as resources permit:

• To share information on OSHA's National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and Outreach Initiatives), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other training sessions and events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, lectures, and other appropriate forum.
• To develop and disseminate case studies on silica exposure and publicize their results.

Training and Education

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

• To develop and deliver effective training and education regarding hazards from falls, trenching, silica exposure, concrete , equipment, and from hazards created by other contractors on the worksite, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To deliver or arrange for the delivery of specific safety and health related courses that directly affect mechanical workers. Some of these may include but are not limited to: Active Shooter Training for construction sites, Safety Stand-Downs, positive re-enforcement through behavior based safety, elevated hazard identification, and embracing the notion of “See Something, Say Something”.

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 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 Philadelphia 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 five 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 22nd day of April 2022.