AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
CHARLESTON AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
APPALACHIAN STEPS NETWORK

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Charleston, WV Area Office, Appalachian STEPS Network (ASN), and the West Virginia State Consultation Program continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and ASN hereby renew the Alliance signed on May 3, 2017 with a continued emphasis on reducing and preventing exposure to the hazards associated with the various phases of oil and gas extractions. Specifically, each organizations are committed to providing oil and gas drilling and servicing employers, employees, and other parties of interest with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by addressing hazards associated with oil and gas operations, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

This renewal agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance participants will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.

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 ASN 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 outreach and communication goals:

• 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 oil and gas safety and health issues 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 by interacting directly with front line employees and oil and gas subcontractors at monthly meetings and providing information on worker rights to ASN members.
• To provide 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 and including a link to OSHA on the ASN web site) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or ASN conferences, local meetings, or other events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ASN good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the Participants.

Training and Education

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

• To provide effective training and education programs for ASN members regarding oil and gas safety and health issues including heat stress, vehicle operations, air contaminants such as silica and other chemical exposures, the Focus Four hazards, and any identified trends within the oil and gas industry and to communicate such information to member employers and workers.
• To provide effective training and education tools for OSHA personnel to ensure that they remain abreast of industry specific hazards and effective abatement methods.
• To provide an OSHA representative at Appalachian STEPS Board of Directors planning and strategy meetings, in a non-voting capacity, to provide safety and health information, as resources allow.

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 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 party’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least 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 Charleston Area Office. OSHA will encourage 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 16th day of January, 2020.