Region 4 - Alliance Renewal Agreement - October 4, 2017
AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
ATLANTA REGIONAL OFFICE
AND
THE OSHA TRAINING INSTITUTE EDUCATION CENTERS (OTIEDC)
IN REGION IV1
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Atlanta Regional Office and the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers (OTIECs) in Region IV continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and OTIECs in Region IV hereby renew the Alliance signed September 29, 2015, with a continued emphasis on providing health and safety training to employers and employees in the general and construction industries. Specifically, OSHA and the OTIECs in Region IV are committed to providing OTIEC students and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to prevalent health and safety hazards in the general and construction industries, and enhancing their understanding of workers' rights 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 may 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 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and the OTIECs in Region IV recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project 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 of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives
The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following goal related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:
- To share information on OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
- 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 National, Regional and Local Emphasis Program topics in order to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
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 industry 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 health and safety training to targeted industries in support of OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs.
- Coordinate with Field Federal Safety and Health Councils by hosting meetings and providing instructors at meetings.
- Collectively assessing the employer training needs in Region IV and the geographical distribution of OTIECs.
Outreach and Communication
The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goal:
- To speak, exhibit, and/or appear at OSHA's, safety and health conferences, local meetings, Region IV VPPPA Conference, Field Federal Safety and Health Council (FFSHC) meetings and related events.
- To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects, such as the Regional safety stand-down, that are addressed and developed through the Alliance
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 proven 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 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 OSHA Tampa Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects to participate on the Team.
This Agreement will remain in effect for five years. Either signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided such signatory give 30-days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of both signatories.
Signed this 4th day of October, 2017
Kurt A. Petermeyer
Regional Administrator
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
William Rhodus,
Program Administrator
EKU OTI Education Center
Myrtle Turner Harris, Director
Georgia Tech OTI
Education Center
Sheryl Foucher, Director
OSHA Training Institute Education Center, The University of Alabama
Keila Ashman, Deputy Director
USF OTI Education Center
University of South Florida
Wendy Laing, Director
Southeastern OSHA Training Institute Education Center
NC State University
Bryan Lane, Program Coordinator
Southeastern OSHA Training Institute Education Center
The University of Tennessee
Bob Jankiewicz, Director
OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Volunteer State Community College
1Eastern Kentucky University, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Southeastern OTI Education Center, University of Alabama, University of South Florida and Volunteer State Community College