AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS CARPENTERS JOINT APRENTICESHIP PROGRAM (CJAP)
THROUGH THE
ST. LOUIS - KANSAS CITY CARPENTERS REGIONAL COUNCIL (CRC)

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Fairview Heights Area Office and the Southern Illinois Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Program (CJAP) through the St. Louis - Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council (CRC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and CJAP hereby form an Alliance to provide members of the CRC and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will reduce and prevent exposures - such as electrical, fall, struck-by, caught-in-between, fire, explosion, lockout/tagout, and confined spaces - at all CRC signatory job sites throughout southern Illinois. The Alliance will also work to ensure that the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) are understood.

This 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, signatories 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 developing this Alliance, OSHA and the CJAP/CRC 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 objectives related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To share information on OSHA's National/Local Emphasis Programs and regulatory agenda.
• 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 regarding hazards in the residential, commercial, and industrial construction industries to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace and provide input on safety and health issues.
• To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by obtaining feedback on CJAP /CRC activities.

Training and Education

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

• To develop effective training and education programs for CJAP/CRC representatives and other personnel regarding hazards in the residential, commercial, and industrial construction sectors.
• To develop effective training and education programs 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 further inform OSHA personnel through CJAP training sessions of hazards specific to the residential, commercial, and industrial construction industries; such as, but not limited to electrical, fall, struck-by, and caught-in-between hazards and compliance methods.

Outreach and Communication

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

• To provide a forum for OSHA, CJAP/CRC representatives, and other affected parties to meet on a semiannual basis with the purpose of advancing safety and health compliance and continually improving the Alliance.
• To provide a forum for an OSHA representative to disseminate Agency directives, initiatives, protocols, etc. to CJAP/CRC representatives during health and safety and technical skills training endeavors.
• To promote awareness of OSHA's Fall Prevention, Excavation, Heat Campaigns, Safe and Sound, and other initiatives.
• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of residential, commercial, and industrial construction and maintenance hazards and develop innovative ways of communicating such information; such as but not limited to print, electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's web site to safety professionals, employers, and workers in the residential, commercial and industrial construction industries.
• To speak, exhibit, or attend at the annual Southern Illinois Occupational Safety & Health/Safety Construction (SIOSH/SAFETYCON) Day event intended for sharing information among workers, employers, and industry safety and health professionals. Conference topics may include best practices and effective approaches to safety and health through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures developed by the participants.
• To assist in development and dissemination of case studies for notable agency inspections to address common and novel hazards within the residential, industrial construction or maintenance events.

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 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 towards achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Fairview Heights Area Office and any other appropriate offices.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years from the date of the Alliance signing. 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 January, 2018.

• Aaron Priddy, OSHA Area Director, Fairview Heights Area Office
• Alex Gromada, Coordinator, Southern Illinois Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Program (CJP)
• Barry Stelzer, Safety Director, St. Louis- Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council (CRC)