Region 5 - Alliance Agreement - October 24, 2018
AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
NAPERVILLE, CHICAGO NORTH, CHICAGO SOUTH AREA OFFICES
AND
CHICAGOLAND ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Naperville, Chicago North, and Chicago South Area offices and the Chicagoland Associated General Contractors (Chicagoland AGC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and Chicagoland AGC hereby form an Alliance to provide Chicagoland AGC members 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 electrical, fall, struck-by, caught-in-between, silica and ergonomic hazards in construction. 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. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and Chicagoland AGC recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.
Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives
The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following goals related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:
- To share publicly-available information on OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs, regulatory agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
- To share publicly-available 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 involving the construction industry hazards such as, but not limited to electrical, fall, struck-by, caught-in-between, silica and ergonomic hazards in construction. This will help forge innovative solutions in the workplace and to provide input on safety and health issues.
- To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by increasing awareness of OSHA standard requirements, hazards and how to minimize hazards in the construction industry.
Training and Education
The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education objectives:
- To develop effective training and education programs for contractors to reduce hazards in the construction industry, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
- To develop effective training and education programs for contractors 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.
- As resources allow, deliver or arrange for the delivery of various courses specific to the construction industry; such as, but not limited to electrical, fall, struck-by, caught-in-between, silica and ergonomic hazards.
Outreach and Communication
The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication objectives:
- To develop 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 OSHAs and the Chicagoland AGC's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
- As resources allow, speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHAs or Chicagoland AGC conferences or local meetings.
- To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding Chicagoland AGC best practices or effective training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures developed by participants.
- To promote awareness of OSHA's outreach campaigns including, fall prevention safety stand down, trench safety stand down, heat, safe and sound and other national and regional initiatives.
- To develop information on the recognition and prevention of commercial 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 commercial construction industry.
- To assist in the development and dissemination of case studies for notable agency inspections to help address common and novel hazards within the construction industry.
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 in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives from either the Naperville, Chicago North, and Chicago South area offices. OSHA will encourage the Illinois On-site Consultation Programs' participation on the team.
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 24th day of October, 2018.
- Jacob Scott, Area Director
- Naperville Area Office
- OSHA
- Angeline Loftus, Area Director
- Chicago North Area Office
- OSHA
- Kathy Webb, Area Director
- Chicago South Area Office
- OSHA
- Daniel J. McLaughlin
- Executive Director
- Chicagoland AGC
- Michael Hampson
- Executive Secretary
- Chicagoland AGC