Region 5 - Alliance Renewal Agreement - November 24, 2015


AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
COLUMBUS AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
BUCKEYE STEPS


The U.S. Department of, Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Columbus Area Office and the Buckeye Service, Transmission, Exploration, Production Safety Network (Buckeye STEPS) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and Buckeye STEPS hereby renew the Alliance signed September 20, 2013 with a continued emphasis on hazards associated with oil and gas operations. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing Buckeye STEPS' members with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, and understand their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address safety and health hazards associated with oil and gas operations.

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 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 Buckeye STEPS 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/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 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.
  • To develop effective awareness and education programs for Buckeye STEPS' 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 (falls, electrical, caught-by, and struck-by hazards), and to communicate such information to member employers and workers.

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 including a link to OSHA on the Buckeye STEPS' web site) to employers and workers in the industry.
  • To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or Buckeye STEPS' conferences, local meetings, or other events.
  • To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding good practices or approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.

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, neither OSHA nor Buckeye Steps is endorsing or promoting, nor does OSHA or Buckeye Steps, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party' s products or services. By entering into this Alliance, Buckeye STEPS is not undertaking any additional obligations to OSHA or any other person or entity unless specified herein or otherwise required by law.

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 plan to 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 Columbus Area Office. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Either signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give 30 day written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 24th day of November, 2015.


Deborah Zubaty, Area Director, OSHA


Joe Grego, President, Buckeye STEPS