Region 5 - Alliance Renewal Agreement - January 31, 2019


OSHA
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AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE TOLEDO AREA OFFICE of
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE SAFETY COUNCIL OF NORTHWEST OHIO


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Toledo Area Office and the Safety Council of Northwest Ohio (SCNWO) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and SCNWO hereby renew the Alliance signed December 20, 2005 and renewed on January 25, 2008, February 24, 2012, March 21, 2014, and November 18, 2016, with a continued emphasis on training and education. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing SCNWO members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address safety and health topics in the agriculture, construction, and general industry.

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 SCNWO 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 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 on general industry, construction, and agriculture safety and health topics to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues. Specific topics may include fall hazards, trenching and excavation hazards, safety and health management systems, combustible dust hazards, machine guarding/lockout-tagout hazards, amputation hazards, heat-related hazards and temporary workers.
  • To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by sharing information between organizations to further the knowledge of OSHA and SCNWO stakeholders, including information on OSHA's Safe + Sound Campaign, National Fall Stand-down, and other local and national outreach events, which will directly involve feedback and participation from local labor organizations, as well as working in conjunction with local foreign consulates to further support the protection of workers that they represent.

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 OSHA and SCNWO stakeholders regarding safety and health topics in the agriculture, construction, and general industry, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
  • To develop effective training and education programs for OSHA and SCNWO stakeholders 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 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 OSHA's and SCNWO's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
  • To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or SCNWO's conferences, local meetings, or other events, such as the annual Safety and Health Day of Northwest Ohio.
  • To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding SCNWO good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
  • To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on agriculture, construction, and general industry safety and health topics that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
  • To provide information and safety-related materials printed in Spanish or other languages which the workers fully understand.

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 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 Toledo Area OSHA Office.

This agreement will remain in effect for five years. Either 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 both signatories.

Signed this 31st day of January, 2019.

 


Kimberly G. Nelson
Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

 


Dennis W. McMickens
President and CEO
Safety Council of Northwest Ohio