AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE ILLINOIS OSHA AREA OFFICES OF
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
GRAIN AND FEED ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Peoria, Naperville, Chicago North, Chicago South, and Fairview Heights Area Offices and the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and GFAI hereby renew the Alliance signed March 10, 2020, with a continued emphasis on improving safety and health practices. Specifically, OSHA and GFAI organizations are committed to providing GFAI members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect 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 hazards associated with engulfment, falls, conveying equipment and combustible dust.

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance's activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet the requirements for program participation laid out in the "Fundamental Requirements for OSHA Alliance Program Participants" and the "Guidelines for OSHA's Alliance Program Participants: Alliance Products and Other Alliance Projects."

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use 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, including but not limited to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and GFAI recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program 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: Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives::

• Share information on OSHA's National and Regional Emphasis Programs that effect GFAI member worksites.

• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.

• Develop information on the recognition of workplace hazards and communicate effective controls to employers and workers in the industry.

• Speak or appear at OSHA and GFAI conferences, local meetings or other events.

• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health activities by increasing hazard awareness training and reporting.

OSHA's Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet one to 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 Peoria OSHA Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for four 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 24th day of March, 2023.

Jeff Adkisson, Executive Director
Grain and Feed Association of Illinois

Trish Rankin, Acting Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Peoria Area Office

Aaron Priddy, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Fairview Heights Area Office

Jacob Scott, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Naperville Area Office

James A. Martineck, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Chicago South Area Office

Sukhvir Kaur, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Chicago North Area Office