AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
Between
The U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Baton Rouge Area Office
And
American Society of Safety Engineers
Greater Baton Rouge Chapter

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship between local OSHA officials and safety professionals to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers hereby form an Alliance to provide for those individuals seeking to increase their professional competency in safety and health with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety.

This alliance seeks to target topic areas including, but not limited to: fall hazards, combustible dusts, trenching/excavation hazards, and struck-by hazards associated within the local petro-chemical and construction industry. These particular hazards have contributed to a significant number of fatalities investigated by OSHA's Baton Rouge Area Office within the past three fiscal years. In developing this alliance, OSHA and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers Web site) to employers and employees.

OSHA and GBRASSE will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for general and construction industry regarding fall hazards, combustible dusts, trenching/excavation hazards, and struck-by hazards and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.

Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

OSHA and the Greater Baton Rouge American Society of Safety Engineers will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on personal protective equipment, fall hazards, trenching/excavation hazards and struck by hazards, forklifts, as well as community outreach to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health. 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 any of that party's products or services; nor does the Agency enter into an Alliance with the purpose of promoting a particular 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. Team members will include representatives of OSHA's Baton Rouge Area Office. In addition, they will meet at least three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance.

This agreement will remain in effect for two 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 concurrence of all signatories.