AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE HOUSTON NORTH AND HOUSTON SOUTH AREA OFFICES
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS OF GREATER HOUSTON,
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS - HOUSTON CHAPTER,
AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION - HOUSTON CHAPTER,
AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - CLEAR LAKE

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Houston North and Houston South Area Offices and Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston (ABC), Associated General Contractors - Houston Chapter (AGC), American Subcontractors Association - Houston Chapter (ASA), and University of Houston - Clear Lake (UHCL) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and the ABC, AGC, ASA, and UHCL, hereby form an Alliance to provide Alliance members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to fall hazards, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance's activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet 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 available 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 developing this Alliance, OSHA and the ABC, AGC, ASA, and UHCL recognize that OSHA's 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/Regional/Local Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the ABC, AGC, ASA, and UHCL websites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and the ABC, AGC, ASA, and UHCL conferences, local meetings, or other events.
• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on fall prevention to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding the ABC, AGC, ASA, and UHCL good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by participating in tool box talks, skill assessments, and targeted training sessions to the most vulnerable workers.
• Collaborate with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to preventing falls in the construction industry.
• Develop and disseminate case studies on fall prevention and publicize their results.
• Encourage every construction worksite in the Houston area to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including OSHA's Focus Four initiative.

Training and Education

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

• Develop effective training and education programs for employers and workers in the construction industry about fall hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of fall prevention courses.
• Develop effective training and education programs for employers and workers in the construction industry 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.

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, communications, 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 Houston North and Houston South Area Offices and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage OSHA On-Site Consultation program' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. 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 3^rd day of May, 2022.

• Mhekeba Hager, Area Director, Houston North Area Office, OSHA
• Mark R. Briggs, CSP, Area Director, Houston South Area Office, OSHA
• Jeffrey Nielsen, President, ABC of Greater Houston
• Kimberly Mason, Senior Director of Safety Services, AGC- Houston Chapter
• Tamara Hancock, Executive Director, American Subcontractors Association- Houston Chapter
• Robert N Phalen, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, Program Chair, Occupational Safety and Health, University of Houston-Clear Lake