AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE EL PASO AREA OFFICE AND LUBBOCK AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE PERMIAN BASIN SERVICE, TRANSMISSION, EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION SAFETY NETWORK

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) El Paso Area Office and Lubbock Area Office and The Permian Basin Service, Transmission, Exploration and Production Safety Network (PBSTEPS) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and PBSTEPS, hereby renew “in part” the Alliance signed September 9, 2008, and renewed September 14, 2010, September 11, 2012, September 9, 2014, and September 13, 2016, with a continued emphasis on preventing and reducing exposure to hazards in the oil and gas industry. Specifically, OSHA and PBSTEPS organizations are committed to providing PBSTEPS 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 fire/explosion, falls, struck-by, caught-in or between, H2S and other hazards unique to the oil and gas 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 The Permian Basin Service, Transmission, Exploration and Production Safety Network (PBSTEPS) 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, such as falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between, H2S and heat illness hazards including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on safety and health in the oil and gas industry, 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 by continuing to meet on a monthly basis and share best practices, discuss issues/near misses and continue to strive to make safety a big part of the culture in the oil and gas industry.

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 all types of employers and employees engaged in the oil and gas industry regarding fires/explosions, electrical, struck-by, falls and caught-in or between hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To develop effective training and education programs for employers and employees engaged in all facets of the oil and gas 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.
• To deliver or arrange for the delivery of courses that will strengthen the knowledge base for hazard recognition of employees to prevent incidents and fatalities in the oil and gas industry.

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 the PBSTEPS’ Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or PBSTEPS’ conferences, local meetings, or other safety training events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding oil and gas industry good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures developed by the participants.
• To develop and disseminate case studies on inherent hazards with regard to the oil and gas industry and publicize their results.

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 work plan, 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 El Paso Area Office and the Lubbock Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for three 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 13^th day of August, 2019.