AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
LUBBOCK AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
AGC PANHANDLE OF TEXAS CHAPTER

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Lubbock Area Office and AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter hereby form an Alliance to provide AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between and addressing construction and industrial contractor issues, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). In developing this Alliance, OSHA and AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following goals 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 construction rulemaking process.
• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, such as falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between 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 construction issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on construction safety and health issues.
• To encourage worker and trade contractors participation in workplace safety and health by providing safety information during visits to company’s jobsites and involving employees during jobsite assessments, inspections and audits.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• To develop effective training and education programs for construction and industrial contractors regarding such as but not limited to falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To develop effective training and education programs for contractors 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 OSHA 10 Hour Construction course in English and Spanish.

Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• 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 AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter conferences, local meetings, or other safety training events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AGC Panhandle of Texas Chapter good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.

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 three 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 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 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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 17th day of February, 2016.