AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
Austin Area Office
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
Workers Defense Project

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Austin Area Office and Workers Defense Project recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and Workers Defense Project hereby renew the Alliance signed July 15, 2010, with a continued emphasis on Hispanic construction worker safety. Specifically, these organization(s) are committed to providing Workers Defense Project 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 immigrant worker safety in construction. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and Workers Defense Project 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 rulemaking process.
• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers
• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on construction worker safety 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 providing safety information to Hispanic and teen workers through providing informational materials and training sessions to contractors, subcontractors and workers.

Training and Education

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

• To develop effective training and education programs for construction workers regarding focus four hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To develop effective training and education programs for construction workers 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.

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 Workers Defense Project’s web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or Workers Defense Project local meetings, or other events.
• To share information between OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding Workers Defense Project 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 Austin 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 2 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 23rd day of August, 2012.