Region 6 - Renewal Agreement - August 2, 2022


AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN
BATON ROUGE AREA OFFICE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, INC., PELICAN CHAPTER

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Baton Rouge Area Office and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Inc., Pelican Chapter 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 ABC, Pelican Chapter hereby renew the Alliance signed May 3, 2012, renewed on August 11, 2014, and March 23, 2017, with a continued emphasis on information sharing and identification and elimination of workplace hazards. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing ABC, Pelican Chapter members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help the 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 the reduction and prevention of exposures to provide members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to struck-by, falls, caught-in-between and electrical hazards.

This renewal 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 to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on its overall effort on improving workplace safety and health for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and ABC, Pelican Chapter recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral pa1t 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:

  • Share info1mation on OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
  • Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
  • Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on construction and industrial contractor safety and health issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
  • Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by organizing a forum aimed at worker outreach whereby ideas and information can be exchanged.
Raising Awareness: Outreach and Communication

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

  • 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 the OSHA's and ABC, Pelican Chapter web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
  • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or ABC, Pelican Chapter conferences, local meetings, or other outreach events.
  • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ABC, Pelican Chapter good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the pa1ticipants.
  • Work with other Alliance participants on specific construction and industrial maintenance safety and health issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
Training and Education

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

  • Develop effective training and education programs for construction and industrial contractors regarding building and maintenance issues, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
  • 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.

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 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 info1mation on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Baton Rouge Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation program' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for five 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 2nd day of August 2022.

Roderic M. Chube
Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

David B. Helveston
President
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Pelican Chapter