AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE SIOUX FALLS AREA OFFICE OF
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
AGC OF SOUTH DAKOTA

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Sioux Falls Area Office and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of South Dakota 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 AGC of South Dakota hereby form an Alliance to provide employers and employees working in construction in South Dakota with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards related to trenching activities, falls, heat exposure, and silica, and to 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, including information provided by employers, insurance providers, BLS, and the media, 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.

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 provide opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process by information sharing on public comment timelines.
• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers particularly through discussions and participation with the AGC of South Dakota Safety Committee.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and communicate such information in conjunction with the annual trench stand down as well as the annual fall prevention stand down.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and AGC conferences, local meetings, or other events.
• Share information related to respirable silica through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health through participation in the annual fall prevention and trench safety stand downs.
• Share information, and educate AGC membership and their employees, on OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Campaign.
• Encourage AGC of South Dakota to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices as well as SDSU Engineering/OSHA Consultation to address health and safety issues, including trenching and fall safety.

Training and Education

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

• Develop effective training and education programs for the construction industry in South Dakota regarding trenching and fall safety and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of courses related to falls, trenches, silica, and heat awareness.
• 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.

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 Sioux Falls Area Office and any other appropriate offices.

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 all signatories.

Signed March 16, 2022

Sheila Stanley
Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Bryce Healy
Executive Director
Building Chapter
Associated General Contractors of South Dakota

Toby Crow
Executive Vice-President
Highway Heavy Utilities Chapter
Associated General Contractors of South Dakota