Region 8 - Renewal Agreement - May 25, 2011
AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE DENVER AND ENGLEWOOD AREA OFFICES OF
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
COLORADO HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Denver and Englewood Area Offices and Colorado Healthcare Association (CHCA) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and CHCA hereby renew the Alliance signed September 18th, 2008 with a continued emphasis on long term care safety and health issues. Specifically, each organization is committed to providing CHCA 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 ergonomic and resident handling, bloodborne pathogen and slip, trip and fall hazards, as well as other safety and health issues in long term care nursing facilities.
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, especially OSHA's NEP on Recordkeeping.
- To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
- To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by including workers as members of the alliance implementation team and other planning committees as they are formed; and, providing training and increased access to safety and health information.
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 CHCA members and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers. Training topics may include resident handling hazards, slip, trip and fall prevention, workplace violence issues, OSHA recordkeeping, electrical safety and safe work practices and/or other safety and health issues common to the long term care nursing industry.
- To deliver or arrange for the delivery of at least four training events per year. Training may be delivered via webinar, appearances at CHCA conferences or other CHCA or OSHA events.
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 CHCA and Gallagher web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
- To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or CHCA conferences, local meetings, or other events. Specifically, OSHA will attend the monthly meetings of the CHCA safety/work comp committee and will participate in the semi-annual CHCA conferences.
- To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding CHCA 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 Denver and Englewood area offices 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 both signatories.
Signed this 25th day of May, 2011.
Herb Gibson
Area Director, Denver
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Arlene Miles
President/Chief Executive Officer
Colorado Healthcare Association
John Healy
Area Director, Englewood
Occupational Safety and Health Administration