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 HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Denver and Englewood Area Offices and Colorado Health Care 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 July 15^th 2013 and September 15^th, 2015 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).

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance participants will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.

Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address musculoskeletal disorders related to patient handling and resident handling, bloodborne pathogen, tuberculosis, slip, trip and fall and workplace violence 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 Inspection Guidance for Inpatient Healthcare Setting implemented on June 25, 2015, especially OSHA’s focus on Residential Nursing and Long Term Care Facilities.
• 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 long term care safety and health issues 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 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, bloodborne pathogens, 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 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.
• To develop and disseminate case studies on long term care safety and health issues and publicize their results.

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 from the CHCA and OSHA 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 four 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 28th day of December, 2017.