Region 7 News Release: 09-474-KAN
May 4, 2009
Contact: Jeremy Eggers
Phone: 303-844-1299

U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA announces alliance with Iowa-Illinois Safety Council to provide safety, health outreach

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Des Moines Area Office and the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council have formed an alliance to facilitate safety and health outreach for home safety, which will also help improve workplace safety for Iowa and Illinois workers.

The alliance will focus on outreach and training for hazards experienced in a home setting that could also be experienced at the workplace, such as electrical, fall, noise, heat and cold hazards.

"This cooperative agreement provides an opportunity for OSHA and the council to have a positive impact on safety and health for workers and their families," said Charles E. Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. "By providing workers with the ability to identify and eliminate hazards both at work and at home, we are confident that workplace injuries and illnesses will continue to trend downward."

For more information about this alliance, call OSHA's Des Moines Area Office at 515-284-4794.

OSHA alliances are part of the agency's ongoing efforts to improve the safety and health of workers through cooperative partnerships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and government agencies. OSHA has more than 470 alliances throughout the nation with organizations committed to fostering safety and health in the workplace.

OSHA's alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary, cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication, and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health. These alliances are valuable tools for both OSHA and its alliance participants.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their workers. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.