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AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND THE
GLOBAL COLD CHAIN ALLIANCE
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and GCCA hereby form an Alliance to provide GCCA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards related to chemical releases from ammonia refrigeration systems and improving the Process Safety Management (PSM) programs for these systems, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). In developing this Alliance, OSHA and GCCA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

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 Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
     
  • To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ammonia refrigeration system-related issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
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 GCCA’s Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
     
  • To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or GCCA’s conferences, local meetings, or other events such as Ammonia Safety & Training Institute Safety Days, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration conferences, and GCCA conferences.
     
  • To develop and disseminate case studies on illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
     
  • To encourage GCCA members to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including those related to PSM programs for ammonia refrigeration systems.
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 Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

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 30th day of July, 2010.



 
David Michaels, PhD, MPH
Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health

 
J. William Hudson
President and CEO
Global Cold Chain Alliance