The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Utility Contractors
Association (NUCA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer
and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and NUCA hereby form an Alliance to provide NUCA
members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them
protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to
underground utility construction hazards associated with trenching and excavation, tunneling, and
confined space entry. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and NUCA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan
and Consultation project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.
OSHA and NUCA will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:
- Deliver or arrange for the delivery of NUCA training programs (e.g. Excavation Safety, Competent
Person and Confined Space) to OSHA staff, including those offered in Spanish.
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs on utility
construction such as a 10-hour outreach program with emphasis on trench and excavation safety. NUCA
will provide instructors as needed.
OSHA and NUCA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of
workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information to
employers and employees in the industry.
- Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s and NUCA’s conferences and events such as NUCA’s EXPO, Safety
Directors Forum and Institute for Leadership Development training sessions.
- Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding
NUCA’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by NUCA and
through OSHA- or NUCA- developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or
any other applicable forum).
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise to create a trenching and excavations and a confined spaces
compliance assistance information card and fact sheet in both English and Spanish.
- Encourage NUCA’s members to act as mentors to utility contractors who need guidance and assistance
with safety and health issues to improve safety performance within the underground utility industry.
- Encourage NUCA members to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices, State Plan
States and Consultation Projects to address health and safety issues associated with trenching and
excavation, tunneling, and confined space entry.
OSHA and NUCA will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national
dialogue on workplace safety and health:
- Raise underground utility construction safety awareness of industry hazards such as trenching and
excavation, tunneling, and confined space entry and commitment to workplace safety and health
whenever NUCA’s leaders address groups such as local chapter meetings.
- Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on underground
utility construction hazards associated with trenching and excavation, tunneling, and confined space
entry to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace.
OSHA’s Alliances provide parties 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 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 any of that party’s products or services; nor does the Agency enter
into an Alliance with the purpose of promoting a particular party’s products or services.
An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations 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 quarterly to track and share information on
activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. Team members will include
representatives of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction, Directorate of Cooperative and State
Programs, and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA
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 concurrence of both signatories.
John Henshaw
Assistant Secretary
Occupational Safety and
Health Administration |
Date |
|
William Bowman
President
National Utility Contractors Association |
Date |
|
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