The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the New York State On-Site Consultation Program (NYS Consultation) and the Western New York offices of the New York State Small Business Development Centers (herein referred to as the “WNY SBDCs”) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA, NYS Consultation and the WNY SBDCs hereby form an Alliance to provide WNY SBDC 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 construction and general industry hazards such as electrical, falls, amputation and struck-by. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and the WNY SBDCs recognize that OSHA's State Plan Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA, NYS Consultation and the WNY SBDCs will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Develop training and education programs for small businesses, focusing on slips, trips and falls, amputation, electrical, struck-by, and crushed-in.
  


• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of OSHA10-hour general industry and the OSHA 10-hour construction industry safety and health courses.

OSHA, the NYS Consultation Program and the WNY SBDCs, and will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's and the WNY SBDCs' Web sites.
  


• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or the WNY SBDCs' conferences, local meetings, or SBDC workshops.
  


• Promote and encourage the WNY SBDCs members' or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
  


• Encourage other NYS SBDC offices to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues including slips, trips and falls, amputation, electrical, struck-by, and crushed-in.

OSHA, NYS Consultation and the WNY SBDCs will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Raise others' awareness of and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health whenever the WNY SBDCs' leaders address groups.
  


• Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
  


• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on small business safety issues such as slips, trips and falls, amputation, electrical, struck-by, and crushed-in to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

The New York State Department of Labor On-Site Consultation Program will provide resources, as necessary and available, to support the training and technical assistance needs of the participants of this alliance. Such assistance may be in the form of on-site consultation visits and/or occupational safety and health training. Findings from any on-site consultation surveys will be kept confidential, so long as the requesting employer agrees to correct any serious hazards that may be identified. There is no cost to the alliance participants for any assistance provided by the On-Site Consultation Program.

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.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any 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 all signatories.