The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Graphic Arts Association (GAA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and GAA hereby form an Alliance to provide GAA members and others in the graphic arts industry, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to ergonomic and noise hazards and by addressing machine guarding, lockout/tagout and hazardous chemical issues. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and GAA recognize that OSHA’s Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and GAA will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for the graphic arts industry regarding ergonomic and noise hazards, machine guarding hazards, lockout/tagout issues and hazardous chemical issues, and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.
  
  
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of graphic arts industry related safety and health courses.

OSHA and GAA 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 (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA’s and the GAA Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
  
  
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or GAA’s conferences, local meetings, or other events.
  
  
• Share information among OSHA personnel and graphic arts industry safety and health professionals regarding GAA’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by GAA and through OSHA or GAA developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
  
  
• Promote GAA members’ or worksites’ awareness of OSHA’s cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
  
  
• Encourage GAA chapters and/or member worksites to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including ergonomic and noise hazards, machine guarding hazards, lockout/tagout issues and hazardous chemical issues.

OSHA and GAA 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 OSHA and GAA leaders address groups.
  
  
• Develop and disseminate any case studies that are developed illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
  
  
• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on graphic arts industry issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

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.

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. Team members will include representatives of OSHA’s Allentown Area Office, the GAA’s Local Chapter. 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.

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.