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NORTHERN MARIANAS ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND THE
PRIMARY BUSINESS, GOVERNMENTAL, & EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OF THE
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
General Purpose of Alliance: To promote awareness and knowledge of safety and health through the joint efforts of participants with a primary emphasis on the delivery of safety and health training and education for the benefit of the community in the Northern Marianas.

Alliance Participants:
  • Occupational Safety & Heath Administration (OSHA) Region 9
  • OSHA Region 9 Education Center, University of California San Diego
  • Northern Marianas College (NMC)
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Office of the Governor, Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Department of Labor, Immigration, and Employment Services (DOLIES)
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Department of Public Safety (DPS)
    • Division of Police
    • Division of Fire
  • Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association (SGMA)
  • Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands (HANMI)
  • Saipan Contractors Association
  • Saipan Chamber of Commerce
Name of Alliance: The Northern Marianas Alliance for Safety and Health. (NOTE: Unless organizations, the College, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands (CNMI) government agencies are identified by name, the collective alliance will hereafter be identified in this document the Alliance.

Background:

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has provided economic opportunities for developing local businesses as well as some foreign-based companies. Because of the numerically limited local workforce, companies routinely must have their workforce augmented by foreign permit workers. Business and their workforces, lack a thorough background or knowledge on workplace safety and health or the federal requirements related to safety and heath. All business, their workers, and the community would benefit in an alliance of responsible business organizations, governmental agencies, and educational institutions which the joint goal is enhanced workplace safety and health. Participants recognizing that enhanced workplace safety and health will ultimately better protect workers, reduce costs due to injuries and illnesses, lead to improved working conditions and result in an institutional improvement in the safety and health profession.  

Concept:

Participants in the Alliance will meet on a regular basis (either quarterly or semi-annually and either in person or via conference telephoning) to assess training and education needs and to recommend OSHA/OSHA Education Center support and support needs of the Alliance members from the Northern Marianas College. Participants will also share best practices and ideas on public and occupational safety and health and how the Alliance may mutually provide for enhanced safety for workers and for workplaces which are models of excellence in safety and health. Emphasis will be on effective communications with the Northern Marianas large immigrant workforce, as well as the local workforce, continued development of a cadre of safety and health professionals, and publications/materials which may augment these efforts.

Ideas and consensus recommendations will be promulgated as a work plan which will support the needs of the majority of participants. Participation in the Alliance is dependent on the voluntary support of the participants and is non-binding. Participants may choose not to participate at any point they believe the Alliance is not in the best interest of the organization they represent.

Objectives:
  1. Identification of Training Needs

    OSHA will coordinate planning meetings either quarterly or semi-annually (in person or by telephone) during which Alliance participants will use the consensus process to determine the safety and health training needs of the Northern Marianas community. Such needs should be prioritized and categorized by type. Type categories would include (but are not limited to)
    1. Formal OSHA certificated classes offered by OSHA's Region 9 Education Canter at UCSD San Diego. (These courses are regular OSHA Training Institute courses for which OSHA certificates of completion are issued. UCSD is the primary provider of OSHA courses in OSHA Region 9. Courses involve a cost for participation ranging up to $600 per student.)
    2. Formal OSHA certificated classes offered only by OSHA's Training Institute (OTI) in Des Plaines, Illinois. Such courses involve more technical subjects and are not taught by OSHA's Education Centers. Cost would involve travel and per diem expenses for an instructor to travel to the Northern Marianas.
    3. OSHA seminar classes. Seminar-style instruction would be topic specific and would be from 1 to 8 hours duration. Such training would be conducted by either OSHA Region 9 personnel or OSHA OTI personnel. There would be no cost to requesters other than facilities and routine support.
    4. Public safety seminar classes (Division of Police and Division of Fire Protection). Seminar-style instruction would be topic specific and would be 1 to 8 hours duration with no direct expense to the requester.
    5. Department of Labor and Immigration seminar classes. Same style as above. 
    6. Division of Environmental Quality seminar classes. Same style as above.
    7. Private contractors safety and health classes. These would involve private consultants teaching specific classes ranging from 1 hour to 1 week. Topics are costs based on the market.
    8. First Aid and CPR training. Such training is recommended by OSHA and required unless medical facilities are immediately available. Providers for such training may involve the American Red Cross or the Division of Fire Protection. OSHA will offer Mandarin-speaking instructors who are certified American Red Cross instructors.
    9. Northern Marianas College courses. These classes would be coordinated by the Division of Continuing Education and could involve a range of instruction from safety and health to general adult education tailored to the needs of the  workplace. The College may also be directly involved with OSHA's Education Center (UCSD) in providing co-sponsorship, marketing assistance, facilities, etc. Costs to be determined.
  2. Identification of Immigrant Language Problems Related to Safety & Health

    During Alliance meetings, participants will jointly identify situations (e.g., pedestrian safety, first aid) in which immigrant language may be a barrier to achieving safer and healthier workplaces. After identifying such situations, participants will attempt to jointly address possible means of better communications. Suggested methods may include the use of instructors proficient in the language of the workers, the use of international symbols, translation of publications in the language of the workers, and the use of foreign language newspapers/newsletters to convey safety and health messages to workers.

  3. Identification of Long-term Methods to Further Develop a Cadre of Safety & Health Professionals in the Northern Mariana Islands (Career Development)

    The idea here is to further enhance training opportunities for people with safety and health responsibilities, while at the same time, educating students and workers who may eventually be hired into the profession. Methods might include development of a safety and health curriculum at the Northern Marianas College, scholarships, part-time employment, job-sharing, or identification of steps to become certified safety professionals or certified industrial hygienists.

  4. Identification of Publications (and translated publications) which may assist companies, their safety professionals, their workers, and students in learning more about the principles of safety, occupational health, and OSHA requirements.

  5. Identify Means of Referrals and ways to obtain assistance on safety and health issues. Such issues may include public safety, public health, as well as occupational safety and health.

  6. Identify a Marketing Methodology for advertising safety and health courses, requests for assistance and publications availability.

Annual Review of the Alliance

Once a year, participants will have the opportunity to evaluate progress, the value of the Alliance, whether the Alliance should continue, or ways to improve the Alliance.



______________________________________________
Connie Hunt, Director
Analysis & Evaluation, OSHA Region 9

September 23, 2002 

______________________________________________
Lisa Sisack, Director
OTI Education Center
University of California - San Diego

October 10, 2002

______________________________________________
Dr. Kenneth E. Wright, President
Northern Marianas College

September 26, 2002

______________________________________________
John I. Castro, Director
Division of Environmental Quality
Office of the Governor

September 23, 2002

______________________________________________
Dr. Joaquin Tenorio, Secretary
Department of Labor, Immigration & Employment Services

September 23, 2002

______________________________________________
Edward C. Camacho, Commissioner
Department of Public Safety

September 24, 2002

______________________________________________
John Reyes, Secretary
Department of Public Works

September 26, 2002

______________________________________________
Richard A. Pierce, Executive Director
Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association

September 24, 2002

______________________________________________
Ronald D. Sablan, President
Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands

September 25, 2002

______________________________________________
Peter Errett
Saipan Contractors Association

September 23, 2002

______________________________________________
Richard A. Pierce, President
Saipan Chamber of Commerce

September 24, 2002

Page last updated: 02/25/2010