Purpose and Scope of Alliance:

The alliance will provide the opportunity to jointly reach out, educate, and lead the state’s employers and employees in improving and advancing workplace safety and health. The alliance will work together to reduce injuries and illnesses in Southeast Michigan and provide information, education and training opportunities to make the workplace safer and healthier for all employees. More specifically we propose the following alliance goals:

• Develop a MIOSHA Training Institute at Macomb Community College.
• Joint development of individual courses and programs.
• Utilize M-TEC and Macomb Emergency Services Training Center facilities and equipment, to provide MIOSHA staff with hands-on training assuring relevant and up to date knowledge.
• Establish a blueprint for statewide collaboration to involve other colleges and M-TEC’s, utilizing ITV and distance learning technology.
• Initiate pro-active approaches to a variety of interactive delivery methods (online, CD-ROM, Video, simulations, etc.)
• Coordination of consultation and educational training strategies
• Co-sponsor Consultation Education & Training (CET) seminars; 5 seminars have been scheduled starting Fall 2005
• Quarterly publications of upcoming seminars, classes and events. Publications to address current health and safety issues.
• Provide a forum for open discussion and input on MIOSHA standards and regulations from the perspective of equipment manufacturers, equipment integrators and targeted industries.
• Explore impact of new and upcoming technology and equipment on existing standards.

Macomb Community College will commit resources through the Workforce Development Institute (WDI) located at the M-TEC facility, and the Health and Safety Training located at the Macomb Emergency Services Training Center.

The emphasis at the WDI is on providing advanced manufacturing performance and educational solutions based on the most up to date industry standards in a hands-on interactive environment facilitated by leading industry trainers and business people. In an effort to provide these capabilities in a progressive and forward-thinking format, the WDI has partnered with many industry leaders to create partnerships that offer the most current facilities, equipment, technology, professional staff and instruction available to support the business and industry needs of Macomb Community College clients.

Our partners have a demonstrated knowledge and application of advanced manufacturing technologies as well as a commitment to the continuous implementation of new and current technology supported through education and training. Partners involved in this alliance will include Ross Controls, Primedia and Lightspeed University just to mention a few.

The Health and Safety Training department provides comprehensive program offerings for individuals and companies responsible for emergency services and industrial safety functions. These programs and seminars are developed to meet the training requirements of OSHA, D.O.T., MIOSHA, NFPA, ISFI and other regulatory organizations.

Goals and Objectives:

The goal of this alliance is to strengthen the efforts of public and private concerns in promoting workplace safety through education and training. Through communication, networking and interagency cooperation, we seek to improve workplace safety, promote employer/employee awareness, and strengthen public confidence through program development and delivery excellence.

Outreach and Communication

Macomb Community College Health and Safety Training and the Workforce Development Institute participate in numerous industrial and educational conferences and seminars as attendees, vendors and program presenters. We maintain memberships in professional organizations and information services to stay current and connected. Our promotion and information dissemination are supported by the vast resources of the college through all forms of media.

We have established Advisory Boards in each department that include local municipal and industry representatives to guide program development and maintain dialog. Our alliance with MIOSHA will enhance the above efforts through a cooperative exchange of information gleaned from our collective participation in such events and partnerships. Our shared resources will raise awareness of the opportunities available to those seeking to improve compliance and safety in the workplace.

Through the MIOSHA Training Institute at Macomb, we will jointly develop courses and program curriculum, training resources and varied delivery methods. This Institute will provide an opportunity for business and industry safety and health personnel as well as MIOSHA staff to develop knowledge and skills in selected safety and health topic areas. These courses will include a certification process that will encourage and promote continuous education and advanced level training for all the participants.

The established relationship also involves cosponsoring of seminars to be conducted at M-TEC and the Macomb Emergency Services Training Center.

Promoting Dialog:

An Advisory Board that includes members from the public sector, industry, college departments, state organizations, and enjoys the participation of MIOSHA representative, Lee Jay Kueppers, directs the Emergency Services Training Center. A comparable Advisory Board serves in the same capacity at the Workforce Development Institute.

The direct involvement of such a varied membership ensures a focus on relevant topics and continuous updates. These contacts, along with our extracurricular memberships and outreach efforts, promote dialog and cooperative endeavors that influence a positive change of attitude and commitment toward workplace safety.

Outcomes of Alliance Activities:

The alliance will continue to build on the success of existing programs and outreach activities through the Workforce Development Institute, the Emergency Services Training Center, and MIOSHA. Our common efforts will be enhanced through cooperative endeavors, program development and shared resources to the betterment of the safety concerns we seek to influence. We envision the outcome of this alliance to be the first step toward a universal remedy to those in need of safety-related resources.

Training and Education:

The alliance will strengthen activities related to outreach and education. We will coordinate these efforts to take advantage of existing offerings, and also incorporate unique offerings to include:

• Industrial Homeland Security Online Training Initiative
• Manufacturing Technology Certificate (Industrial Automation & Robotics)
• Fluid Power Safety for Machine Guarding
• Certificate and Certification programs
• Cosponsor the following scheduled seminars:
  • Construction Safety Workshop
  • When MIOSHA Visits
  • Fall Protection for the Roofing Industry
  • Excavation & Trenching Safety
  • Ergonomic Principles

Roles and Responsibilities:

The alliance will provide a forum for open and honest communications through monthly meetings to address concerns and prioritize alliance activities. We welcome the opportunity to attend MIOSHA staff meetings to address concerns brought forth by our clients and partners. We see this as an opportunity for MIOSHA to be directly involved with our clients and partners to support our efforts and provide occupational safety and health standards interpretations. Clients and partners will have the opportunity to address and objectively discuss concerns with respect to the same standards.

Outcomes of Alliance Activities:

The alliance will continue to build on the success of existing programs and outreach activities through WDI, PSI and MIOSHA. There will, by necessity, be some initial time allotted for the alliance to review existing programs and activities and perform a gap analysis to best focus available resources. We have identified some generic goals throughout this document along with specific examples of programs and training initiatives that could be developed jointly.

The alliance agreement is effective on the date of signing and will be in effect for 2 years. Prior to the expiration of the agreement, the parties will confer and evaluate whether the agreement should be extended. Without regard to the term of the agreement, any of the parties can terminate the agreement with 30 days written notification.