AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
AND
THE AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA, INC.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful workplaces for heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) contractors and their employees. OSHA and ACCA therefore agree to form an Alliance to use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of accident prevention and health promotion while sharing best practices and technical knowledge.

OSHA and ACCA agree to establish an alliance to promote safe and healthful working conditions for HVACR contracting companies by:

• Providing ACCA members and others in the industry with information and guidance that will help them protect the health and safety of workers by focusing on safety supervision, equipment and material handling, driver and vehicle safety, ladder and lift use, and lock-out/tag-out.
   
• Increasing access to safety and health information and training resources, including Spanish-language material.

OSHA and ACCA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communications goals:

• Identify existing resources and stimulate the development of new training programs and materials as appropriate. OSHA will review and comment on existing ACCA safety and health material periodically, suggesting updating as appropriate.
   
• Seek opportunities for OSHA representatives to speak, exhibit or appear at the national ACCA conference as well as at chapter meetings or other events.
   
• Develop and disseminate information through ACCA print and electronic media, including linkage between OSHA's and ACCA's web sites.
   
• Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals in effective approaches for improving the safety and health of workers in the HVACR contracting industry.
   
• Promote and encourage ACCA members' awareness of and participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as Compliance Assistance, Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
   
• Participate in forums and roundtable discussions on multi-employer worksite issues to help forge innovative solutions to raising construction-industry safety awareness in the workplace.

An implementation team composed of representatives of both organizations will meet to develop a plan of action, determine a working process, and identify the roles and responsibilities of each participant. 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 Directorates of Cooperative and State Programs and Construction. OSHA will encourage its State Plan partners and Consultation Projects to participate as well.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years from the date of signing. 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.