AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
AND
THE ASSOCIATION OF DIVING CONTRACTORS INTERNATIONAL

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The Association of Diving Contractors International (ADC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and ADC hereby form an Alliance to provide ADC members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help protect and improve the health and safety of commercial divers' who operate under hazardous conditions, including increased barometric and differential pressure.

OSHA and ADC will work together to achieve the following training and education goal:

• Develop and make available training courses and education programs on safety issues specific to commercial diving and underwater services through sharing up-to-date commercial diving information such as hazard and workforce trends, between ADC and OSHA.

• Provide the OSHA Training Institute with educational and training support on issues specific to commercial diving.

OSHA and ADC 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 ADC's Web sites.

• Develop and update ADC's respiratory and circulatory safety and health presentations for use by the commercial diving and underwater industry, the users of commercial diving and underwater services and OSHA.

• Speak, exhibit or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other events such as ADC's annual meeting.

• Share information on best practices as jointly determined by OSHA and ADC, with others in the industry and publicize the results through outreach by ADC and through OSHA – or ADC developed training programs and materials.

• Encourage ADC chapters to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address increased barometric pressure and differential risks conditions.

OSHA and ADC will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Participate in forums, roundtable discussions and conferences on commercial diving safety and health issues to help forge innovative solutions to raising safety awareness within the commercial diving, underwater and underwater services industries.

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 of achieving the goals of the Alliance. Team members will include representatives of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

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 concurrence of both signatories.