AMI - Alliance Renewal Agreement - September 27, 2006


AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Meat Institute (AMI) recognize the value of continuing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and AMI hereby renew their Alliance originally signed October 24, 2002 and renewed July 12, 2004 to provide AMI members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, including non-English or limited English speaking workers. In particular, the Alliance focuses on ergonomics and lockout/tagout issues, including the prevention of amputations. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and AMI recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

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

  • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for the meat packing and processing industry, and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.

OSHA and AMI 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 AMI's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
     
  • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or AMI's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the AMI Conference on Worker Safety, Health and Human Resources.
     
  • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AMI's effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by AMI and through OSHA- or AMI-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
     
  • Promote and encourage AMI members' or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
     
  • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

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

  • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings 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; 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 three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. Team members will include representatives of OSHA's 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 the concurrence of both signatories.



Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.
Assistant Secretary
Occupational Safety and Health Administration


Date


J. Patrick Boyle
President and CEO
American Meat Institute


Date