AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THE INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION - NORTH AMERICA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Industrial Minerals Association - North America (IMA-NA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and IMA-NA hereby form an Alliance to provide IMA-NA members and others in the industrial minerals industry with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety. In particular, the Alliance will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to rail and truck hazards common to industrial facilities (e.g., ingress and egress of rail cars and trucks at the workplace, movement of rail cars and trucks between holding and loading/unloading sites, opening/closing gates and bin closures, loading/unloading practices, securing loads, etc.). In developing this Alliance, OSHA and IMA-NA recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Onsite Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and IMA-NA will work together to achieve the following training and education goal:

• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of rail and truck safety courses to the industrial minerals industry.

OSHA and IMA-NA 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 the IMA-NA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
   
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or IMA-NA's conferences local meetings or other events, such as the Minerals Technology Workshop and IMA-NA Safety & Health Committee and Ergonomics Task Force.
   
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals through IMA-NA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by IMA-NA and through OSHA- or IMA-NA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
   
• Promote and encourage IMA-NA member participation in OSHA's cooperative programs, such as the Voluntary Protection Programs, the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

OSHA and IMA-NA 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, including rail and truck safety in industrial facilities.

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 are recognized as valuable tools by 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 Onsite Consultation Projects' participation on the team. IMA-NA team members will include representatives from a variety of member companies and will include both producer and associate members.

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.