AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE NATIONAL DEMOLITION ASSOCIATION

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and The National Demolition Association (NDA) recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American Workplaces. To that end, OSHA and NDA hereby enter into an Alliance with an emphasis on worker safety within the demolition and environmental industry. Both organizations are committed to providing NDA members, safety and health professionals, the public, labor representation groups, and others in the demolition industry with information, guidance, and access to training that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to hazardous waste hazards within the demolition industry by addressing the proper removal and recycling of hazardous materials, as well as the those hazards associated with the use and maintenance of demolition equipment, and promote a better understanding of worker rights and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet the requirements for program participation laid out in the “Fundamental Requirements for OSHA Alliance Program Participants” and the “Guidelines for OSHA’s Alliance Program Participants: Alliance Products and Other Alliance Projects.”

Through the Alliance, the organizations will use available injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify and prioritize areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options, including but not limited to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and NDA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants will work together to achieve the following raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement objectives:

• Share information on OSHA's National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach) compliance assistance products, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process, including those relevant to demolition and related industries.
• Disseminate information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers through communications such as: OSHA and NDA websites, print, electronic (NDA newsletters, membership network emails) and social media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc., utilizing OSHA campaign #hashtags), NDA Library, electronic assistance tools, and scheduled calls/meetings.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and NDA conferences, local meetings, forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on health and safety hazards in demolition and related industries to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• Work collaboratively through the Alliance with other stakeholders to develop and disseminate an alliance product focusing on best practices in “Power Plant Demolition,” which will promote the advancement of safety and health for NDA members, safety and health professionals, the public, and other stakeholders in the demolition sector.
• Encourage worker participation by including the Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America as an active participant in the Alliance implementation team and Alliance projects.

Training and Education

The Participants will work together to achieve the following training and education objectives:

• Expand existing relationships between the NDA members and OSHA's Regional/Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including providing “Best Practice Training” to agency staff focusing on deconstruction and selective dismantlement of building components for re-use, repurposing, recycling, and waste management, in addition to providing technical expertise, when appropriate.
• Review and provide feedback on OSHA compliance assistance and educational materials related to demolition practices to ensure they reference current industry best practices.
• Revise existing and/or develop new best practices for demolition contractors to incorporate into workplace safety and health management systems and other safety performance programs.

OSHA’s Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet one to two times per year to discuss the responsibilities of the participants, to share information on activities, and to track results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives from the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, the Directorate of Standards and Guidance, the Directorate of Construction, and any other offices as appropriate. OSHA will encourage the participation of State Plans and OSHA On-site Consultation Programs on the team, as well as share any products or activities that result from the work of the Alliance.

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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 8th day of July, 2021.