AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND THE
NATIONAL LUMBER AND BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS ASSOCIATION

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) recognize the value of providing safe and healthy workplaces in the retail lumber and building materials industry. Through forming a collaborative relationship, OSHA and the NLBMDA will work together and network with interested parties to increase overall safety awareness while specifically addressing recordkeeping issues and reducing or preventing forklift accidents and lifting strains in the lumber and building materials industry.

OSHA and NLBMDA agree to establish an Alliance to promote safe and healthy workplaces by using their collective expertise to advance a culture of safety and prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge between the two organizations by:

• Providing NLBMDA members and others in the industry with information and guidance that will help them protect employees' safety and health, with a special emphasis on reducing and preventing forklift accidents and lifting strains.
• Raising awareness of the recordkeeping requirements with information and training resources for the lumber and building material industry.

OSHA and NLBMDA will work together to achieve the following training and educational goals:

• Develop and make available training, education programs, and "tool box talks" on recordkeeping, forklifts, and safe lifting targeted to the unique issues in the lumber and building material industry.
• Address language and literacy issues while producing lumber and building material industry safety and health training, education programs, and "tool box talks."

OSHA and NLBMDA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Develop and disseminate information on safety and health topics and achievements by speaking or exhibiting at industry conferences, local meetings, and through print and electronic media, including links from OSHA's and NLBMDA's Web sites.
• Encourage NLBMDA chapters to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address safety and health issues, including forklift and lifting issues.
• Assist in the development of electronic assistance tools for OSHA's Web page that address recordkeeping issues as well as safety and health hazards including reducing and preventing forklift accidents and lifting strains.
• Promote and educate NLBMDA's members' on the scope and benefit of OSHA's Consultation Program and provide information on other cooperative programs such as the Voluntary Protection Programs, Partnerships, and SHARP.

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

• Encourage NLBMDA's members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA's cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists.
• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on forklift and lifting issues in the lumber and building materials industry to help forge innovative and practical solutions in the workplace and to provide information during the development of industry specific safety and health guidelines.

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, the team 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 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.