AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
between
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
and
THE RISK AND INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

The Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continue to strive to meet customer needs by providing information, assistance, and training that will enable businesses to successfully meet the challenge of fostering safe and healthful workplaces.

Both RIMS and OSHA recognize the value that successful safety and health management systems add to a worksite, and the impact of using a cooperative approach between OSHA, management, and labor. RIMS and OSHA agree to use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge by:

• Establishing lines of communication between OSHA and member organizations of RIMS that will improve the perception of OSHA, foster understanding of the safety and health needs of the member organizations of RIMS, and allow the exchange of technical information and best practices.

• Promoting the use of OSHA's outreach services, including consultation, training, technical assistance, and voluntary program participation.

• Demonstrating the cost benefits and business value of safety and health management systems.

RIMS and OSHA will work together to effect the following outreach and communication goals:

• Exchange technical information and best practices

• Inform RIMS membership of OSHA issues and concerns

• Use existing communication tools more effectively, including web sites, newsletters, magazines, and conference exhibits

• Provide workshop instruction at RIM's annual and regional conferences

• Provide access to OSHA's Compliance Assistance Specialists and Consultation Projects and establish links between OSHA Area Offices and local and state RIMS Chapters

RIMS and OSHA will also work together to effect the following training and education goals:

• Collect and analyze cost benefit information in order to develop a tool for safety and health professionals to use in demonstrating the cost savings and benefits associated with effective safety and health management systems

• Encourage employers to incorporate safety and health into their overall business management systems

An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations will meet at least quarterly to achieve the goals of the Alliance. OSHA's representatives will include one from the Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association to facilitate the participation of State Plan States in the Alliance. Likewise, a representative of the state Consultation Projects will participate in order to maximize opportunities for the involvement of Consultation Projects. Additional team members may be brought in as needed to assist with technical matters or special projects. The implementation team will determine Alliance procedures, identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants, track, analyze and share information on activities and results, and meet at least annually to evaluate the effectiveness of the agreement. When possible, annual meetings will take place at the RIMS annual conference.

This agreement will remain in effect until either signatory withdraws from the alliance or both parties agree to a modification. This agreement may be modified at any time with the concurrence of both signatories and may be terminated for any reason with thirty (30) days written notice from either signatory.