AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE AMERICAN IRON & STEEL INSTITUTE,
SPECIALTY STEEL INDUSTRY OF NORTH AMERICA
AND THE STEEL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and "The Steel Group" comprised of the American Iron & Steel Institute, Specialty Steel Industry of North America, and the Steel Manufacturers Association, recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to promote and cultivate safer and more healthful American workplaces. The Steel Group and OSHA hereby form an Alliance to provide the steel manufacturing industry and others, including downstream manufacturers, with information, guidance, and mentoring that will help them protect employees' health and safety. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and The Steel Group recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

The Steel Group and OSHA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Provide OSHA input into the development of a steel industry safety and health management process to serve as a reference tool for the industry and others, including downstream manufacturers.
   
• Develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media that serve the steel industry, including, as applicable, links to selected pages on OSHA's and the Steel Group's Web sites.
   
• Provide technical expertise to assist OSHA in identifying and developing safety and health issues specific to the steel industry that can be addressed in e-Tools and other electronic assistance products for the OSHA web site.
   
• Provide opportunities to speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences such as Steel Group conferences, local meetings, or other events that serve the steel industry to promote the prevention of workplace injuries or illnesses.
   
• Cross train OSHA personnel and steel industry safety and health professionals in issues specific to the steel industry, as jointly determined by OSHA and the Steel Group.
   
• Promote to the steel industry the benefits of their participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as Compliance Assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

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

• Explore opportunities to establish forums at Steel Group conferences and meetings to discuss injuries and illnesses that may occur in steel industry plants in order to help forge innovative solutions to these incidents in the workplace.

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as 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 from 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 the steel industry's safety professionals. Additional team members may be brought in from either group as needed to assist with technical matters. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for one year. Any 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 the signatories.