AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FORT LAUDERDALE AREA OFFICE,
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (USF) SAFETYFLORIDA CONSULTATION PROGRAM,
AND
SOUTH FLORIDA MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (SFMA)

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Fort Lauderdale Area Office, the University of South Florida (USF) SafetyFlorida Consultation Program (USF), and the South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA) continue to 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 SFMA hereby renew the Alliance signed April 16, 2024, with a continued emphasis on reducing and preventing exposure to hazards in the manufacturing industry related to falls, electricity, warehousing, chemicals, heat illness, and emergency response issues. Specifically, OSHA, USF and SFMA are committed to providing SFMA members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address hazards related to scaffolding, confined space, and heat illness.

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 injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options, including but not limited to surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA, USF, and SFMA 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: Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Share information on OSHA's National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share¹ information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and communicate such information (e.g., print, and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA, and USF and the SFMA websites) to employers and workers in the industry. Ensure information developed reflects the workforce and is available in multiple languages and formats.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA, USF and SFMA local meetings, or other SFMA events such as its Annual SFMA Educational Training Day.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding SFMA's good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage SFMA members to build relationships with OSHA’s Area offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Florida.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Develop effective training and education programs for SFMA members regarding manufacturing industry prevailing hazards² and communicate such information to constituent employers and workers. Ensure training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to meet the needs of their target audiences.
• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of safety and health training courses.
• Develop effective training and education programs for SFMA members and others to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers. Ensure training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to meet the needs of their target audiences.

OSHA's Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of workplace hazards, OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. In entering this Alliance, OSHA, USF and SFMA acknowledge that this agreement is not legally binding. This agreement does not obligate or authorize the expenditure or reimbursement of appropriations or other funds, nor does it require the parties to enter into any contract or other obligations. It does not confer any rights or responsibilities under U.S. law, nor does it limit or restrict the parties from participating in similar activities or arrangements with other entities. This agreement does not limit, supersede, or otherwise affect OSHA's normal operations or decisions in carrying out its statutory and regulatory duties and functions. OSHA's entering an Alliance with an organization does not imply the agency's endorsement or promotion 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 track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Fort Lauderdale Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation programs' participation on the team. This agreement will be executed in full compliance with all applicable federal laws. It takes effect on the date of signing and will remain in effect for five years. Any signatory may terminate their organization's participation in the agreement 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 14th of August, 2026.

¹This will primarily be accomplished by the following methods – The monthly SFMA newsletters and quarterly live Webinars (as well as in-person events). Information will be recorded and uploaded to SFMA Environmental Health Safety (EHS) Library. In many instances courses/ webinars are translated to Spanish and uploaded as well to serve our Spanish-speaking members.

²Manufacturing industry prevailing hazards include - fall protection, electrical safety, confined space safety, steel erection, struck-by, silica, noise, and other health hazards.