AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE ILLINOIS OSHA AREA OFFICES
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
ILLINOIS ON-SITE CONSULTATION PROGRAM
AND
ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE CENTER

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Fairview Heights, Chicago North, Chicago South, Naperville, and Peoria Area Offices, the Illinois Department of Labor's On-site Consultation Program and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, Illinois On-site Consultation Program, and IMEC hereby form an Alliance to provide IMEC members, stakeholders, and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers by reducing and precenting exposure to workplace hazards in all industries and understand the rights of workers 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 "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 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 developing this Alliance, OSHA and IMEC 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/Regional/Local Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.

• Share 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, including OSHA and IMEC websites) to employers and workers in industry. Ensure information developed encourages and reflects the diversity of the workforce and is accessible in multiple languages and formats.

• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and IMEC conferences, local meetings, or other events.

• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on workplace hazards to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding IMEC client and stakeholder good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

• Encourage Illinois manufacturers and stakeholders to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.

Training and Education

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

• Develop effective training and education programs for IMEC's industrial target industries and stakeholders regarding various industry hazards including OSHA's National/Regional/Local Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach) while communicating such information to constituent employers and workers. Ensure training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.

• Develop effective training and education programs for Illinois manufacturers, IMEC stakeholders, and participants 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 equitably 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 OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communications, 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 track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Fairview Heights, Chicago North, Chicago South, Naperville, and Peoria Area Offices and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation program' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Either 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 28^th day of January, 2025.