AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
LUBBOCK AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
AMARILLO COLLEGE

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Lubbock Area Office and Amarillo College recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and Amarillo College, hereby form an Alliance to provide Amarillo College members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between and addressing construction, oil and gas and general industry issues, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety an Health Act (OSH Act).

This Alliance 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 limiting to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and Amarillo College 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 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 the Amarillo College websites to employers and workers in the industry.
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and Amarillo College conferences, local meetings, or other Safety and Health events.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding Amarillo College good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• Encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by recommending that members participate in OSHA’s cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, Voluntary Protection Programs, Alliance Program, Partnerships Program and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
• Collaborate with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on Construction Industry, General Industry and Oil and Gas Industry.
• Encourage Amarillo College members to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues including hazards inherent with the industries of the area and surrounding communities.

Training and Education

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

• Deliver or arrange for the delivery of OSHA 10- and 30-Hour courses and other Safety and Health courses in English and Spanish.
• Develop effective training and education programs for students, workers, and employers regarding the Construction Industry, General Industry and Oil and Gas Industry, and communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• Develop effective training and education programs for employees, employers, and students 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.

OSHA’s Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. 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 or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least 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 Lubbock Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for three years. 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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 26 day of June, 2005.