AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE HOUSTON SOUTH AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE ABC SOUTHEAST TEXAS CHAPTER

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Houston South Area Office and the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter 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 the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter hereby form an Alliance to provide ABC Southeast Texas Chapter members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards within the construction industry, 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 the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter 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, and OSHA and the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter websites) to employers and workers in the industry.

• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and ABC Southeast Texas Chapter conferences, and local meeting events.

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

• Ensure Alliance activities are informed by the perspectives of non-managerial workers employed in the construction industry by seeking non-managerial worker feedback and participation in Alliance events.

• Develop and disseminate case studies on OSHAs Focus Four Hazards and publicize their results.

• Encourage ABC Southeast Texas Chapter members to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including construction industry Focus Four Hazards.

Training and Education

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

• Promote effective training and education programs for ABC Southeast Texas Chapter members regarding the construction industry Focus Four Hazards 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.

• Promote effective training and education programs for ABC Southeast Texas Chapter members 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 OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communications, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. In entering this Alliance, OSHA and the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter 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 Houston South Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' and OSHA On-Site Consultation program's 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 two 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 all signatories.

Signed this 18th day of August, 2025.