Region 5 - Alliance Agreement - August 14, 2024
AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
CHICAGO NORTH, CHICAGO SOUTH, NAPERVILLE ILLINOIS AREA OFFICES
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
ASSOCIATION OF SUBCONTRACTORS & AFFILIATES (ASA) CHICAGO
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Chicago North, Chicago South, and Naperville Area Offices and the Associations of Subcontractors & Affiliates (ASA) Chicago 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 ASA Chicago hereby form an Alliance to provide ASA Chicago members and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers by reducing and preventing exposure to trenching/excavation, electrical, fall, struck-by, silica, heat illness, other construction hazards 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 member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and ASA Chicago 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 current and upcoming 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.
- Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and ASA Chicago meetings, forums, expositions, round tables and events.
- Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on Falls, Electrocution, Caught-between, Struck-by and any current OSHA emphasis Programs 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 ASA Chicago's members' best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
- Obtain feedback from non-managerial workers in the Chicagoland commercial construction industry, by inviting workers to ASA Chicago safety-related functions, and by providing specific avenues for feedback, such as, but not limited to, QR codes and surveys during such events.
- To promote awareness of OSHA's Outreach Campaigns
Training and Education
- Develop effective training and education programs for participants on workplace hazards and communicate information to constitute 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 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 Chicago North, Chicago South and Naperville Area 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. 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 14th day of August, 2024.
Marissa Veith, Executive Director
Association of Subcontractors & Affiliates (ASA) Chicago
Sukhvir Kaur, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Chicago North Area Office
James Martineck, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Chicago South Area Office
Jacob Scott, Area Director
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Naperville Area Office