The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) and The American Foundry Society (AFS) recognize
the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster
safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and AFS hereby
form an Alliance to provide AFS members and others, including small
businesses in the metalcasting industry, with information, guidance,
and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health
and safety, particularly focusing on workplace issues, including
personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilation and reducing and
preventing exposure to silica. In developing this Alliance, OSHA
and AFS recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project
partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.
OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve the following training
and education goals:
- With OSHA's input, develop AFS training and education programs
to address hazards in the foundry workplace and review and provide
input into the AFS OSHA Compliance.
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise to OSHA's Office of Training
and Education in developing education and training regarding
hazards in the foundry workplace.
OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve
the following outreach and communication goals:
- Develop and disseminate information through print and electronic
media, including electronic assistance tools, presentations and
links from OSHA's and AFS's Web sites.
- Speak, exhibit, and/or appear at OSHA and AFS conferences,
local meetings, and other events such as the annual Environmental
Health and Safety (EHS) conference and the Washington Conference.
- Cross-train OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals
in foundry best practices or effective approaches, as jointly
determined by OSHA and AFS.
- Promote and encourage AFS member worksites to participate in
OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the
Voluntary Protection Programs, Consultation and its Safety and
Health Achievement Recognition Program.
- Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and
projects regarding silica, PPE and ventilation issues that are
addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
- Encourage AFS chapters and worksites to build relationships
with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety
issues.
OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve
the following goal related to promoting the national dialogue on
workplace safety and health:
- Raise others' awareness and demonstrate their own commitment
to workplace safety and health whenever AFS's leaders address
groups.
OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity
to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA
for purposes such as training and education, outreach and communication,
and promoting a national dialogue on workplace safety and health.
These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and
its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party,
OSHA is not endorsing any of that party's products or services; nor
does the Agency enter into an Alliance with the purpose of promoting
a particular party's products or services.
An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations
will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures,
and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants.
In addition, they will meet at least quarterly to track and share
information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the
Alliance. Team members will include representatives of OSHA's Directorate
of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Science, Technology
and Medicine and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage
State Plan States' and OSHA Consultation Projects' participation
on the team.
This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Signatories may
terminate this agreement for any reason at any time provided they
give 30 days written notice. This agreement may be modified at any
time with the concurrence of signatories.
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John Henshaw
Assistant Secretary
Occupational Safety and
Health Administration |
Date |
H. Arthur Edge
President
American Foundry Society Inc. |
Date |
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