OSHA Strategic Partnerships Program > Region 6 > #435 Partnership Renewal Agreement

U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
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Printing Instructions

Partnership Agreement
Between
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
Bayou Chapter
and the
U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Baton Rouge Area Office

I. PARTNERS

The partners of the Agreement are:

The Bayou Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC)
The Baton Rouge Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

II. PURPOSE/SCOPE

The ABC and OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office mutually recognize the importance of providing a safe and healthful work environment for those employees working in Louisiana. To advance our mutual goal, we strongly agree on the need to develop partnerships that foster mutual trust and respect for the respective roles of each organization in the construction safety process. We recognize and embrace the responsibilities inherent in those roles. We are committed to work as partners to achieve construction workplace safety and health through shared strategies and objectives.

This agreement provides incentives to contractors that voluntarily participate in the ABC Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program and demonstrate implementation of effective safety and health programs. The STEP program, implemented annually by the ABC, is an objective tool that contractor members use to evaluate and strengthen their safety programs, policies and procedures. ABC recognizes participants based on their development and enactment of safety programs, policies and procedures. The four recognition levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. See Appendix B for a detailed description of the STEP program. See Appendix C for a copy of the STEP application.

Implementation of this agreement is expected to result in an improved awareness to safety concerns, and decreased injuries, illnesses and fatalities for participant contractors with a resultant decrease in worker compensation costs as well as other direct or indirect costs.

III. PARTICIPATION GOALS

The ABC and OSHA will work in partnership to accomplish three key goals:

Reduce by 3% over the course of the partnership the DART (Days Away Restricted or Transfer) rate affecting participant employers, with an emphasis on reducing injuries and illnesses resulting from falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps, and electrocution (focused four construction hazards). Upon signature of this agreement the most current three year average DART rate of those companies participating in the partnership will serve as a baseline.
Increase the number of ABC firms that participate in the STEP program by 5% per year.
Increase the number of companies participating in mentoring activities.

The partners will achieve these goals using strategies and measurements listed in Appendix A.

IV. PARTNER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The ABC and OSHA agree to work in partnership to improve safety and health performance at participating companies.

The ABC agrees to:

Distribute STEP applications to ABC members.

Distribute along with the STEP application information regarding this partnership, a written opportunity to participate in this partnership and an opportunity to become a mentor or receive mentoring.

Inform OSHA of those companies participating in the partnership, along with their level of recognition (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum).

Share baseline and ongoing measurement data with OSHA.

Share best practices and successes with others within the construction industry.

OSHA agrees to:

Work cooperatively with the ABC to provide safety and health information, technical assistance, and training (as resources allow), to facilitate improvements in safety and health management systems.

Ensure that the affected OSHA staff, including the Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs), are familiar with requirements and objectives of this partnership.

Participate in conferences, committee meetings and/or other professional functions, as resources allow.

Facilitate mentoring support between those companies desiring to be mentored and the ABC.

V. BENEFITS

OSHA will offer the following benefits to participating ABC companies:

When calculating the initial penalty reduction when a partner company has been inspected and a violation exists, OSHA will provide an additional reduction for good faith beyond the reductions provided in the FIRM where the partner has taken significant steps beyond those provided in the FIRM to implement the OSH Act and achieve a high level of employee protection. This additional reduction will not apply to high gravity serious, willful, failure to abate or repeat citations. The percentage of this additional reduction is based upon the partner company’s level of participation in the STEP program. They are:

Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum

2 % reduction
5 % reduction
7 % reduction
10% reduction

In the event that a citation with penalty is issued to a partner company of this agreement, the Area Director has the authority to negotiate the amount of the penalty reduction as part of the informal conference settlement agreement.
If a partner company is selected for a programmed inspection and has undergone an onsite non-enforcement verification inspection within one year of the date of the programmed inspection, a focused inspection will be conducted. The focus of this inspection will be falls, electrical, struck-by and caught–in-between hazards, which remain the top four hazards of the construction industry.
In the event that a partner company should receive a citation following an OSHA inspection, that company will be afforded the opportunity to have an ABC staff member participate in an informal conference between themselves and OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office.
When a partnering company requests an onsite consultation from the Louisiana Department of Labor, OSHA Consultation office, they will be provided priority consideration.

VI. VERIFICATION

Annually, OSHA will conduct onsite non-enforcement verification inspections of 10% of the companies participating in this partnership. This review will allow OSHA to evaluate the company’s implementation of this partnership and observe whether the safety and health management system in place is adequately protecting the employees. The onsite review will be comprehensive in scope and will include a representative sample of employee interviews.

VII. PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT

At a minimum a Partnership Implementation Team comprised of the ABC Bayou Safety Committee Chair, Chapter President/CEO, Chapter Director of Education and Board Member Liaison to the Safety Committee and OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office Area Director and/or his designee(s) will meet to conduct these activities:

The ABC Bayou Chapter will forward the name of those companies who have elected to participate in this partnership, along with their STEP award level, to OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office.
OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office will conduct verification inspections as described in section VI. OSHA will provide each company who has undergone a successful verification inspection with a certificate.
OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area office will inform all enforcement staff within the office about the contents of this partnership, the names of the companies participating in this partnership and when/if they have received a verification inspection.
The ABC Bayou Chapter will forward to OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office, the data required to calculate the DART rate for the baseline years and each subsequent year for the annual evaluation of this partnership.
The Partnership Implementation Team will track mentoring activities, best practices and success stories.
The Partnership Implementation Team will meet quarterly for the first year and at least semi-annually for each subsequent year to jointly evaluate the effectiveness of this Partnership.

VIII. EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER RIGHTS

This partnership does not preclude employees and/or employers from exercising any right provided under the OSH Act (or, for federal employees, 29 CFR 1960), nor does it abrogate any responsibility to comply with the Act.

IX. TERMINATION

This agreement will terminate three years from the date the partnership is signed. If either OSHA or ABC Bayou wishes to withdraw their participation prior to the established termination date, the agreement will terminate upon receiving a 30 day written notice of the intent to withdraw from either signatory.

X. EVALUATION

This partnership will be evaluated annually for achievement towards the goal of reducing the DART rate by 3%. The ABC Bayou Chapter is responsible for gathering data upon which the partnership will be measured.

Participant aggregate DART rate will be compared with BLS published data and against the previous year’s data.

The Partnership Implementation Team will prepare an annual report evaluating the merits of the program and providing recommendations for continuous improvement. The report will include the DART rate. The partnership annual report will be reviewed by OSHA and the ABC Bayou Chapter and may be revised based on recommendations for continuous improvement.

XI. SIGNATORIES

Greg Honaker Area Director USDOL/OSHA Baton Rouge Area Office	Skipper Rinaldi President/CEO Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. Bayou Chapter
Date: __________________________________	Date: __________________________________

APPENDIX A
GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND MEASURES

GOALS	STRATEGIES	MEASURES
1) Reduce by 3% over the course of the partnership the DART (Days Away Restricted or Transfer) rate affecting participant employers, with an emphasis on reducing injuries and illnesses resulting from falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps, and electrocution (focused four construction hazards).	a) Identify primary injury and illness causal factors through a review of the participant’s injury and illness data. b) Share best practices among participants regarding these primary causal factors and the four focused construction hazards, if different.	i) DART rate ii) Number of injuries and illnesses resulting from the focused four construction hazards.
2) Increase the number of ABC construction firms that participate in the STEP program by 5% per year.	a) Facilitate the use of STEP participants in promoting the benefits of the STEP program.	i) Number of STEP participants.
3) Increase the number of companies participating in mentoring activities	a) Use the ABC Safety Committee to capture the identity of those companies willing to serve as mentors. b) Use the ABC Safety Committee to capture the identity of those companies requesting a mentor. c) Using the ABC Safety Committee, match mentors with companies seeking a mentor.	i) Number of companies volunteering to become a mentor. ii) Number of companies requesting a mentor.

APPENDIX B
The ABC STEP Program

1. Program

ABC has implemented a national program to assist its member construction companies in annually evaluating their safety and health program performance and their safety and health training programs. This program is known as the Safety Training and Evaluation Process, or “STEP” program. The ABC National Office processes all applications and, in turn, presents awards to qualified applicants.
The STEP program was created by the ABC National Safety Committee in 1992. The National Safety Committee is composed of construction safety professionals drawn from ABC member companies throughout the United States. Along with this national committee, ABC has over 60 safety committees formed in various chapters across the United States and Guam. Safety committee members at these local chapters identify and provide safety courses and seminars on safety compliance programs pertinent to their geographical area. These committees convey concerns, stance on issues and other items of construction safety interest to the National Safety Committee.
The STEP program has four award levels. The Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum awards are based on self-evaluation scores and are administered by ABC. The fourth category, Platinum, will be open to those companies whose achievements in the area of worksite safety are, certifiably, the best of the best. OSHA will recognize contractors that participate in the STEP program in all levels.
Once a partnership has been established, the ABC Staff and/or Partnership Implementation Team will inform their members who have successfully completed the application process and are thus eligible for participation in the CLAS Partnership.

2. Program Implementation

The Partnership shall be implemented as follows:

STEP Applications
1. ABC National will distribute applications to its contractor members. The application consists of a two-part form. Part One of the form requests safety statistical data. This data is found on summary OSHA 300 logs. Part Two of the form is the self-evaluation section where contractors answer a series of questions related to their safety program; each response has a numerical rating. Responses from questions are totaled, providing a score.
2. The next phase of the STEP program is the evaluation of applicants. Application evaluation is conducted at the ABC National office. Data from each application is keyed into ABC National’s database. This includes information from the applicant’s OSHA 300 Log, employee work-hours from the noted calendar year, as well as the self-evaluation score. OSHA 300 Log data is used to evaluate Platinum incentive award level applicants’ recordable rates.
3. Applicants seeking Platinum incentive award level must satisfy additional criteria. To review the criteria, see Section 1 of the “Instructions for completing the STEP Submittal Sheet” found in Appendix C.
ABC National will forward the names of STEP companies, their appropriate STEP level, STEP score, and recordable rate to the ABC Bayou Chapter.

3. Program Quality Controls

The ABC Bayou Chapter will designate staff personnel to implement the following program monitoring activities:
1. Periodic reviews of participatory ABC chapter activities to ensure that program requirements are met.
2. Termination of a participating contractor’s status if findings indicate unacceptable performance or submission of falsified documentation;
3. Provide recommendations to the Partnership Implementation Team for program improvements.
Information submitted by contractors as part of the application or renewal process, as well as information obtained by virtue of the contractor's application or participation in the program, will be held in strict confidence within the confines of the partnership program. However, in event of an OSHA inspection, such information that is relevant to any element of the investigation and normally is available will be provided to OSHA upon request.

4. Contractor Termination

A contractor's participation will be terminated and OSHA will be informed if one or more of the following occurs:
1. The contractor has falsified information on the application or supporting records;
2. The contractor does not maintain an active membership with the ABC Bayou Chapter.
3. The contractor takes other such actions that may be determined to be grounds for termination by the Partnership Steering Subcommittee;
Prior to final termination of a contractor's status, the following will occur:
1. The contractor will be notified in writing of the intent to terminate;
2. The notice will include an explanation of the reasons for termination;
3. The contractor will have an opportunity to reply to the written notice within a period of thirty (30) days; and
4. The contractor will have the right to make an appearance before the Partnership Steering Subcommittee.
The Partnership Implementation Team will have the authority to reinstate the contractor if it is determined that the contractor's experience was unusual and not necessarily inconsistent with a sound safety and health program. In this event OSHA is free to conduct another verification inspection.
Any contractor may terminate participation in the program at any time.

APPENDIX C

Safety Training & Evaluation Process

Submittal Sheet

SECTION 1 – COMPANY DATA

 Check box if you are applying for STEP Platinum.

Company Name: ________________________________

Address: ______________________________________

City/State/Zip: _________________________________

ABC Chapter: __________________________________

SIC/NAICS Code: _______________________________

% Work Location:

______Local ______Regional

______National ______International

% Work Type:

______Residential

______Comm’l ______Industrial

% Work Performed as a Construction Manager: ______

SECTION 2 – SAFETY DATA

REFER TO YOUR 2004 OSHA FORM 300A FOR (a) through (h) AND FOCUS 4 DATA

a.____ Total number of deaths (line G on OSHA #300A)

b.____ Total number of CASES with days away from work (line H on OSHA #300A)

c.____ Total number of CASES with job transfer/restriction (line I on OSHA #300A)

d.____ Total number of other recordable cases (line J on OSHA #300A)

e.____ Total number of DAYS away from work (line K on OSHA #300A)

f. ____ Total number of DAYS of job transfer or restriction (line L on OSHA #300A)

g.________ Annual average number of employees

h.________ Total hours worked by all employees in 2004

i.____ EMR ("mod factor")

j.) a+b+c+d = __________

ALL Applicants – Focus 4 Data

Number of falls _____
Number of caught in/between _____
Number of struck-by _____
Number of electrical incidents _____

_____ # Federal/State OSHA inspections in 2004 _____ # Federal/State OSHA citations issued in 2004 _____ # Federal/State OSHA citations tossed out in 2004	Length of safety orientation (in minutes): ________
	Toolbox safety talks frequency:  Daily  Weekly
	 Bi-weekly  Monthly  Other
Do you have a substance abuse program that includes a drug/alcohol screening process? Yes No

SECTION 3 – TWENTY KEY COMPONENTS SUMMARY

A.___ Employer Commitment B.___ Employer Policy Statement on Safety C.___ Responsibility for Safety Defined D.___ EMR or Loss Ratio E.___ Resources for Safety F.___ Safety Program Goal Setting G.___ Employer Supervisory Meeting	H.___ Pre-Planning for Jobsite Safety I.___ Employee Participation J.___ New Employee Orientation K.___ Safety Rules L.___ Employee Safety Training M.___ Toolbox Safety Meetings N.___ Inspections	O.___ Supervisory Training P.___ Accident Investigation Q.___ Use of PPE R.___ Performance Review S.___ Substance Abuse Policy T.___ Recordkeeping
		____ TOTAL SCORE

SECTION 4 – CERTIFICATIONS

I CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT.

Form completed by: ___________________________		__________________________	___________
	please print name and title	signature	date
	Phone #: ______________________	E-mail address: _______________________________
Form confirmed by: ____________________________		__________________________	___________
	please print name and title	signature	date

 I would like more information about the VPP-Construction Program and the OSHA Challenge Program

ABC Chapter Representative’s Signature: __________________________________________

Instructions for completing the STEP Submittal Sheet.

SECTION 1 – COMPANY DATA

Company name. Enter the official name of your business. In cases where a specific location or division of a company is applying individually, please specify which location, division, etc.
Address & City/State/ZIP. Enter the mailing address of the location for which this application is being submitted. If you are submitting an application that covers multiple locations, please enter the address to which you would like correspondence sent.
ABC chapter. List all ABC chapters to which you belonged during the application year.
SIC/NAICS code. Refer to the following to list either your SIC or NAICS number.

SIC	NAICS	Description
15	233	Building construction, general construction, general contractors and operative builders
16	234	Heavy construction other than building construction
17	235	Construction – special trade contractor

Construction location and type. Please estimate the amount of local, regional, national, and international work your company participates in. Also estimate what percentage was industrial, commercial, or residential, and how much was performed as a construction manager.
Check box if you are applying for Platinum. If you are submitting this application for Platinum award consideration, check this box. STEP Platinum level is open to applicants who meet ALL of the following qualifications:
1. Received Gold or Platinum STEP award last year.
2. Have a Twenty Key Components score of 125 or higher.
3. Have a Total Recordable Rate in year 2002, 2003, or 2004, that is equal to, or less than the following for your SIC code (see formula below):
4. Have written site-specific safety and health programs.
5. Incorporate employee involvement into the safety & health program (i.e. participation in self-audits, site inspections, job hazard analyses, safety and health program reviews, safety training, near-miss investigations, etc.).
6. Have effective employee training for avoidance of hazards specific to the contractor’s worksite(s).
7. Provide construction site supervisors with training equivalent to the OSHA 10-hour construction safety course.
8. Have designated safety personnel who, through training and experience, are able to recognize work hazards and have the authority to take prompt corrective action. Training curriculum equivalent to the OSHA 30-hour Construction Safety course will be deemed to be satisfactory.
9. Have no fatalities or catastrophic incidents (in-patient hospitalization of 3 or more employees) in the past three years, which resulted in OSHA citations.
10. Submit an insurer’s statement attesting to the STEP score (sample attached to end).
11. Submit a copy of their OSHA 300A Form.
12. Submit a nonrefundable $165 processing fee.

Total Recordable Rate =

Total number of OSHA Recordables x 200,000

Total Hours Worked by All Employees

No fee is required if you are NOT applying for STEP Platinum

Note

SECTION 2 – SAFETY DATA

Lines a through i. Use your competed 2004 OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) to provide this data. Information in parentheses refers to lines on the OSHA Form 300A. Note that (b) and (c) ask for CASES, while (e) and (f) ask for DAYS. Also, complete (g) and (h) using this information from your 2004 OSHA Form 300A.
Line j. Contact your workers compensation insurance carrier to obtain your experience modification rate.
Focus 4 data. Use your completed 2004 OSHA Form 300 to enter the number of recordable incidents that involved falls, caught in/between injuries, struck-by injuries and electrical injuries. Record these numbers into the respective blanks.
# Federal/State OSHA inspections in 2004. Enter the total number of times OSHA inspected any of your worksites in 2003. In cases where a specific location or division of a company is submitting this application individually, include only the number of inspections encountered by the location or division.
# Federal/State OSHA citations issued in 2004. Enter the total number of OSHA citations you received as a result of the aforementioned inspections. Count all citations issued originally, regardless of whether or not any/all were eventually deleted or dismissed. In cases where a specific location or division of a company is submitting this application individually, include only the number of citations issued to your specific location or division.
# Federal/State OSHA citations tossed out in 2004. Enter the total number of OSHA citations that were completely tossed out (deleted or dismissed) as a result of subsequent negotiations or court proceedings. Do NOT count citations that have been simply reclassified or reduced in penalty. In cases where a specific location or division of a company is submitting this application individually, include only the number of citations tossed out for your specific location or division.
Length of safety orientation in minutes. Indicate the length of your company’s safety orientation, or the number of minutes devoted to safety during your company’s new employee orientation.
Do you conduct toolbox safety talks? Indicate whether or not you conduct regular (no less than monthly) toolbox safety talks.
Do you have a substance abuse program? Indicate whether or not your company has a substance abuse program.
# Safety/Health/Environment employees. Enter the total number of personnel assigned to manage your safety, health and environmental programs.

SECTION 3 – TWENTY KEY COMPONENTS SUMMARY

After you have completed the “Twenty Key Components” section of the application, copy the individual Sub-Scores for (A) through (T) onto the respective blanks in this section. Please total your scores and enter this number onto the “Total Score” blank.

SECTION 4 – CERTIFICATIONS

Form completed by. The person who completes this form should print their name and title, sign and date on the appropriate lines.
E-mail address. The person who completes this form is asked to provide his/her email address.
Form confirmed by. The person who certifies that the information on this form is complete and accurate should print their name and title, sign and date on the appropriate lines. Ideally, this should be the same person that signs off on your OSHA Form 300A.
Chapter representative’s signature. After you have completed your STEP application, forward the STEP Submittal Sheet to your chapter. Once received, your ABC chapter representative will sign.

TWENTY KEY COMPONENTS

Twenty (20) key components of company safety programs are listed on the following pages (see letters A through T). Each component contains columns that describe four levels of safety performance. Select the column that BEST describes your company’s performance. The score (number above the column) should be circled then written in the box labeled "SUB-SCORE." Transfer the SUB-SCOREs to the submittal sheet’s “Twenty Key Components” section.

A. EMPLOYER COMMITMENT

12	8	4	0
Employer participates in the safety program Sets objective for safety Requires feedback on program Provides necessary funds Safety is a part of company-wide performance appraisals	Company management participates in safety program Requires feedback on safety program Provides funds for safety	Company management wants and supports safety but does not participate Provides funds for safety activities	Not included Has a hands-off approach Leaves safety to safety coordinator or supervisory personnel

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION A

B. EMPLOYER POLICY STATEMENT ON SAFETY

6	4	2	0
Is in writing Known to all employees Is part of safety manual Defines purpose and scope of safety program Emphasizes employer approach Signed & supported by top person(s) in company	Policy exists Is in writing Has not been explained to employees but is posted Authorizes loss prevention activities	Policy exists but is not known by employees	No policy exists

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION B

C. RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY DEFINED

9	6	3	0
Responsibility for safety defined for everyone in company Is in writing and is part of safety manual Supervisors/foremen have key responsibilities	Responsibility for safety defined for everyone in company Is not in writing Supervisors/foremen have key responsibilities	Responsibility for safety rests solely with a designated safety coordinator Supervisory personnel do not assist with safety program implementation	Responsibility for safety has not been defined within the company

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION C

D. EXPERIENCE MODIFICATION RATE (EMR) OR LOSS RATIO (LR)

6	4	2	0
EMR each of the past three years & the current year is below 0.85 (EMR) or (LR) is 40% or less Employer reviews the costs of accidents and the impact of the EMR/LR on the company	EMR/LR each of the past 3 years and current year is between 1.0 & 0.85 (EMR) or (LR) is 50% or less The cost of accidents are reported to the employer	EMR/LR has decreased 2 of the past 3 years	EMR/LR is unknown EMR has increased each of the past three years

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION D

E. RESOURCES FOR SAFETY

6	4	2	0
Resources are established annually for safety Resources are based on planned programs Estimates are made on savings contributed by safety program Employees are aware of safety budget	An annual safety allocation is established but not necessarily based on planned activities The item is adjusted based on previous years' expenses	Money is taken from general funds as needed for safety	Adequate resources are not made available for safety

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION E

G. EMPLOYER SUPERVISORY MEETINGS

9	6	3	0
Employer conducts weekly supervisor meetings where safety is on the agenda Employer gives an overview of safety activity Serious accidents are reviewed	At least monthly supervisor meetings where safety is on the agenda Supervisors give a status report on job site safety activities Serious accidents are reviewed	Occasional supervisor meetings where safety is on the agenda Information is given to supervisors on safety Serious accidents are sometimes reviewed	Employer holds no supervisor meetings where safety is an agenda item

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION G

H. PRE-PLANNING FOR JOBSITE SAFETY

6	4	3	0
Pre-job safety planning is required at the bid stage A check list is used to assure all exposures are considered Necessary equipment is provided and precautions are taken prior to or at the start of the job, not after problems have been encountered Job supervisors are trained in planning for safety	Pre-job safety planning is required prior to starting site work Safety equipment and safety procedures are provided when needed Training in pre-job safety planning is not required A check list is used as a guide	No formal pre-job safety planning program but some planning is done No check list is used in pre-planning	No pre-job safety planning is done

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION H

I. EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION

9	6	3	0
Employee participation program in place Supervisors trained to facilitate employee participation Procedures set up for employees to participate in activities (as in previous column) ranging from training to accident investigations	Supervisors trained to facilitate employee participation Employees encouraged to participate in: tool box talks, hazard recognition/reporting, site inspections, safety rule development/revision, new hire & formal safety training, and accident investigations	Employee participation is encouraged Information is given to supervisors on how to involve employees Employee suggestion/comment program implemented	No employee participation program

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION I

J. NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION

6	4	2	0
Formal orientation program is in effect for all new or transferred employees Records maintained showing date, person doing orientation and items covered Orientation includes training on: safety rules, HAZCOM, major job hazard exposures, PPE, and emergency reporting procedures Employer concern for safe job performance is stressed Employee signs record sheet	Orientation is given to new employees that includes information on safety Documentation is maintained showing topics covered Orientation includes training on: safety rules, HAZCOM, major hazard exposures of the job, PPE, and emergency reporting procedures Job safety requirements are stressed	Orientation is given to employees but no documentation is maintained	No orientation is given to new employees

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION J

K. SAFETY RULES

9	6	3	0
Rules are in writing and are communicated to all employees Rules are concise and easy to understand Rules are enforced equally among all employees Rules are updated on a regular basis Subcontractors must follow safety rules.	Rules are in writing and are communicated to all employees Copies of the rules are posted or are available to employees Supervisors enforce most of the rules Subcontractors must follow safety rules.	There are some general rules The rules are enforced most of the time Rules have not been reviewed or revised within past two years	There are no safety rules

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION K

L. EMPLOYEE SAFETY TRAINING

12	8	4	0
Based on training needs assessment, formal safety training is provided and documented in areas such as: hazard recognition, first aid/CPR, hazard/standard specific OSHA topics, heavy equipment safety and trade specific safety (such as electrical safety) Formal safety training conducted by competent or qualified safety instructors Employee training comprehension/ understanding is verified and documented	Some formal safety training provided and documented in areas such as: first aid/CPR and hazard recognition Formal training needs assessment conducted for workforce Informal safety training conducted by competent or qualified safety instructors Employee training comprehension/ understanding is verified and documented	Formal safety training, with verifiable records provided in: hazard recognition Some informal safety training provided for categories found in the far left column	No formal safety training provided

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION L

M. TOOLBOX SAFETY MEETINGS

6	4	2	0
Meetings held weekly Conducted by supervisors Attendance and topic documentation kept Employees participate Employer attends occasionally	Supervisors hold meetings at least monthly Attendance and topic documentation kept	Employer conducts meetings with all employees less than once a month	No meetings held with employees

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION M

N. INSPECTIONS

9	6	3	0
Weekly job site inspections are made by the site supervisor Critical safety hazards are identified and corrected A report is submitted on the results of the inspection Hazards are classified according to seriousness Dates are set to assess corrective action effectiveness	Monthly job site inspections are made by an employer representative A report on the results is filed Follow-up corrective action is taken	Informal job site inspections are made occasionally by the site supervisor with no reports submitted	No inspections are required

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION N

O. SUPERVISORY TRAINING

9	6	3	0
Supervisory training includes: First Aid/CPR Hazard Recognition Emergency Reporting Procedures OSHA 10 Hour or greater Conducting Meetings Supervisory Skills Accident Investigation Job Safety Analysis Job Safety Planning Train-the-Trainer Jobsite Safety Inspections Human Relations Company has in-house facilities for training or has good outside training source Professional development courses offered Supervisors have access to a safety professional	Most supervisors receive training in: Hazard Recognition First Aid/CPR Emergency Reporting Procedures Human Relations Supervisory Skills Accident Investigation Job Site Safety Inspections	Some supervisors are sent to outside training courses	The firm has no training for supervisors

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION O

P. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

9	6	3	0
Accidents and near misses are investigated by site supervisor All supervisors are trained in the techniques of accident investigation Reports are completed for all accidents Employer reviews all accidents that exceed a set cost The basic causes of all accidents are determined Information learned is shared with employees on all jobsites There are follow-up steps to assure corrective action is taken	All accidents are investigated with a report written Supervisors are trained to make investigations Employer reviews investigation reports Information on "serious" incidents is shared with employees on all jobsites	Informal investigations are made with no written report Some supervisory personnel know how to investigate an accident Information gained is not shared with employees on other jobsites Persons other that the site supervisor conduct most investigations	Accidents are not investigated to determine cause

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION P

Q. USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

9	6	3	0
Assessment made to determine PPE needs Employees trained in use and maintenance of PPE Approved PPE used PPE provided for employees Employees aware of disciplinary consequences of not using PPE PPE needs assessed annually	PPE is provided and use is required Employees trained in use and maintenance of PPE Employees informed of PPE requirements for each job	PPE is provided and its use encouraged Some training is given in use and maintenance of PPE	Use of PPE is left to the discretion of each employee, resulting in rare use

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION Q

R. PERFORMANCE REVIEW

6	4	2	0
Safety program is reviewed semi-annually to determine if it is producing desired results Criteria exist against which performance is measured Results of performance review become part of overall rating of supervisors Strong points and shortcomings are discussed with individual supervisors	Safety program is reviewed annually to determine if it is producing desired results Performance criteria exist for more than half of the areas measured Results are discussed with individual supervisors	Subjective review made of safety activities to judge if they are effective Rating given to each area reviewed	No review made of safety performance

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION R

S. SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY

6	4	2	0
Company Policy contains strict rules regarding drug and alcohol use Company does drug testing for pre-hire, post accident and for cause Company keeps counseling and testing records Company has an Employee Assistance Program	Company has substance abuse verbiage in company policy Supervisors are trained in hazards of drugs and alcohol on the job	Company has policy but makes no effort to enforce policy	Company has no policy regarding drugs, or alcohol abuse

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION S

T. RECORDKEEPING

6	4	2	0
Records are kept on: Inspections Training Indoctrination's Accident Investigations First Aid Treatment OSHA Log-Forms 300 & 300A Hazard Communication Program Employee Absences	Records are kept on: OSHA Log-Forms 300 & 300A Accident Investigations Inspections First Aid Treatment	OSHA Log – Forms 300 & 300A are maintained according to OSHA Requirements	No records are kept on safety related activities

______ SUB-SCORE FOR SECTION T

Insurer Support Statement

I have reviewed the accompanying STEP Platinum application and agree with the self-evaluation rating. This rating includes the evaluation of safety program(s) and policy.

____________________________
Signature

____________________________
Title/Company

___________________________
Date

APPENDIX D

AGREEMENT OF PARTICIPIATION

Of Member Name

IN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN

Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Bayou Chapter

AND THE

U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, Baton Rouge Area Office

The United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Bayou Chapter (ABC) recognize the importance of providing a safe and healthful work environment for Louisiana’s workforce. To advance our goal, we strongly agree on the need to develop a working relationship that fosters mutual trust and respect for each organization’s respective role in the safety process. We recognize and embrace the responsibilities inherent in those roles. We are committed to work as partners to achieve workplace safety.

MEMBER NAME, (herein called member) and ABC mutually recognize the importance of providing a safe and healthful work environment for their employees, and jobsites. To advance our goals, said member agrees with the criteria of the Partnership between OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office and the ABC, Bayou Chapter.

Said member has read in its entirety the criteria of the partnership. In signing this agreement, said member company agrees to all the conditions and terms of the partnership. Said member also agrees to the following:

Cooperate in the development and continuous improvement of safety training programs for their employees.
Ensure that safety policies and practices are effective and consistent.
Recognize and honor the Partnership for a period of three years.
Either party to the partnership or any member company may withdraw from the agreement at any time after submitting written notification in accordance with article IX of intent to the other partner.

Agreed to this day, _____________________, 2005

Member Name
Member Company
Member Address
Member City, State, Zip

Skipper Rinaldi
President/CEO
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
Bayou Chapter

APPENDIX E

AGREEMENT OF PARTICIPATION

In MENTORING ACTIVITIES

Associated with the PARTNERSHIP between

OSHA’S Baton Rouge Area Office

and

The ABC, Bayou Chapter

The United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Bayou Chapter (ABC) mutually recognize the advantage of having a mentoring component within the partnership. The success of this component relies heavily upon those partnership members who are willing to provide mentoring for those member companies who are seeking guidance in the development or enhancement of their safety and health program.

The Partnership Implementation Team will seek to facilitate mentoring activities by matching those companies seeking advice, guidance or other means of help with a member company willing to provide assistance.

If your company is willing to be a mentor please provide your company name and contact information below:

Company Name:
Contact Person:
Address:
Phone Number

If your company is seeking to be mentored please provide your company name and contact information below:

Company Name:
Contact Person:
Address:
Phone Number:

APPENDIX F
PARTNERSHIP FLOW CHART

Text version of flowchart:

ABC distribute STEP Applications and Invitations for Participation in Partnership and Mentoring Activities

|
V

Members submit STEP Applications and Partnership forms to ABC & if they want to participate, Mentoring activity forms.

------------------>

Bayou Chapter forwards names of members interested in mentoring to Partnership Implementation Team

------------------>

Implementation Team matches companies for mentoring

|
V

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

ABC Nat’l evaluates STEP applications and forwards results to ABC Bayou Chapter

ABC Bayou forwards names of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum level companies who wish to become members of the partnership to OSHA

------------------------------------------------------------->

|
V

Semi-Annually Implementation Team Meets

|
|

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
V

<-----------------------------------------

OSHA conducts verification 10%

Unsuccessful
------------------>

Company makes adjustments in safety program

Successful

|
|
|
|
|
|
V

Make adjustments to partnership as needed.

No
<--------

Are goals being met?

OSHA gives partner company certificate: Company qualifies for focused inspection

Proceed with partnership

Yes

|
|

<--------------------

APPENDIX G
DEFINITIONS

ABC – Associated Builders and Contractors, INC.
Best Practices – Safety practices, policies, and/or procedures, agreed upon by OSHA and the Partnership Implementation Team, which exceed compliance with OSHA regulations and merit being shared with other member companies.
BLS – Bureau of Labor Statistics
DART rate - (Days Away Restricted or Transfer rate) An incidence rate for recordable cases involving days away from work, days of restricted work activity or job transfer using the following formula:

DART rate =	(# of entries in Column H + # of entries in Column I) x 200,000 # Hours worked by ALL employees
Entries in Column H and Column I refer to entries on OSHA’s Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

FIRM – Field Inspection Reference Manual. A manual intended to provide guidance regarding some of the internal operations of OSHA.
Focused Inspection – An inspection conducted by OSHA in which the scope of the inspection is limited to pre-determined hazards, dependant upon whether the company has met pre-determined qualifications.
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Partner - One sharing or partaking in a partnership.
Partnership - OSHA’s Strategic Partnership. This program provides an avenue for employers, employees and others to improve safety and health management systems while working with OSHA in a cooperative, non-adversarial way.
STEP – Safety Training and Evaluation Process
Verification inspection – An inspection conducted for the purpose of ensuring that the agreed upon elements of this partnership are being met. Within this agreement the verification inspection will NOT be an enforcement inspection.

APPENDIX H

United States Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Acknowledge
That

Has
Successfully Completed An
ABC/OSHA Partnership Verification Inspection

Inspection Location: Superintendent: Date Inspected:		__________________________ Greg Honaker, Area Director
Qualification for Focus Inspection good for: _____ to _____

APPENDIX I

United States Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Acknowledges

Company Name
& Site

As a

Partner
of the
ABC/OSHA Partnership

____________________________
Skipper Rinaldi, President/CEO
ABC Bayou Chapter

__________________________
Greg Honaker, Area Director
OSHA, Baton Rouge Area Office

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