The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American
Foundry Society (AFS) recognize the value of continuing the organizations' collaborative efforts to
achieve workplace safety and health. OSHA and AFS hereby renew their Alliance, originally signed on
March 22, 2004 and renewed on April 28, 2006, to encourage AFS members and others, including small
businesses, in the metalcasting industry to increase employee access to safety and health information
and training resources on workplace issues, including personal protective equipment (PPE), heat
stress and reducing and preventing exposure to silica. In renewing this Alliance OSHA and AFS
recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site 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 goal:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health curricula on the
foundry workplace issues including, PPE, heat stress and silica.
OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve the following outreach and
communication goals:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of
workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information
(e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and AFS's Web sites) to
employers and employees in the industry.
- 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.
- Share information among OSHA personnel, including Compliance Safety and Health Officers, and
industry safety and health professionals regarding AFS's best practices or effective approaches and
publicize results through outreach by AFS and through OSHA- or AFS-developed materials, training
programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
- Promote and encourage AFS chapters or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such
as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the On-site Consultation Program
and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
- Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects regarding PPE, ventilation
and silica issues that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
- Encourage AFS chapters' or worksites' to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices
to address health and safety issues, including PPE, heat stress and silica.
OSHA and AFS will work together to achieve the following goal related to promoting
the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:
- Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and
publicize their results.
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 the national dialogue on workplace safety and health. 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 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 three times per year to track and share
information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA will encourage
State Plan States' and OSHA Consultation Projects' participation on the team. Team members will
include representatives of OSHA's Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and any other
appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects'
participation on the team.
This renewal will remain in effect for two years. The signatories 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 concurrence of both signatories.
Edwin J. Foulke, Jr.
Assistant Secretary
Occupational Safety and
Health Administration |
Date |
Paul H.
Mikkola
President
American Foundry Society |
Date |
|
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