Purpose and Scope of Alliance:
Purpose: The maintenance of high standards in safety and environmental practices is of paramount
importance to the Michigan Association of Home Builders (MAHB). It continues to be MAHB’s commitment
to strongly promote the health, safety and welfare of all members, their employees, and co-workers
in the work place. Forming this important alliance with MIOSHA will reinforce and enhance this
commitment to our membership and strengthen awareness of working safer.
Target Audience: Licensed builders and remodelers, their employees, and co-workers and owners and
employees of companies supporting and interfacing with the residential construction industry
throughout Michigan will be the target group of the MIOSHA/MAHB alliance.
Major Alliance Activity: Work with the 35 local homebuilders associations throughout Michigan to
promote MIOSHA CET Division safety and health hazard surveys and to endorse and support safety and
health training opportunities with emphasis on fall protection, excavation, and other critical areas
through the local associations to the MAHB membership.
Alliance Benefits: Promoting a healthy working environment and overall employee health and
well-being prevents injuries and illness on the job, reducing workers’ compensation claims and
health-related expenses, and affects the bottom line for MAHB member companies. Companies that
promote employee safety and health develop strong relationships with their employees by
acknowledging that they are the company’s single most important investment. The benefit for
companies reaches far beyond preventing accidents. Employees become loyal and productive when they
know that their company is genuinely concerned about their safety and well being in the workplace
and at the job site.
The alliance will contribute to increased worker awareness of construction safety and health,
implementation of accident prevention programs in the work place and on job sites, increased
compliance, and understandings of available services are all benefits of the MIOSHA/MAHB alliance.
Alliance Positive Impact: Employers realize that the real measure of success is attained when their
workers are safe. The acceptance of standards in the safety and environmental arenas has enabled
many organizations to move beyond compliance with specifications and regulatory requirements to
developing systems that foster continual improvement. Working together will help the MAHB membership
to look toward the development of occupational safety and health practices that meet prescribed
standards as a means of improving overall health and safety performance. The Alliance will also
contribute to a good working relationship between MIOSHA and MAHB.
Goals and Objectives of Alliance:
The goals of this alliance are to:
- Provide the means to a safe and healthy work environment for all employees in the residential
construction industry.
- Significantly reduce the number of work site accidents within the residential construction
industry.
- Educate employers and employees on working safely and proper safety methods so they return to
their families at the end of the day without injury.
- Provide voluntary safety and health surveys at participating jobsites.
- Inform MAHB members of changes in MIOSHA Administrative and Standards to keep them current with
all information.
- Create better understanding and communication between MIOSHA and the residential construction
industry.
- Outreach and Communication:
Increasing worker awareness, safety, and health protection on MAHB member worksites is of primary
importance both to MAHB and to MIOSHA. The intention is to solicit MAHB membership to voluntarily
participate in the alliance at some level. Participation can include simply taking classes,
requesting site surveys, utilizing the MIOSHA website proficiently to stay current on safety
issues, or a combination of activities which will result in the increased safety of MAHB members,
their employees, co-workers, and families.
- MAHB will co-sponsor Fall Protection, Excavation, Worksite Maintenance, and other seminars
with MIOSHA.
- Encourage participating contractors to include an announcement of the alliance on their job
sites and web sites if applicable, as well as through internal communication.
- A minimum of 10 CET safety and health hazard surveys will be conducted over the 3-year term
of the Alliance. These surveys are strictly voluntary and must be requested by the MAHB member.
As a part of the surveys, training and information will be provided on workplace accident
prevention.
- MAHB will utilize its many communication mediums (Web Site, newsletters, conferences, etc.)
to share vital safety and health information with contractors.
- Work together with the local home builders associations throughout Michigan to promote MIOSHA
educational programs through the MIOSHA CET Division.
- Training and Education:
For those members who elect to participate in the CET Division safety and health hazard site
survey, upon completion of the survey:
- Members will be provided with instruction and material on how to develop and implement an
accident prevention program.
- Be provided with information and material on how to comply with MIOSHA rules and regulations.
- Voluntary participation in the CET Division safety and health hazard site survey will not
trigger an inspection by the MIOSHA Enforcement Division upon completion of the survey process,
when all serious issues have been abated. The survey will not prevent an enforcement inspection.
- Members will receive written documentation of specific hazards noted during the survey and
agree to correct all serious hazards. During this process, members are not subject to penalties.
Participating local home builders associations will advertise and promote training opportunities
focusing on:
- Fall Protection, Excavation, Worksite Maintenance, and other seminars.
- Local home builders associations will be encouraged to sign up for the CET Division List Serv
to keep up-to-date on CET training seminars and share information with MAHB members.
- Promoting Dialogue:
- The MAHB will advertise the Alliance initiative on their website and in other publications.
- MIOSHA will make staff available to attend MAHB meetings upon request.
- Targeted roundtable discussions among MAHB members and MIOSHA staff will be conducted to
encourage input and feedback from MAHB members on the practical application of MIOSHA
regulations.
- MIOSHA will advise MAHB of hearings regarding MIOSHA changes and encourage the participation
of MAHB members.
- The CET Division will notify the MAHB of opportunities for submitting an application for
MIOSHA Standard Advisory Committees that impact residential builders.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Michigan Association of Home Builders:
- Promote MIOSHA and CET services to the 35 local homebuilders associations throughout Michigan.
- Promote the establishment of accident prevention programs at all members’ job sites.
- Promote the alliance through the association’s e-newsletter, website, and magazine and
distribute MIOSHA and CET printed materials at conventions and board meetings.
MIOSHA:
- CET Division will conduct safety and health hazard surveys with MAHB members requesting this
service.
- MAHB members who request the safety and health hazard surveys are demonstrating a sincere effort
to provide a safe work environment for their employees. In recognition of that effort and based on
the MIOSHA policies for good faith penalty reductions, the MIOSHA Enforcement Division will consider
maximum penalty reductions for effective safety and health programs.
- Promote the alliance through MIOSHA website and MIOSHA News Letter.
- Work with MAHB in the development of outreach materials for residential builders. These materials
will help residential builders focus on priority compliance issues, be provided with a sample
written safety and health program, and better understand what to expect during a MIOSHA inspection.
Outcomes of Alliance Activities:
- Promotion of CET services, news releases and recognition of the alliance
program throughout MAHB via mailings, websites and media publications.
- Increased awareness of "how to develop and implement an accident prevention program" among MAHB
members.
- Increased awareness and compliance of MIOSHA construction safety and health standards.
- MIOSHA regulations and guidelines that are more in line with job safety as it relates to
residential construction.
- Co-sponsor of MIOSHA workshops.
- An amicable working relationship between the residential construction industry (including MAHB)
and MIOSHA.
| Initiation and Cancellation of Agreement: |
The alliance agreement is effective on the date of signing and will be in
effect for 3 years.
Prior to the expiration of the agreement, the parties will confer and evaluate whether the agreement
should be extended. Without regard to the term of the agreement, any of the parties can terminate
the agreement with 30 days written notification.
| Michigan Home Builders Association |
|
MIOSHA |
|
Signature |
Date
|
Signature |
Date |
Lee Kitson
Name |
|
Douglas J. Kalinowski
Name |
|
2006 MAHB President
Title |
|
Director, MIOSHA
Title |
|
|
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