The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), and the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA hereby form an Alliance to provide the members of AF&PA and PPSA, and others in the forest, pulp, paper, and paper-converting industries (the "Covered Industries") with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in addressing workplace ergonomics issues. In developing this Alliance, OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA will work together to achieve the following training and education goal:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs and materials on ergonomics and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the Covered Industries.

OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA 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, AF&PA's and PPSA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the Covered Industries.
  
  
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's, AF&PA's or PPSA's conferences, local meetings, or other events such as the PPSA's annual safety conference.
  
  
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AF&PA's and PPSA's effective approaches (e.g., success stories) and publicize results through outreach by AF&PA and PPSA, and through OSHA-developed, AF&PA-developed, and/or PPSA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures.
  
  
• Promote and encourage AF&PA's and PPSA's members' or worksites' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and the Consultation Program and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.
  
  
• Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on ergonomics that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
  
  
• Encourage AF&PA's and PPSA's members and/or worksites to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address ergonomics issues.

OSHA, AF&PA, and PPSA will work together to achieve the following goal related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ergonomics issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace.

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 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.

For convenience, AF&PA, PPSA and/or any member or representative of either organization are collectively referred to as the “Industry Participants”. Any material provided by an Industry Participant in pursuing this Alliance Agreement is for informational purposes only. Information provided by an Industry Participant in pursuing this Alliance Agreement does not constitute an official statement or position by any Industry Participant and is not intended by the parties to create any legal obligations for any Industry Participant or any industry of which it is a member. None of the Industry Participants is a standard-setting organization with regard to ergonomics, and the information provided in pursuing this Alliance Agreement is not intended as a legally binding standard or guideline.

An implementation team made up of representatives from OSHA, AF&PA and PPSA 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 Team members will include representatives of OSHA's Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and any other appropriate OSHA offices. AF&PA Team members will include members of its Safety and Health Committee and Ergonomics Task Force. PPSA Team members will include representatives from its Educational Resources Committee and its Ergonomics & Occupational Health Subcommittee. OSHA will encourage State Plan States and OSHA Consultation Projects to participate on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Any signatory 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 all signatories.