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AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THE AMERICAN PYROTECHNICS ASSOCIATION
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) recognize the value of renewing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and APA hereby renew their Alliance, originally signed on June 9, 2004, to provide APA members, OSHA personnel, and others, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing accidents involving the manufacturing, transportation, storage, sale, and handling of commercial display fireworks and consumer fireworks and the use of commercial display fireworks. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and APA recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort. OSHA and APA will work together to achieve the following training and education goal: Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs on the safe and proper use of commercial display fireworks products. These programs would be delivered to OSHA personnel and other interested parties. OSHA and APA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals: Work with OSHA to provide expertise to OSHA in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's and APA's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry. Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA or APA events such as APA's Winter Educational Conference, Fall Annual Meeting, local meetings, or other events. Promote and encourage APA 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. Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding APA's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by APA and through OSHA- or APA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum). OSHA and APA will work together to achieve the following goals 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. Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on safety and health issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues. 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. 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. Team members will include representatives of OSHA's Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs 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. Either OSHA or APA 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 G. Foulke, Jr. Assistant Secretary Occupational Safety and Health Administration   Date   Julie L. Heckman Executive Director American Pyrotechnics Association   Date