AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
GLOBAL COLD CHAIN ALLIANCE

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and GCCA hereby renew the Alliance signed July 30, 2010 and renewed July 28, 2014 with a continued emphasis on ammonia refrigeration system safety. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing OSHA personnel, GCCA members, and the public with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will work to reduce and prevent exposure to hazards related to chemical releases from ammonia refrigeration systems, and improve the Process Safety Management (PSM) programs for these systems.

This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance participants will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.

Through the Alliance, OSHA and GCCA will use relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options, including but not limited to member surveys, to evaluate the Alliance and measure the impact on improving workplace safety and health. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and GCCA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort to ensure that employers provide safe and healthful workplaces, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.

Raising Awareness of OSHA’s Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Share information on OSHA’s National Initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, Outreach), and opportunities to participate in initiatives and the rulemaking process.
• Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards related to ammonia refrigeration and communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the GCCA websites) to employer and workers in the industry.
• Develop information on emergency preparedness and response, and communicate such information (e.g., via print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA and the GCCA websites) to employers and workers in the industry
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and GCCA conferences, meetings, or other events.
• Convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on ammonia safety to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues. Examples include the Global Cold Chain Expo and the Cold Chain Policy Forum.
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ammonia system safety good practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:

• Develop and deliver effective training and education programs for OSHA personnel regarding ammonia refrigeration and applicable industry consensus standards.

OSHA’s Alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communication, training, and education. These Alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet one to two times per year to discuss the responsibilities of the participants, share information on activities, and track results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, and any other appropriate office. OSHA will encourage State Plans’ and OSHA On-Site Consultation programs’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for five years. Either 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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 31st day of July, 2019.