The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Griffin Hospital Occupational Medicine Center (GHOMC) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. The Bridgeport Area Office of OSHA and GHOMC hereby form an Alliance to provide client businesses located in the Greater Naugatuck Valley Area of Connecticut with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees' health and safety. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and GHOMC recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and GHOMC will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for business clients' of GHOMC including business groups in manufacturing, retail, health care and other industries regarding recordkeeping, hearing conservation lockout/tagout, machine guarding, bloodborne pathogens and other topics identified through participant surveys and to provide expertise in communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.
  
  
• Work with OSHA to develop workplace safety and health training and education curricula on recordkeeping, hearing conservation lockout/tagout, machine guarding, bloodborne pathogens and topics identified through GHOMC-developed and -administered participant surveys.

OSHA and GHOMC 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 the GHOMC. Web sites) to employers and employees associated with GHOMC.
  
  
• Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding GHOMC best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by GHOMC and OSHA.
  
  
• Promote and encourage GHOMC business clients' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), the State Consultation Program, and the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

OSHA and GHOMC will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Raise others' awareness of and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health when GHOMC leaders address groups.
  
  
• Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize these results.
  
  
• Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on health and safety 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.

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. Team members will include representatives of GHOMC and OSHA, and the team will meet at least quarterly, either in person or by phone, to track and share information on activities and evaluate results in achieving the goals of the Alliance.

This agreement will remain in effect for two 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 concurrence of all signatories.