AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
COLUMBUS AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
BUCKEYE STEPS


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Columbus Area Office and the Buckeye Service, Transmission, Exploration, Production Safety Network (Buckeye STEPS) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and Buckeye STEPS hereby renew the Alliance signed November 24, 2015 with a continued emphasis on hazards associated with oil and gas operations. Specifically, both organizations are committed to providing Buckeye STEPS' members 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 continue to address safety and health hazards associated with oil and gas operations.

This renewal 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, the organizations 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 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and Buckeye STEPS recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, 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 Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives related to raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

Outreach and Communication

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following outreach and communication objectives:

OSHA's Alliances provide parties an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, training and education, and outreach and communication. These Alliances have proved to be valuable tools for both OSHA and its Alliance participants. By entering into an Alliance with a party, neither OSHA nor Buckeye STEPS is endorsing or promoting, nor does OSHA or Buckeye STEPS, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party's products or services. By entering into this Alliance, Buckeye STEPS is not undertaking any additional obligations to OSHA or any other person or entity unless specified herein or otherwise required by law.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will plan to meet at least two 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 the Columbus Area Office. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for three 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 2nd day of February, 2018.