ARRANGEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
MADISON AREA OFFICE
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
WISCONSIN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Madison Area Office and Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association (WVMA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and WVMA hereby form an Alliance to provide WVMA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to hazards associated with chemicals (including pharmaceuticals, anesthetic gases, sterilization agents, etc.), x-ray radiation, and animal handling. The Alliance will also look at the ergonomics of veterinary operations and help to understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

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, 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 developing this Alliance, OSHA and WVMA 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:

• To share information on OSHA’s enforcement and regulatory activities that might affect the WVMA and WVMA members.
• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on hazards that veterinary clinic workers face to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by increasing awareness of requirements, hazards and how to minimize hazards.

Training and Education

The Participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education objective:

• To develop, deliver or arrange for effective training and education programs for WVMA members and their workers regarding workplace hazards.

Outreach and Communication

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

• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, in formats such as fact sheets, case studies, posters, best practice documents, toolbox talks, checklists, training presentations and videos.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA or WVMA conferences, local meetings, or other events. A complimentary booth will be provided to OSHA at its WVMA convention.

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, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that party’s products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will 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 Madison OSHA Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team. WVMA team members will include veterinarians, vet techs, and vet assistants. These entities also include non-management veterinary medicine workers who have exposures to the hazards the alliance is addressing.

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 written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 20th day of September, 2016.