AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
BATON ROGE AREA OFFICE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE GREATER BATON ROUGE INDUSTRY ALLIANCE (GBRIA)
AND
THE LOUISIANA CHEMICAL ASSOCIATION (LCA)

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Baton Rouge Area Office, the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA), and the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, GBRIA and LCA hereby form an Alliance to provide GBRIA and LCA members 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 accidental releases, fires and explosions with a particular emphasis on chemical process safety and OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard. This Alliance will facilitate compliance by members with all applicable OSHA standards as well as help them 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 GBRIA and LCA 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:

• Share information as appropriate on: (i) OSHA’s National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs; (ii) annual regulatory agenda; (iii) Executive Orders related to Chemical Facility Safety and Security; (iv) OSHA RFIs (request for information); (v) OSHA’s PSM regulation; (vi) Priorities of OSHA’s Baton Rouge Area Office and (vii) new opportunities to participate in agency rulemaking and/or enforcement initiatives.
• Participate, speak, appear or assist when possible at workshops, conferences, or other GBRIA and/or LCA meetings that have process or occupational safety, employee health or related themes. In particular, participation by OSHA in LCA’s Industry Information Exchange Workshops in order to promote continuous improvement at Louisiana chemical and petrochemical plants and refineries.
• Encourage all LCA and GBRIA members to participate in workplace safety and health programs and activities and strive for continuous improvement by: (i) communicating and implementing new and relevant standards and requirements; (ii) sharing key lessons learned, incident trends and effective practices to industry members; (iii) partnering to spot emerging trends, to identify health or safety hazards, to disseminate information that drives improvements in safety performance and helps prevent future fires, explosions or toxic releases; and (iv) encouraging investments in effective occupational and process safety Prevention Mitigation and Response (PMR) programs so most serious risks are managed at an appropriate level.

Training and Education

The participants intend to work together to achieve the following training and education objectives:

• Facilitate and support effective training or education program offerings in the regions for chemical, petrochemical and related process industry companies on issues that might include, but are not limited to: (i) temporary and/or short service workers (SSW’s); (ii) incentive or disciplinary programs; (iii) legal matters such as OSHA audit policies; (iv) Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering (RAGAGEP); and (v) emerging trends observed by OSHA and/or industry.
• Work to provide expertise to develop workplace safety and health information on topics such as: (i) heat illness; (ii) falls; (iii) “novel” health exposures; (iv) construction; (v) cranes and (vi) other local concerns.

Outreach and Communication

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

• Meet with GBRIA and/or LCA’s Health and Safety Committee as appropriate to discuss emerging safety or health trends observed by OSHA field officers; from industrial accidents or compliance inspections in the chemical and refining industries; and OSHA emphasis areas.
• Update GBRIA and LCA members on the status of OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and encourage support and participation of the program by all GBRIA and LCA members; and educate the membership of GBRIA and LCA regarding the need and benefits of Special Government Employees (SGE) necessary to sustain the VPP and challenge VPP sites to express their commitment by increasing the pool of SGEs.
• Work with the Baton Rouge Area OSHA Office on particular issues, projects or concerns associated with the growth, expansion and construction of the chemical, petrochemical and manufacturing sector now underway in Louisiana.

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 be established and will meet to develop a work plan, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet as appropriate to track, share information and report on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Baton Rouge Area Office, and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States’ and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.

This agreement will remain in effect for two years. Either signatory may terminate it for any reason at any time, provided they give a 30 day written notice. This agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of both signatories.

Signed this 25^th day of May, 2018