AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
WICHITA AREA OFFICE
AND
THE GRAIN ELEVATOR AND PROCESSING SOCIETY (GEAPS)
GREAT PLAINS CHAPTER

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The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration Wichita Area Office (OSHA) and GEAPS Great Plains Chapter recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and GEAPS Great Plains Chapter hereby form an Alliance to provide GEAPS and other grain industry members with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, focusing on the awareness and prevention of exposure to the hazards of grain engulfment and entrapment, and 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.

In developing this Alliance, OSHA and GEAPS Great Plains Chapter 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 as they relate to the Grain handling industry

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

• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings addressing hazards arising from grain handling, which focuses on the prevention of grain engulfment and entrapment.
• To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by organizing and holding a Regional grain safety stand-up, focusing on the prevention of grain engulfment and entrapment.

Training and Education

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

• To deliver or arrange for the delivery of the prevention of grain engulfment and entrapment courses by way of a Regional grain engulfment and entrapment prevention stand-up.

Outreach and Communication

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

• To work together to organize, publicize and support an annual Regional grain industry engulfment / entrapment prevention stand-up to raise awareness among employers and employees of methods to prevent grain engulfment and entrapment.
• To develop information on the recognition and prevention of grain engulfment & entrapment hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the GEAPS Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or GEAPS conferences, local meetings, or other grain industry events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding GEAPS / industry best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
• To work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on the causal factors of grain entrapment and engulfment and their prevention that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

The Alliance provides 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. The Alliance will be a valuable tool 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 plan of action, 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 Kansas City Regional Office and Wichita 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 two years; any 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 all signatories.

Signed this 14^th Day of August 2017