AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE DES MOINES AREA OFFICE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
IOWA OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
DIVISION OF LABOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
AND
LOCAL NUMBER 55
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS

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The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Des Moines Area Office, the Iowa Division of Labor Services Department of Workforce Development Iowa Occupational Safety and Health (Iowa OSHA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local Union Number 55 continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, Iowa OSHA, and the IBEW, Local Union Number 55 hereby renew the alliance signed October 25, 2016, with a continued emphasis on providing OSHA's, Iowa OSHA's, and IBEW's members and others 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 hazards to workers in the electrical utility industry.

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, Iowa OSHA, and the IBEW 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 and Iowa OSHA's rulemaking and enforcement initiatives:

• To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings on electrical injury and illnesses and common safety hazards in order to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
• To share information on OSHA's National/Regional/State Plan Local Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
• To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
• To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by involvement in innovative solutions to reduce and prevent exposure to electrical transmission and distribution equipment hazards and hazards associated with electrical transmission and distribution operations.

Training and Education

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

• To develop effective training and education programs for workers in the electrical utility industry regarding hazard recognition, safety and health management systems (SHMS) and health hazards, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
• To deliver or arrange for the delivery of courses regarding fatal accidents in the electrical utility industry, including improper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), failure to maintain a safe distance, and failure to utilize proper equipotential grounding techniques. The Alliance participants will ensure that experienced and inexperienced workers receive training, including, but not limited to, apprentices and lineman.

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, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's, Iowa OSHA's, and the IBEW's Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
• To speak, exhibit, or attend the IBEW Local Number 55 Membership Meetings, local labor meetings, training sessions, or other events.
• To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding IBEW's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by IBEW's, OSHA's and Iowa OSHA's developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
• To develop and disseminate case studies on electrical transmission and distribution accidents and fatalities and how they could have been prevented, and publicize their results.

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 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.

This agreement will remain in effect for four-years. Any signatory may terminate the Alliance 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 15th day of May, 2019