The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Metropolitan Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. OSHA and the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter hereby form an Alliance to provide non-English speaking Hispanic workers with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers' safety and health, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to work-related hazards such as chemical, electrical, falls, excavations, and amputations. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.

OSHA and the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter will work together to achieve the following training and education goals:

• Develop training and education program publications and audio-visual products in Spanish for Hispanic employers and employees who are not fluent in the English language, on general industry and construction topics including health hazards, personal protective equipment, electrical safety, excavation, machine guarding, scaffolding, fall protection.

OSHA and the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:

• Develop and disseminate information through print and electronic media, including electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's and ASSE Metropolitan Chapter's Web sites.
  
• Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's and ASSE's conferences, local meetings or other events such as Day Laborer's or Immigration Coalition meetings.
  
• Encourage members of the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter who speak both English and Spanish to take the OSHA Train-the-Trainer course(s) so they can teach the OSHA 10-hour and 30-Hour Construction and General Industry courses in Spanish.
  
• Promote and encourage ASSE Metropolitan Chapter members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Programs, and Consultation and its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program.

OSHA and the ASSE Metropolitan Chapter will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

• Participate in round table discussions or stakeholder meetings on general industry and construction hazards such as chemical, electrical, falls, excavations, and amputations to develop innovative solutions to reduce related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities.

OSHA Alliances provide 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. 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 any of that party's products or services; nor does the Agency enter into an Alliance with the purpose of promoting a particular party's products or services.

An implementation team made up of representatives of both organizations 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 quarterly to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA will encourage OSHA 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 concurrence of all signatories.

Signatories

_____________________________ Patricia K. Clark                    Date Regional Administrator OSHA Region II	_____________________________ Mary Ellen Sacchetti              Date President, Metropolitan Chapter American Society of Safety Engineers
_____________________________ Diana Cortez                         Date Area Director OSHA Tarrytown Area Office	_____________________________ Joseph M. Schwed                 Date Area Director, Metropolitan Chapter American Society of Safety Engineers
_____________________________ Harvey Shapiro                      Date Area Director OSHA Bayside Area Office	_____________________________ Richard Mendelson                Date Area Director OSHA Manhattan Area Office
_____________________________ Robert Kulick Date                Date Area Director Avenel Area Office