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The TCIA-OSHA Alliance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Tree Care Industry Association, Inc. (TCIA) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. On that premise, TCIA and OSHA agreed to renew their Alliance to provide TCIA’s members and others in the tree care industry, including small businesses, with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety.
Although technically a new Alliance, the current agreement that was signed into effect by Ed Foulke, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, and TCIA President Cynthia Mills on November 10, 2006 was a continuation of a formal collaboration that began with the first formal Alliance in 2003.
In particular, the Alliance will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to safety and health issues related to tree removal and electrical, falls, and struck-by hazards. In developing this Alliance, OSHA and TCIA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and Onsite Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.
OSHA and TCIA will work together to achieve the following outreach and communication goals:
- Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA’s and the TCIA’s Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
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Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s or TCIA’s conferences, local meetings or other events such as TCI EXPO, Certified Treecare Safety Professional Workshops, Student Career Days, and the Winter Management Conference.
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Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding TCIA’s best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by TCIA and through OSHA- or TCIA-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
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Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects on tree care industry hazards that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
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Encourage TCIA’s members to build relationships with OSHA’s Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues.
OSHA and TCIA will work together to achieve the following goals related to promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:
- Develop and disseminate case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and publicize their results.
- Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on tree care industry issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
OSHA’s 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.
An Alliance Implementation Team meets at least three times a year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. Team members include members of TCIA’s staff as well as representatives of OSHA’s Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs and any other appropriate offices. OSHA encourages State Plan States’ and OSHA Consultation Projects’ participation on the team.
The current Alliance remains in effect for two years.
Here’s a link to the OSHA page covering our current Alliance:
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/alliances/tcia_new/tcia.html
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