US Department of Labor's OSHA renews partnership with El Paso Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America

EL PASO, Texas — As part of its continuing effort to keep workers safe and healthy by improving working conditions for construction workers, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed its 2007 strategic partnership with the El Paso Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

"This partnership reflects our mutual recognition of the importance of construction workers' safety and health, and solidifies our cooperative goal to develop effective safety programs while improving communication," said Diego Alvarado, OSHA's acting area director in El Paso. "Together, we will take an aggressive and positive approach to put workplace safety and health at the forefront for the more than 800 hard-working employees in the El Paso area construction industry."

The goals of the partnership include reducing the number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities annually that affect participating employers, with an emphasis on the four most common hazards in construction — falls, struck-by, caught-in-between and electrocution hazards; implementing safety and health programs; and decreasing employees' injury and illness rates. This partnership will also help foster an open and continuous communication channel between OSHA, its partners and participating companies.

It is anticipated that, with minimal use of OSHA resources, this partnership will result in improved safety and health programs, a higher level of employee safety and health training, and improved job-site safety and health program commitments by other companies working with the partnership participants. The partnership will be evaluated annually.

Through its Strategic Partnership Program, OSHA works with employers, workers, professional and trade associations, labor organizations and other interested stakeholders to establish specific goals, strategies and performance measures to improve worker safety and health. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/partnerships/index.html.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.