U.S. Department of Labor Renews Alliance to Improve Workplace Safety For Southwest Illinois Industrial and Utility Employees

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed an alliance with Teksolv-American Allied Safety Council (AASC), Southwestern Illinois Building Trades Council (SIBTC), and the Council of Owners and Construction Associates Inc. (COCA) to prevent exposures to hazards in the industrial and utility sectors.

The five-year alliance will develop awareness and education programs that address electrical, fall, struck-by, caught-in/between, fire, explosion, lockout/tagout, and confined spaces hazards at major industrial and utility firms in southwestern Illinois.

"Workplaces are safer when everyone commits to following safety protocols to correct hazards," said OSHA's Fairview Heights Area Office Director Aaron Priddy. "OSHA's alliance with the industrial and utility sectors allows us to share best practices, educate employers and employees, and ensure safety is a priority on the job."

The OSHA Alliance Program fosters collaborative relationships with groups committed to worker safety and health. Alliance partners help OSHA reach targeted audiences, such as employers and workers in high-hazard industries, giving them better access to workplace safety and health tools and information.

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 help 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 www.osha.gov.