News Brief
US Department of Labor, Operating Engineers Local 150 renew alliance for workplace place safety, training in union’s apprenticeship program
Who: U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Operating Engineers, Local 150’s Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program
What: OSHA Alliance Program Ambassador
Background: On Feb. 28, 2023, OSHA’s Chicago regional and metro-area offices signed an agreement with the Operating Engineers, Local 150’s Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program that recognizes them as an OSHA Alliance Program Ambassador.
Signing the alliance from OSHA: Deputy Regional Administrator Gary Lescallett, Chicago North Area Office Director Sukhvir Kaur, Naperville Area Director Jacob Scott, Chicago South Area Director James Martineck, and Local 150 members, coordinator George Antos, Vice President Jeff Horne, Treasurer Marshall Douglas, Recording-Corresponding Secretary Mike Kresge and coordinators Mark Kara, Glenn Minyard.
Operating Engineers, Local 150 offers apprenticeship programs in heavy equipment operator, heavy equipment repair, technician geothermal/well driller and construction material inspector. Based in Wilmington, Illinois, the program promotes workplace safety and training during apprentice training, establishing the practice for career-long safety habits.
OSHA confers ambassador status to long-term alliance participants who agree to continue a cooperative relationship, and who share timely and relevant safety and health information with its members. Ambassadors are also recognized for working collaboratively on safety and health issues its members raise. In May 2008, OSHA and the center entered their first alliance, and have renewed regularly since.
In recognition of this ongoing commitment, OSHA will continue an active relationship with the by:
- Providing routine communications on enforcement, regulatory and outreach initiatives.
- Sharing invitations to attend and offering opportunities to speak at OSHA Alliance Program and other agency stakeholder meetings or events. These opportunities include outreach and training activities with OSHA’s national, regional or area offices, and the National Alliance Program Construction Roundtable and Forum.
- Engaging in information-sharing and technical discussions, including completing special projects of mutual interest aligned with agency priorities as resources allow.
- Maintaining the organizations’ status as Alliance Program Ambassadors on the agency’s public webpage.
The OSHA Alliance Program enables organizations to enter voluntarily into a cooperative relationship to raise awareness of OSHA’s initiatives, outreach, communications, training and education.
Quote: “OSHA and the Operating Engineers, Local 150’s Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program are committed to providing members with information, guidance and access to training resources to develop safety programs that protect workers from injury and making sure workers in the most dangerous occupations are trained beginning on their first day on the job,” said OSHA’s Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. “Ambassador status is an achievement earned when alliance participants show exceptional and continued commitment to protect their workers on the job.”
