uation responsibilities; OSHA verification procedures; and participant benefits. Finally, the

Partnership agreement must be signed by OSHA

and its partners.

Benefits

Benefits offered through an OSHA Partnership are

commensurate with participating partners’ commitment to and success in providing safe and

healthy working conditions for their employees.

Certain benefits require verification of the partner’s worksite by OSHA to ensure that agreement

objectives are being met. Benefits to employer

partners may include outreach, technical assistance and training such as the free on-site services of OSHA Consultation Projects; deferral from

OSHA programmed inspection lists; and/or programmed inspections with a limited scope that

focus on specific workplace hazards.

OSHA Responsibilities

Contact Person

A primary OSHA contact is designated for each

Partnership. The primary contact communicates

regularly with the person(s) responsible for the

management of the Partnership.

Verification

Verification is OSHA’s process for determining

whether Partnership participants are upholding

their responsibilities under the agreement. Three

possible verification methods exist —offsite, onsite non-enforcement, and on-site enforcement

How Partnerships Work

Working together, OSHA, employers, employees,

and other stakeholders identify workplace safety

and health issues and develop strategies, goals

and performance measures to address these

issues. Partnerships are established through a

written, signed agreement which usually lasts

three to five years. The agreement may be

national, regional, or local in scope.

Partners

Partners may include professional or trade associations such as: building contractors or nursing

homes; unions such as The United Automobile,

Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of

America or The International Brotherhood of

Electrical Workers; and employers in industries

such as construction, food processing or public

warehousing and storage. Partners may be large

entities, but most often are small businesses averaging fewer than 50 employees. Other stakeholders may include local/state governments, state

Consultation Projects and insurance companies

which often contribute expertise and resources.

Requirements

All Partnership agreements must contain core elements such as Partnership purpose, goals and

strategies; identification of partners and geographic boundaries; Partnership timeframe or

term; Partnership management and operation;

effective quantitative and qualitative performance

measures linked to Partnership goals; annual evalOSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program

Created in 1998, OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program is an extended, voluntary,

cooperative relationship between OSHA and groups of employers, employees,

employee representatives and other interested stakeholders. Partnerships are

designed to encourage, assist and recognize efforts to eliminate serious hazards, create effective safety and health management systems, measure results and achieve a

high degree of worker safety and health. Partnerships are flexible in design so that

employers’ unique operational and workplace needs can be considered. Employers

involved in Partnerships may reduce illness and injury rates, workers’ compensation

rates, absenteeism and other costs. Employees benefit from safer workplaces,

increased safety and health knowledge and skills, and improved morale.

FactSheet
inspection— one of which is necessary to meet

the requirements of the Partnership agreement.

Evaluation

OSHA coordinates the annual Partnership evaluation with input from its partners, to assess how

well the Partnership has worked toward meeting

its goals.

Inspections

OSHA conducts enforcement inspections in

response to formal complaints, workplace accidents or fatalities, chemical leaks and spills, and

other significant events.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

Employee/Employer Rights

and Responsibilities

Participation in Partnerships does not eliminate

the rights or responsibilities of employers or

employees under the Occupational Safety and

Health Act.

More Information

For national Partnerships, contact OSHA’s Office of

Partnerships and Recognition at 202-683-2213. For

regional or local Partnerships, contact your OSHA

Regional Office by calling 800-321-OSHA.

8/2010

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

For more complete information: