August 19, 2002—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI) established a one-year, automatically renewable alliance on August 12, 2002 to promote safe and healthful working conditions in the textile industry. The alliance will provide ATMI members with information and guidance that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to cotton dust, noise, and the hazards of unintended release of mechanical, electrical, or other energy.
OSHA and ATMI have committed to jointly develop and disseminate information through print and electronic means, particularly their respective Web sites. Each party will also promote and encourage the participation of ATMI members in OSHA’s cooperative programs, such as compliance assistance, the Voluntary Protection Program, Consultation, SHARP, and mentoring among ATMI members.
OSHA and ATMI will also recognize that ATMI’s Quest for the Best Program companies have been identified by ATMI as having outstanding safety and health programs; will encourage Quest members to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA’s cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists; will act as mentors to ATMI members; and will share information with other ATMI members on best practices of the Quest members.
