The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) has signed an alliance with OSHA geared to increasing overall safety awareness in the lumber and building materials industry. There are two specific objectives: preventing forklift accidents and injuries sustained by lifting.

NLBMDA represents about 6,000 primarily independent lumber and building material companies, in addition to 32 manufacturers and service providers to the building material industry. A majority of the Association's members focus on the building sector and work with home building and professional contractors.

In another alliance, OSHA and the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) will work to enhance public safety through quality testing of much of the equipment and materials workers use every day.

The Alliance will increase awareness of OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program. OSHA-recognized laboratories determine if equipment and products that are specified in the agency's regulations meet consensus-based safety standards and can be used safely in the workplace.