Construction Safety


Washington State Construction Safety Day Set for May 11

During the Puyallup event, which will run from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., speakers will cover topics including fall protection, trenching, biohazards, lockout/tagout, and silica exposure prevention.

The summer construction season means workers and safety managers must be prepared for heat stress, falls, puncture and crushing injuries, and noise exposures.

Fifth Stand-Down on Preventing Construction Falls Set for May 7-11

"The Stand-Down is not limited only to construction industry trades," Dean McKenzie, director of OSHA's Directorate of Construction, and Christine M. Branche, Ph.D., FACE, principal associate director of NIOSH and director of its Office of Construction Safety and Health, said in an email. "Each year, large corporations and small companies have joined us to make this effort a success."

Pipeline Construction Safety Training Program Announced

The course will provide industry-specific training that includes fire safety, safety in confined spaces, and fall hazards, with an API-U certificate issued upon completion of the course.

European Commission Setting New PELs for Five Carcinogens

According to the commission, the new limits would improve working conditions for more than 1 million EU workers and prevent more than 22,000 cases of work-related illness, including cancers.

OSHA Cites New Jersey Construction Company Following Employee Fatality

The company was cited by OSHA for using an improper lifting device and for failing to train employees on lifting equipment hazards. The company’s citations include one willful and three serious violations, and proposed penalties totaling $151,352.

DOT Inspector General Auditing Oversight of FIU Bridge Project

The FIU pedestrian bridge that collapsed March 15 was funded in part through DOT's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant program, which awards grants to fund infrastructure improvement projects.

NIOSH Research Can Help Construction Workers Avoid Injury

Construction workers are at high risk for developing MSDs because they are frequently doing manual lifting and material handling tasks, using repetitive motions, and may be exposed to vibrations and inconsistent working conditions.

Six Dead in Bridge Collapse at FIU

A new pedestrian bridge under construction near the campus of Florida International University collapsed Thursday, crushing eight cars underneath the concrete slabs.



Florida Contractor Fined $271,606 in Trench Collapse

The investigation was part of OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation, and Jax Utilities Management Inc. has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

EU-OSHA Partners Preparing for Dangerous Substances Campaign

The campaign will address dangerous substances that can cause chronic or acute illness, such as respiratory diseases, cancer, mesothelioma, poisoning, skin diseases, reproductive problems and birth defects, and allergies.

OSHA to Start Enforcing New Beryllium Rule in May

OSHA said it also will begin enforcing on May 11, 2018, the new, lower 8-hour permissible exposure limit and short-term (15-minute) exposure limit for construction and shipyard industries.

NCCCO Says Don't Sit Out OSHA's One-Year Delay

"It's not the first time the industry has had to come to terms with an extension of this rule, but, in the minds of most safety-conscious professionals, this should not be a reason to further delay training and certification," said NCCCO CEO Graham Brent.

Top-Line Concerns

Head and face hazards are a constant for workers in construction, waste management, and in some manufacturing settings.

Dropped Objects Standard Comments Due By March 26

"This initiative is a direct effort to fill the void in guidance on dropped object incidents, which have continued to rise in recent years," Boake Paugh, president of West Coast Corporation and a member of ISEA's Dropped Object Prevention Group.

AD Hosts Second eCommerce Summit

The summit focused on strategy, objectives, and tactics for independent distributors and included one-on-one expert coaching sessions, sharing best practices, platform-focused networking, member-led panels, and keynote speeches from industry experts.

ASCE Publishes Book on Wind-Borne Debris

The book covers the current state of knowledge on all aspects of wind-borne debris damage caused by hurricanes and tornadoes.

CDC Study Finds Highest Adult Asthma Deaths in Construction, Health Care

The annual number of asthma deaths among persons ages 15 to 64 declined significantly from 1999 to 2016, "most likely reflecting improvements in asthma management and effectiveness of prevention efforts," the authors find.

NY Mayor Signs Construction Noise Measure

"By lowering the allowable after-hours noise limit in residential areas, allowing inspectors to take noise readings from the street rather than from inside an apartment, and empowering inspectors with the ability to issue a stop work order for noisy equipment, this legislation should help bring some much-needed relief to New Yorkers," said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza.

Construction Company Owner Faces Felony Charges for Workplace Fatality

The owner of a Seattle construction company has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in relation to a 2016 fatal trench collapse.

Minnesota OSHA FY2017 Safety Grants Topped $1M

The agency's latest newsletter says MNOSHA Workplace Safety Consultation's Safety Grants during the fiscal year totaled $1,021,436 to 155 applicants.

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