Construction Safety


Hospital Renovation Earns MNSHARP Construction Honors

McGough Construction has been working on the $225 million, multi-phase project at St. Cloud Hospital since 2007 and has accumulated almost 1 million hours with no lost-time incidents, according to Minnesota OSHA.

More Than 140,000 Following NIOSH's Tweets

One of the most popular OSH social media sites for safety news is still going strong.

Georgia DOT, Construction Firm to Pay $1.5 Million for Clean Water Act Violations

The civil penalty is one of the largest ever under the CWA provisions prohibiting the unauthorized discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.

Connecticut Roofer Fined $127,560 for Willful Fall Hazards

"There is a simple truth that employers must recognize: Fall protection is a requirement, never an option, when employees work at heights of 6 feet or more," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport.

High-Rise Fires Cause $235 Million in Property Damage a Year: NFPA

The report, “High-Rise Building Fires,” cites apartments, hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick as accounting for roughly half of all high-rise fires.

FRA Advisory Reminds Workers, Railroads About Fall Protection

It was prompted by three incidents, including a September 2011 fatality in Havre de Grace, Md., as a team of workers replaced ties on a bridge over the Susquehanna River.

DOL, OSHA Cite Construction Firm Following 16-Year-Old's Fall at Worksite

The Labor Department has assessed civil money penalties of $30,350 for allowing a minor to operate a hoisting device and perform roofing work in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act's child labor provisions.

Worker Fatally Falls from Scaffold, Construction Firm Fined $50,000

"Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry and failing to ensure workers use fall protection when required is unacceptable," said Gary Anderson, director of OSHA's Calumet City Area Office.



Panama Canal's Expansion on Track

The $5.25 billion project "will change the face of shipping as we know it and will bring positive benefits for all," Panama Canal Authority CEO Alberto Aleman Zubieta said Nov. 15 at the TOC Americas conference.

Two Chicago Construction Firms Fined $280,200 for Asbestos Hazards

T2 Construction oversaw the activities of demolition contractor Gramek Construction, including the removal of floor tile and pipe insulation that allegedly contained asbestos.

Regs Piling Up at OIRA

AIHA recently sent a letter urging release of OSHA's crystalline silica proposed rule, which the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs received in February 2011. It's now one of 23 pending rules under extended OIRA review.

Ohio Construction Company Busted for Fall Protection, Eye Safety Violations

The company was cited for four willful safety citations for failing to provide fall protection and ensure workers operating nail guns wore safety glasses at two separate job sites in Findlay and Toledo, Ohio. Proposed fines total $48,400.

OSHA Releases New Educational Videos on Construction Hazards

The videos are based on real-life incidents and include detailed depictions of hazards and the safety measures that would have prevented these injuries and fatalities.

In Unfit Men, Heavy Work May Increase Fatal Heart Disease Risk: Study

The results suggest that by maintaining good physical fitness, men who engage in heavy labor can avoid increased risk, and possibly even lower their risk of death from heart disease.

Fatal Electrocution Results in $208,670 Fine for Florida Contractor

OSHA opened an inspection in May following the death of a worker who was electrocuted while unloading steel from a tractor trailer for a roadway rehabilitation project.

First Carrier Basketball Arena Readied for Veterans Day

About 150 workers are building an arena capable of seating 7,000 spectators on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson for the inaugural Quicken Loans Carrier Classic basketball game.

DOT Agency Maps Nation's Structurally Deficient Bridges

They are marked on a map for each state's congressional district(s), supporting Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's call for Congress to provide repair funding.

Fall Hazards, Multiple Repeat Violations Lead to Contractor's $180,100 Fine

OSHA's inspection found a lack of fall protection for employees working on scaffolding and work surfaces at heights of up to 57 feet.

Work Fatalities Rose in Britain Last Year

The 2010-2011 statistics show 171 fatalities, up from 147 the previous year. Injuries declined year over year, however.

Study Pegs Construction Workers' Career Risks

Data presented Oct. 31 at the American Public Health Association's 139th Annual Meeting showed nearly all construction workers will experience one or more work-related injuries or illnesses over a lifetime, plus a greater risk of premature death.

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