Nevada Enforcing Stronger Fall Standard for Decking, Netting
Last Friday, Nevada OSHA began following the decking and netting portions, as well as the placement of shear connections before they are installed, of Subpart R of federal OSHA's steel erection standard rather than the federal agency's Compliance Directive CPL 02-01-034 for those issues. After meeting several months ago with representatives of the Nevada AFL-CIO and the ironworkers union, Nevada OSHA decided Subpart R is more effective in reducing fall distances and injuries from falling objects and also in eliminating tripping and falling hazards.
Construction deaths at the Las Vegas City Center project and nationwide were discussed in a June 24 hearing of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee that criticized OSHA for not yet issuing its cranes and derricks negotiated rule, which has been finished but continues to be reviewed at the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Nevada OSHA's chief administrative officer, L. Tom Czehowski, thanked the union representatives for inviting his agency's officials to meetings of the Labor Management Cooperative Trust's Safety Advisory Committee, which was formed to provide a forum for discussing construction safety issues. "Considering the unprecedented levels of construction that are currently taking place, particularly on the Las Vegas Strip, we are pleased to be able to implement stronger regulations to protect workers," Czehowski said when the decision was announced May 30.