Construction Safety


Trench Collapse Leads to $63,360 Fine for Ohio Company

An OSHA inspector was performing a work site inspection when he directed an employee to exit the trench, believing collapse was imminent. Within five minutes the trench collapsed and could have buried the worker under 6 to 7 feet of soil.

125 MIOSHA Staffers Making Site Visits June 8

The seventh annual Take a Stand Day asks companies to request a consultative visit now, promising there will be no citations or fine for participating workplaces.

DOE Issues Loan Guarantees for Ivanpah Solar Project

Up to $1.37 billion in federal loan guarantees have been promised to construct and start the 370 MW project on 3,471 acres of federal land in California.

The Senco SN902XP framing nailer

Nail Gun Sellers Rarely Offer Safety Tips

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center found sales personnel in most stores offered some misinformation, and 59 percent gave no suggestions for safe use.

Carbon Fiber Used to Reinforce Buildings (With Video)

Most buildings are not constructed to withstand an unexpected explosion or impact. A researcher at the University of Missouri is working with the U.S. Army to test a method of retrofitting buildings to protect them from a terrorist attack.

EPA Releases MDI, TDI Action Plans to Protect Consumers

“There has been an increase in recent years in promoting the use of foams and sealants by do-it-yourself energy-conscious homeowners, and many people may now be unknowingly exposed to risks from these chemicals,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

The December 2010 compliance directive said 1926.501(b)(13) would be interpreted as written.

7th Circuit Upholds OSHA Fall Protection Directive

And the panel's reasoning in the April 7 decision offers support for the hearing protection reinterpretation OSHA recently withdrew.

New OSHA Document Highlights Safe Work Methods for Residential Construction

Directed primarily to those working on new construction, the document describes safety methods employers can implement during stages of construction.



Trenching Hazards Pile Up $115,000 in Penalties for Ala. Contractor

"A trench can become a grave in seconds. Disregarding workers' safety by leaving them unprotected from potential cave-in and struck-by hazards is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's area director in Birmingham.

Sika Sarnafil Vice President Brian Whelan wrote that the Denver Art Museum reroofing job resembled a "high wire" act.

Boulder Roofer Honored for Doing Tough Job Safely

Black Roofing Inc. won first place in the Steep Slope category of Sika Sarnafil's annual Roofing Contractor Project of the Year competition for reroofing the Denver Art Museum.

AGC Names 2011 Construction Safety Grand Award Winner

URS Energy and Construction, part of San Francisco-based URS Corp., received the award during AGC's annual convention last week in Las Vegas.

OSHA Taking Applications for Online Outreach Training

The agency will sign five-year, non-financial agreements with the applicants it authorizes to deliver the 10-hour and 30-hour courses in construction, general industry, and maritime.

ISEA Seeks Participants for Review of Revised Hi-Vis Public Safety Vests Standard

The standard specifies the minimum amount of background and retro-reflective material and the performance characteristics for such materials used in construction of public safety vests.

Contractor Zapped with $60,800 in Fines for Electrocution, Fall Hazards

OSHA opened its inspection of A.C. Castle Construction upon observing employees working without fall protection on the building's roof and on a ladder jack scaffold, exposing them to falls of nearly 19 feet.

Two Construction Companies Cited in Worker's 20-Foot Fall

In September 2010, a worker with The Warehouse Co., a subcontractor of Winter Park Construction Co., fell approximately 21 feet to a concrete surface while passing furniture from a debris container mounted on the forks of a powered industrial truck.

NYC Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri

NYC Buildings Department Sets Safety Week Agenda

Taking place April 25-29, the Construction Safety Week will include presentations addressing accident prevention, new concrete requirements, safe use of scaffolds, and safety in demolition.

Asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and other types of serious lung disease in workers when inhaled.

NIOSH Issues Asbestos Roadmap, Recommends More Research

"The NIOSH roadmap outlines a strategic framework for designing, conducting, and applying the research that will best serve the need to address persistent scientific uncertainties about occupational health and elongate mineral particles," said Director Dr. John Howard.

California DIR Fines Contractor $512,700 for Public Works Violations

The Marin County contractor, whose contractor’s license was revoked last May by the Contractor’s State License Board, is also prohibited from bidding on or receiving any public works contracts in California until 2013.

OSHA Unearths Trenching Hazards at Georgia Construction Site

In September 2010, as part of OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation, a compliance officer observed several violations at a worksite where the company was installing pipe in a deep excavation.

MIOSHA Launches Initiative to Prevent Workplace Electrocutions

The MIOSH Act requires employers to provide "a workplace free of recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to the employees."

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