Construction Safety


This photo of the famed Chicago skyline comes from the tourism office of the city.

Act Now to Present at ASSE's Centennial Conference

July 16, 2010, is the deadline for proposals from potential speakers eager to be on the program of the June 12-15, 2011, meeting, which will be in the perfect location: downtown Chicago.

Cal/OSHA shut down 16 work sites in 2009 for imminent heat hazards, and the agency issued nearly $2 million in fines and 1,158 citations for alleged violations of its Heat Illness Prevention Standard.

Heat Season Starts Now

Outdoor workers should be protected against excessive heat exposure, and particularly if they are wearing protective apparel.

NYC Buildings Commission Robert LiMandri and department employees are helping construction employers and workers understand 25 new safety laws this week.

Seminars Highlight NYC's Construction Safety Week

The sixth annual event by New York City's Department of Buildings includes events in each of the five boroughs. Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri and others visited an 11-story building under construction in Brooklyn on Monday.

Dr. David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, assistant secretary of Labor for occupational safety and health

OSH Act Must Be Modernized: Michaels

In Senate testimony today, OSHA's assistant secretary listed many updates that are needed to make his agency's inspectors an effective force for change. Does Congress have the will, or the daring, to reform the law?

OSHA gave an October 2010 date to complete analyzing comments submitted in 2008 about a proposed confined spaces rule for the construction industry.

Construction Confined Spaces Rule Still in Proposed Stage

The latest semiannual regulatory agenda does not advance the rulemaking except to give an October 2010 date to complete analyzing comments submitted in 2008. EPA's agenda says NPRMs will be issued in July 2011 to enhance pesticide protection for applicators and agricultural workers.

Company to Offer Free Safety Screenings, DVD During 'Better Hearing Month' in May

Failing to hear smoke detectors and take quick action is the major reason adults 65 or older are more than twice as likely as any other age group to die in a home fire.

Homebuilder Cited $1 Million for Clean Water Violations in 18 States

The settlement requires Hovnanian to develop improved pollution prevention plans for each construction site, conduct additional site inspections, and promptly correct any problems detected.

Woodworker's Partial Hand Amputation Opens Door to 26 Citations

"Our inspection found that the blades on this and other saws lacked the guarding designed to prevent just this type of accident," said Diana Cortez, OSHA's area director in Tarrytown, N.Y.



OSHA is rolling out a Severe Violator Enforcement Program and raising its penalties, if only slightly.

OSHA Announces Severe Violator Enforcement Program

Are we seeing the new face of OSHA? David Michaels said the agency is doing what it can to administratively raise the dollar amounts of its penalties and adopting a new structure for penalty reductions based on the company's employee count.

"Employers can be assured that certifications from CIC meet all OSHA regulations," CIC Executive Director Debbie Dickinson said.

OSHA Recognizing Crane Institute of America Certification

A May 5 signing ceremony at DOL headquarters in Washington, D.C. is well timed because OSHA will require certification of some lifting personnel in the cranes and derricks standard it is expected to issue in July 2010.

Cranes and Derricks Rule in Final Stage

OSHA's pending cranes and derricks in construction rule was submitted for OMB review on April 9, which means the July 2010 date for publishing the final rule could be met.

April 22 Deadline Looms for Contractors to Become Lead-Safe Certified

To date, EPA has certified 184 training providers who have conducted more than 4,900 courses. Based on current estimates, the agency expects more than 125,000 contractors to be certified by the deadline, with many more seeking and obtaining the training afterward.

New York Spearheads First Occupational Health Awareness Week

Enhancing the week's impact, the event is being held in conjunction with Workers Memorial Day, April 28, which traditionally serves as a nationwide day of remembrance to recognize U.S. workers who die and become disabled each year on the job.

HSE said this photo from the BBC documentary footage shows the scaffold from which the mason fell in March 2005.

BBC Documentary Helps Convict Construction Company

The Health and Safety Executive said it prosecuted Regentford Ltd after one of its employees died in a March 2005 fall from scaffolding. That scaffolding was gone when investigators arrived, but the documentary footage showed it, and Regentford was fined $384,000 on April 6.

The 2010s Safety Break for Oregon is set for May 12.

Oregon OSHA Preparing for 8th Annual Safety Break

The agency's April 2010 e-newsletter zeroes in on fall protection, showing examples of violations found in some of its recent inspections. This year's Safety Break for Oregon is set for May 12.

ASSE offers work zone tips

ASSE Fact Sheet Highlights Work Zone Safety

ASSE’s "Road Construction Work Zone Safety Fact Sheet" provides work zone safety tips and standards for motorists and workers.

Secretary of Labor to Convene Latino Worker Health, Safety Summit

The Department of Labor recently announced that Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will convene a National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety on April 14 and 15 in Houston. Opening day events will include a keynote address by Solis and employees sharing their workplace experiences.

Surveys Link Eye Protection with Better Overall Safety Culture

"First, it's easy to understand how valuable and vulnerable our eyes are, so it's an easy platform for starting a persuasive safety conversation," said David Iannelli, senior product manager for Uvex.

ASSE Paves Way for Work Zone Safety Webinar

The free, one-hour event will focus in part on the new A10.47 standard, which covers flagger safety, run over/back over prevention, equipment operator safety, illumination, PPE, and more.

Houston Company Offers Agile Rig System

The four-axis design of the ULTRA™ Drilling System allows it to walk in eight directions; the company, Global Energy Services, said it enables natural gas drillers to raise the rig faster and more safely, without using cranes.

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