Construction Safety


IEC Renews OSHA Alliance, Develops Arc Flash Safety Presentation

The presentation, which includes slides, focuses on hot work and arc flash hazards and how to protect oneself against shock and arc flashes or blasts.

Spike in Fatalities Before Athens Games Explored

A study examined factors contributing to occupational deaths in East Attica, Greece, in the five years preceding the 2004 Olympics. A 2002 increase to 19 deaths was linked with construction of large-scale public works projects, the investigators concluded.

Robots Designed to Save Lives of Construction Workers Win Grand Prize

The Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) of the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech won the grand prize at the 2008 International Capstone Design Fair with a trio of pole-climbing serpentine robots designed to take the place of construction workers tasked with dangerous jobs such as inspecting high-rises or underwater bridge piers.

Cave-In Hazards Lead to $216,000 Fine for R.I. Excavator

"An unguarded excavation is always an imminent danger situation since its walls can collapse suddenly and with great force, crushing or burying workers before they can react or escape," said Patrick Griffin, OSHA's area director in Providence.

EPA Launches Mobile Phone Web Site

As the world is getting more mobile, with estimates of more than 250 million cell phones in use in the United States, EPA is launching one of the first government Web sites tailored specifically for cell phone users: http://m.epa.gov.

NY Developer Cited for Willful Lack of Asbestos Monitoring

"Employees who were removing asbestos-containing materials at this site lacked basic safeguards that must be in place before performing such work," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport, Conn.

NAHB Offers Trenching, Excavation Safety Resources

“The trenching and excavation safety video and handbook provide our industry with critically important information for maintaining a safe work-site environment,” said NAHB Chairman of the Board Sandy J. Dunn.

OSHA Adds 45 Days for Crane and Derricks Comments

Jan. 22 is the new deadline for written comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Search RIN 1218-AC01 to post a comment.



Women in Construction on Today's ACCSH Agenda

ACCSH advises the assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health on the formulation of standards affecting the construction industry and on policy matters arising in the administration of the safety and health provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, and the OSH Act of 1970.

ISO Issues Protective Clothing Standard for Heat and Flame

ISO has issued a standard to provide the minimum performance requirements for protective clothing worn in situations where users may be exposed to radiant, convective or contact heat, flames, arc flashes and molten metal splashes.

OSHA Cites Florida Transportation Services Following Employee Deaths

OSHA has cited Florida Transportation Services for one willful and four serious safety violations. In May, three employees died after entering a cargo hold filled with argon gas.

ASSE Foundation Announces New Scholarship for Aspiring SH&E Student

Available to both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing degrees in occupational SH&E or a closely related field, the $1,000 award will be part of the Foundation's 2009 scholarship package, and the first recipient will be announced on April 1, 2009.

2 Developers, Excavating Co. to Pay $110,000 for Fouling Public Water Supply

Sediment-laden storm water was repeatedly observed discharging from the construction site to nearby Chaffins Brook, which is ranked as a "Class A" waterway by Massachusetts.

MSHA Forms Safety Alliance with Portland Cement Association

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced the formation of a health and safety alliance with the Portland Cement Association (PCA), a membership association consisting of 30 companies operating 115 plants in 36 states.

An image of a worker standing on a scaffold.

Scaffolding Violations Again Top OSHA's Most-Cited List

Meanwhile, fall protection in construction accrued the highest total penalty amounts of all the categories in FY 2008.

Roofing Contractor Cited for Repeat Fall Hazards in Connecticut

"Working without fall protection is like walking a tightrope blindfolded in that one slip or misstep can swiftly result in death or disabling injuries," said C. William Freeman III, director of OSHA's Hartford Area Office.

Combustible Dust, Other Hazards Cited after Facility Roof Collapse

A post-collapse inspection by the agency revealed 46 alleged safety and health violations, including struck-by, fall, electrical, and noise hazards, as well as failure to prevent explosive dust from accumulating on machinery and the shop floor.

Confined-Space Death Leads to $64,400 in Proposed Penalties

OSHA's Dallas Area Office began its investigation following the May 13 incident that took place at a water treatment facility in Paris, Texas, where a diver's lifeline became entangled in the water pump of a 500,000-gallon in-ground water tank.

ASSE: Students of Safety See Beyond Troubled Economy, Express Optimism

"I see our major and department growing at Slippery Rock University," said Natasha Banks, a senior studying SH&E management. "We have five professors in the program, and I can definitely see the need for more. I remember when the program had around 30 students; now it is more like 85 - 100. The program is running out of space."

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