CPWR hosted a recent webinar introducing the New Construction Safety & Health Network. A recording is available here or review a PDF of the webinar.
In addition, you can check out the Network itself and become a member at SafeConstructionNetwork.org.
This update highlights new workplace safety and health resources issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), OSHA’s Alliance Program participants, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and others.
After adding more than 30,000 jobs in January alone, the construction industry shows no signs of slowing down. With more workers comes more responsibility for safety. Falls from heights are still the leading cause of death in the private construction industry and lack of proper fall protection is the most frequently cited violation by OSHA. That is why each year; the construction industry dedicates a week of safety events to stopping fatal falls. Jobsites across the country and internationally pause work so that employers and workers can talk about fall prevention and commit to on-the-job safety.
The Safe + Sound Campaign is organized by OSHA, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers, The Center for Construction Research and Training, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Safety Council, and the Voluntary Protection Program Participants’ Association. For more information and additional resources to help you establish or improve your safety and health program, visit the Safe + Sound Campaign website.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee announced on Wednesday that it will hold a hearing on the confirmation of John Ring to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on February 14.
Employers can find out about potential hazards at their worksites, improve their occupational safety and health management system, and qualify for an exemption from scheduled Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement inspections when they request assistance from the agency’s free, confidential, and voluntary On-Site Consultation Program.
OSHA’s consultation service is available through state agencies or universities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Territories. The highly trained safety and occupational health professionals work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing workplace safety and health management programs.
In a significant development for the pipeline industry, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on December 15 issued a ruling in PCC Structurals Inc. (365 NLRB No. 160) abandoning the Obama board’s Specialty Healthcare decision, which allowed employees to organize in “micro units.” The decision reinstated the previous standard that employees have to share an “overwhelming community of interests” to be an appropriate bargaining unit.
Two new resources from OSHA are in the Toolbox & Best Practices Library:
Roof Tarping Safety Fact Sheet and OSHA and Interagency Resources for Hurricanes and Floods.
Last month OSHA shared a memorandum announcing that for the first 30 days of enforcement of the Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Standard, employers making a good faith effort to comply with the standard were offered compliance assistance in lieu of enforcement. As the 30 days come to a close, OSHA has issued a memorandum with interim enforcement guidance while a compliance directive is under review. The memorandum provides inspection and citation guidance for Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs), and it includes flow charts to assist compliance officers with evaluating employers’ control methods.
W. Chris Daum
President and Chief Executive Officer - FMI Corporation
As the president and chief executive officer of FMI Corporation, Chris oversees the management of all FMI businesses and services and leads the firm’s strategic growth efforts.
Page 9 of 10