Construction Industry Safety and Health

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The construction industry is getting some good news from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). According to an analysis of new federal data, construction spending in June rose to a 2-1/2 year high as double-digit percentage increases in private residential and nonresidential construction more than offset an ongoing downturn in public construction.

An Illinois man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for the illegal removal, handling and disposal of asbestos from a Kankakee building in August 2009.

This summer’s Nik Wallenda tightrope walk across Niagara Falls was not only a marvel of daredevilry, but also a marvel of international co-operation, as regulators on both sides of the border worked together to make the event a reality, according to the Daily Commercial News and Construction Record.

Slips, Trips and Falls. When you think of workplace falls, dramatic falls from higher elevations come to mind. Falls from higher elevations most likely result in serious or fatal injuries whereas most common, everyday falls seem minor without resulting in serious injuries.

With a new state bill that raises the height for fall protection requirements, Arizona is pitting itself against the federal government – and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is urging OSHA to enforce federal fall hazard standards.

OSHA has cited four New Jersey contractors working on a 20-story building in Jersey City for exposing workers to fall hazards following a December 2011 inspection during which inspectors observed employees working on the fourth floor without personal fall protection or fall protection systems.

Falls can be prevented and lives can be saved through three simple steps, according to OSHA: Plan, provide and train.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis earlier this year announced a new campaign led by OSHA to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry. The awareness campaign will provide employers and workers with life-saving information and educational materials about working safely from ladders, scaffolds and roofs. In 2010, more than 10,000 construction workers were injured as a result of falling while working from heights, and another 255 workers were killed.

OSHA has issued a request that construction companies ensure their employees working above 6 feet have the proper equipment to protect themselves from falls on the job. OSHA has opened investigations following four unrelated construction accidentsin New Jersey.

 With a name like Ditchdiggers, you’d think a Ft. Pierce, Florida company would know how to protect workers who are, well, digging ditches.