Construction Industry Safety and Health - Articles - Page 51

Fla. roofing contractor fined $265K for repeat fall hazards

March 7, 2019

OSHA has cited Crown Roofing LLC for allegedly exposing employees to fall hazards at two separate residential worksites in Port St. Lucie and Naples, Florida. The Sarasota, Florida-based contractor faces penalties of $265,196. OSHA initiated the inspections in August and October of 2018, as part of the agency's Regional Emphasis Program for Falls in Construction, after inspectors observed the company's employees working on roofs without fall protection.

Overlooked work safety practices that lead to falls

March 7, 2019

According to OSHA, one in five deaths in 2017 were in construction with what it calls the “Fatal Four.” These are accidents in construction caused by falls, being struck by objects, electrocution, and caught-in/between. The first overlooked worksite safety practice is awareness. If employees are not made aware of the dangers they face in the workplace, the burden falls on management to ensure they do.

Free webinar will help you get ready for National Safety Stand-Down

March 6, 2019

The major players involved in holding the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will host a webinar to help would-be participants make the most of the event. Falls are the top cause of construction fatalities and account for a third of on-the-job injuries and deaths in the industry.

The hard hat turns 100

Steamed canvas, glue and black paint were used for the original “Hard Boiled” hat

Rodger Roeser

March 5, 2019

Women got the vote. Prohibition began. The National Football League was founded. And, the construction industry was forever changed by the invention of an often overlooked but significant worker safety advancement – the hard hat.

Worker crushed by beam at San Francisco tunnel project

March 5, 2019

The employers of a worker killed on a light rail tunnel project in San Francisco failed to identify potential hazards and to train workers on safety procedures, according to Cal/OSHA, which has issued $65,300 in penalties in the fatality. The incident occurred last August, while employees were using heavy equipment and tools to work in and around the tunnel.

Top products of the week

March 3, 2019

Work gloves with an oil grip, quality management software and a new N95 respirator were among the top occupational safety and health products featured on ISHN.com this week.

Weekly news round-up

March 2, 2019

The effect of plastic on workers in the plastic industry, Apple’s efforts to resist curbs on distracted driving and amateur video helps a state OSH agency crack down on asbestos violators. These were among the top safety stories featured this week on ISHN.com.

March is National Ladder Safety Month

February 28, 2019

Every year more than 100 workers are fatally injured and thousands suffer disabling injuries in ladder-related incidents. In March, the American Ladder Institute (ALI) is sponsoring its annual National Ladder Safety Month to promote ladder safety at work and home.

Crane operator certification rule now being enforced

February 27, 2019

OSHA is now enforcing the requirement that employers must evaluate the competency of their operators before allowing them to operate cranes independently. The agency updated its standard for cranes and derricks in construction by clarifying each employer's duty to ensure the competency of crane operators through training, certification or licensing, and evaluation.

Nosy neighbors help Washington crack a case of asbestos violators

Companies tried to avoid responsibility by creating "a legal web of confusion"

February 26, 2019

It almost sounds like the plot of a movie. Alert neighbors living near a home being renovated notice that some workers are improperly removing exterior asbestos tiles from the structure. They confront the man who claims to be the homeowner. He promises to remove the asbestos correctly, but the neighbors take videos showing that his workers continue to commit asbestos-related violations. Angry that the neighborhood’s residents – and those workers – are being exposed to the dangerous substance, they contact the...