OSHA took industry and EHS professionals by surprise late Friday by announcing what some call a long-overdue proposed rule to lower worker exposure to crystalline silica – a substance that causes cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in those who are exposed to it.
Names of fatalities a reminder of the human cost of dangerous driving
August 20, 2013
As it has since 2002, the Illinois State Fair this year hosted a somber reminder of a transportation hazard: a wall memorializing the names of those killed in highway work zones.
Reasons range from incentive loss, fear of job loss
August 19, 2013
More than 25% of construction workers responding to a recent survey by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) said that they had suffered a work-related injury at some point in their career that they did not report.
Unsafe construction sites now the run the risk of being “outed” on social media, thanks to a campaign that invites people to potentially unsafe circumstances and share them via social media platforms.
Electricians and all those interested in electrical safety have a new online community they can join, thanks to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The new website from the NFPA, necconnect.org, is a resource for installers and contractors, designers and engineers, code enforcers, and policy makers for all things related to the NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®), which sets the standard for safe electrical installations in homes, businesses, industry and institutions.
OSHA, along with trade associations and employers throughout Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, conducted a one-hour safety stand-down at construction sites and workplaces today from 7 to 8 a.m.
Last year, OSHA Director of Construction Jim Maddux delivered a presentation on OSHA’s new campaign to prevent fatal falls at the annual conference of the American Society of Safety Engineers. When he finished, one of the conference leaders rushed over, eager to introduce Maddux to representatives from another agency with a similar mission of stopping falls in construction: Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.
If safety is not in your job description, are you obligated to mention unsafe work conditions? That was one of the topics that appeared in the responses to a story featured on the ISHN website on July 18: “Safety pro asks, ‘Who can fight for my rights?’”
OSHA has cited the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital and DGA Builders LLC, both of Rochester, for 14 serious violations of workplace safety and health standards, chiefly involving asbestos. The companies face a combined total of $53,200 in proposed fines, following an inspection.
As construction contractors grapple with key safety issues (i.e. fall prevention), keep track of government regulations and cope with a diverse workforce, they do so within the context of a safety culture.