Construction

New Orleans — OSHA can issue citations to general contractors who fail to control hazardous conditions at multi-employer worksites, even if those conditions do not directly affect their own employees, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Nov. 26.

Fairfax, VA — The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators has published three employer guides on OSHA’s updated crane operator requirements, a final rule scheduled to go into effect Dec. 10.

Silver Spring, MD — Construction companies with fewer than 20 employees have experienced an increase in worker fatality rates at the same time larger companies have seen rates fall, according to a recent report from the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR).

Sun protection may not be top of mind for outdoor workers during the colder months, but ignoring skin protection in the wintertime is a mistake.

Washington — OSHA has renewed the two-year charter for its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health.

Washington — Incomplete initiatives aimed at improving employer reporting of injuries are among the top management and performance challenges facing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General report released in November.

The National Safety Council Construction & Utilities Division has launched an Excavation Toolkit.

Sydney — Workers in the construction and transportation industries face an increased risk of traumatic spinal injuries, in part because of “inefficient systems approaches or ineffective prevention policies,” suggests a recent study led by researchers at the University of Sydney.

Washington — Workers who frequently drill concrete can experience reduced exposure to noise, silica dust and vibration if pneumatic rock drills are replaced with electric rotary hammer drills, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

Atlanta — Construction workers have the highest proportional mortality ratio for heroin- and methadone-related overdose deaths, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis of 26 occupations shows.