Construction

Lexington, KY — In response to an uptick in trench-related deaths among construction workers, the Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program has released a hazard alert warning of the dangers of trench work.

New York — Construction worker fatalities continue to rise in New York state amid rampant safety violations, according to an annual report released by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, an advocacy group.

New York — Contractors in the construction industry are increasing their use of emerging technologies to enhance safety, and further growth is likely, results of a recent survey show.

Washington — The National Cooperative Highway Research Program has released a guidebook that “provides practitioners who develop phasing and staging plans for temporary traffic control through work zones with guidance to evaluate the safety impacts of their plan decisions.”

Silver Spring, MD — A recently created database allowed researchers to determine that, in a 33-year period, falls accounted for nearly half of all construction worker deaths – and more than half of the workers killed lacked access to fall protection – according to the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR).

The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upholds the lower permissible exposure limit in OSHA’s updated silica rule. Supporters of the rule call the court’s decision a “huge victory” for workers, while opponents say it disregards “legitimate concerns.”

If you’re not giving much thought to how you choose hand tools, you should. That’s the message the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR), via its choosehandsafety.org website, wants you to keep in mind.

Washington — Wintry weather has taken hold across much of the country, so OSHA is reminding employers and workers to stay mindful of safety during snow removal activities.

Olympia, WA — The owner of a Seattle construction company is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge stemming from a 2016 employee death, marking the first time a workplace fatality in Washington state has prompted a felony charge, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.

Washington — OSHA has renewed its alliance with the National Association of Women in Construction “to continue promoting safe and healthful working conditions for female construction workers.”