Construction

Silver Spring, MD – Less than 50 percent of the 9 million workers in the construction industry in 2015 rated their workplaces as “very safe,” according to a new report from the Center for Construction Research and Training, also known as CPWR.

Washington – New labor-law disclosure requirements for prospective federal contractors and subcontractors issued as part of President Barack Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673 are on hold after a Texas judge issued a preliminary injunction one day before the regulation was set to go into effect.

Washington – OSHA has scheduled a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health.

In an instant and without notice, an unsupported trench can give way and a worker can be buried alive. “Even though small amounts of dirt may not seem treacherous, a single cubic yard of dirt can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, which can fatally crush or suffocate workers,” NIOSH states.

Between 2003 and 2013, falls were the leading cause of death in the construction industry, resulting in more than 3,500 fatalities, according to OSHA. During that time, falls from roofs made up roughly 34 percent of the deaths – all of which were preventable.

Anaheim, CA – For the sixth year in a row, Fall Protection (1926.501) is the most frequently cited OSHA standard, the agency and Safety+Health magazine announced Oct. 18 at the 2016 NSC Congress & Expo.

Silver Spring, MD – The Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR), together with the Roofing r2p Partnership and the RF Radiation Work Group, have developed the Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation Awareness Program for the Construction Industry, intended to inform employers and labor organizations about the risks of radiofrequency radiation.

Princeton, NJ – In an effort to promote mental health awareness and help prevent suicide among construction workers, the Construction Financial Management Association has formed the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention.

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration is looking to protect workers from hazards linked to asbestos, lead and cadmium that may be encountered during blight removal projects, as part of a one-year state emphasis program launched in September.

Washington – Beginning in 2017, employers with federal government contracts must provide their workers with up to seven days of paid sick leave per year, according to a Department of Labor final rule published Sept. 29.