Double Trench Fatality Leads to 7-Figure Fine, Criminal Charges
OSHA says the deaths of two employees in a tragic trench accident could have been prevented if a drain cleaning company had provided basic safeguards and training.
Category: Construction
Fourth Annual Fall Prevention Stand-Down Coming in May
On May 8-12, OSHA will hold its fourth annual National Fall Prevention Stand-Down. Aimed at raising awareness of fall hazards in the construction industry, OSHA describes the event as “an opportunity for employers to have a conversation with employees about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals.” Keep reading to find out […]
Construction Company Faces Six-Figure Fines
A Washington State construction company faces a large fine for numerous repeated safety violations that exposed workers to potential falls and other hazards at a residential construction site in Olympia.
New Fall Protection Rules for Oregon Employers
Oregon has changed its fall protection requirements for construction employers. Make sure your supervisors are aware and your crews are in compliance.
Safety Group Calls for Action on Construction Job Fatalities
A coalition of safety advocates and labor groups in New York has released a report they say underscores the need for action on construction fatalities in the state. Find out what’s in the report and what the group wants to see changed.
Excavation Hazards at School Site Lead to Citation
Acting on a complaint in June 2016, the OSHA found employees of one of the area’s largest general contractors working in an unprotected 10-foot deep excavation at a suburban New Jersey high school, in violation of federal safety and health laws. As a result, OSHA issued citations for nine violations—one willful and eight serious—to the […]
OSHA Issues New Recommended Practices for Construction
OSHA recently issued Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction to help industry employers develop proactive programs to keep their workplaces safe. According to the agency, the recommendations may be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized contractors who lack safety and health specialists on staff.
Employer Not Getting the Message on Scaffolding Hazards
Citations against a contractor cited more than 40 times for scaffolding violations have been upheld by the commission that reviews contested OSHA cases. Despite years of enforcement activity, this employer has not shown encouraging signs of changing its ways. Get details here.
Construction Employer Alert: Trench Deaths Spiked in 2016
OSHA recently cited an Ohio company after a 33-year-old employee was crushed to death. The worker was digging soil out of a trench in Washington Township when the trench walls around him gave way, burying him in thousands of pounds of dirt.
Cal/OSHA Adopts Fed/OSHA’s Silica Rule Over Construction Objections
On March 25, 2016, federal OSHA finalized its new crystalline silica rule. Despite a court challenge, and over the objections of Cal/OSHA’s construction industry, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) has adopted federal OSHA’s silica rules.