Construction Safety Articles

On May 3, 2017, a coalition of construction industry associations formally petitioned OSHA to begin a limited reopening of the agency’s March 25, 2016, final rule setting requirements for reduction of respirable crystalline silica in general industry, construction and maritime workplaces. Reopening the silica rulemaking does not make sense at this juncture. The standard’s validity is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals, and a ruling is expected soon.

Although the Respirable Crystalline Silica construction standard (29 CFR 1926.1153), becomes enforceable on Sept. 23, 2017, compliance officers are, for the first 30 days of enforcement, to evaluate good-faith efforts taken by employers in their attempts to meet the new construction silica standard.

Struck-by hazards were a leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in construction from 2011 to 2015, says a new quarterly data report from The Center for Construction Research and Training. During this time period, 804 construction workers died from struck-by injuries, which is more than any other major industry, the report says.

Consensus standards provide invaluable guidance resources for OSH professionals to apply in their roles to protect people, property and the environment. ASSP has increased its presence in the standards-development arena to become a leader in the evolution of voluntary OSH standards.

A new behavior-based safety guidebook published by ASSE is now available on the Society’s website. "Actively Caring for People's Safety: How to Cultivate a Brother's/Sister's Keeper Work Culture" features lessons on the fundamental principles for cultivating an actively caring culture in any organization.

ASSE has crafted an “OSHA Reform Blueprint” that details its priorities and vision for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in a time of political change. The eight-page proposal calls for reforms to emphasize the management of risk, sharpen the agency’s focus on productive policies, and fill legislative and regulatory gaps.

On March 27, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 13782 that revoked former President Obama’s EO 13673 (the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Order) that was originally signed into law on July 31, 2014. Worker safety advocates supported the rule, and see the revocation as a clear sign that Congress and the administration are focused on business interests and not worker safety.

Legislation directed at OSHA seldom makes it through Congress, so when an OSHA bill is signed into law, it gets attention and generates questions. And so it has been with H.J. Res. 83, the “resolution of disapproval” of OSHA’s Volks rule that passed both houses of Congress last month and was signed by President Trump.

Homicide is the second leading cause of injury death among female workers, CDC says. Approximately 43% of women fatally assaulted while at work in 2015 were killed by relatives or partners; for men, the corresponding figure was 2%.

On March 27, 2017, MSHA proposed to delay the effective date of its Workplace Examination final rule for surface and underground metal/nonmetal (MNM) mines from May 23 until July 24, 2017. The delay is connected to the Trump Administration's order on reviewing pending regulations as well as litigation initiated by several industry groups.