Category: Construction Site Safety

March 16, 2023

Between 2003 and 2010, a total of 2,210 construction workers died due to traumatic brain injuries. The construction industry in particular faces a high risk of traumatic brain injuries, and sees higher rates of both fatal and non-fatal traumatic brain […]

March 15, 2023

Recently, I was asked for my thoughts on the safety challenges the U.S. engineering and construction industry is facing in 2023. To get a broader view, I put the question to the CEOs of 11 different construction companies. While each […]

March 2, 2023

Under the new rule, repeat citations can be issued for incidents surrounding lockout/tagout, machine guarding, permit-required confined spaces, respiratory protection, falls, trenching and for cases with other-than-serious violations specific to recordkeeping. OSHA’s rule change is designed to crack down on […]

February 22, 2023

The attorney general’s office alleged that GTA Co. left the excavated asbestos on the ground and in open dumpsters. The complaint also alleged that the contractor arranged for transport of the waste it failed to contain from the Everett and […]

February 14, 2023

Key provisions: Employers must set up the workplace to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls. OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet […]

February 14, 2023

Key provisions: The employer must provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards. The program shall enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and shall train each employee in the procedures to […]

February 14, 2023

1926.451(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5) and (g), each scaffold and scaffold component shall be capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least 4 times the maximum intended load applied or transmitted to […]

February 13, 2023

Each year OSHA continues to cite the same safety violations, which stresses the importance of continuing to comply with workplace safety standards. Workplace hazards are not likely to be completely eliminated, but following best practices and guidance can help it’s […]

February 9, 2023

The average construction site is full of equipment and sharp objects that can permanently injure a person’s hands. Cold temperatures and hazardous chemicals can also be potentially harmful to the nerves or skin, leading to a loss of feeling or […]

January 27, 2023

Under the new legislation, a contractor is guilty of criminal corporate liability for the death or injury of a worker when it negligently, recklessly, intentionally or knowingly causes the death or serious physical injury of its employees while they are […]

January 24, 2023

Last week, Associated General Contractors of America’s health and safety conference offered attendees training and tips on how to walk the tightrope of creating an effective safety program. Here are some of the key takeaways from presenters. Empower workers to […]

January 19, 2023

For the eighth time since 2016, federal safety inspectors found the owner of a Martin, Ohio roofing company exposed roofers and other workers to the construction industry’s leading cause of death – falls from elevation – by failing to provide […]

December 22, 2022

Road work zones are hazardous. Workers and flaggers who build and protect our roadways are not the only ones at risk. Many motorists and pedestrians also die in accidents involving temporary work zones each year. With speed limits creeping upward […]

December 13, 2022

No one wants an unsafe workplace, but it’s easy for employees to forget how important things like hard hats, hand protection and reflective gear can be. That’s especially true if they find the equipment or clothing hot, if it limits […]

December 8, 2022

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2020 that 1,030 workers died in confined space incidents from 2011 to 2018, Of those, 61 died in sewers, manholes and storm drains. Employers must test confined spaces in pre-entry planning to find […]

November 17, 2022

A Biden administration proposal focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions among federal contractors has raised the ire of some construction groups, who worry that firms that fail to properly comply could be barred from bidding on federal projects. The Federal […]

November 16, 2022

Construction work remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States in 2022. Potential hazards abound, from falling objects to dangers involving footing, balance, and the inability to adequately see and hear. Most job sites are replete with […]

November 16, 2022

Managers and supervisors in the construction and manufacturing industries need to protect their employees from various work-related hazards, including the presence of silica dust. These particles can spread through the air when drilling, cutting, grinding, or sanding certain types of […]

November 14, 2022

Suffolk Construction and a subcontractor face a combined $691,000 in proposed federal safety penalties stemming from a wall collapse during demolition work on a shuttered power plant in South Boston that left a trio of workers injured, one seriously. The […]

November 3, 2022

The death toll in construction hasn’t changed in the past decade, raising important questions about the effectiveness of OSHA and what it would take to save more lives, according to an analysis by Construction Dive. Workers continue to die at […]