A Sustainable Workforce Starts With You
Safety is paramount in construction. It must be top of mind at all times. The construction industry has taken great steps to create safe worksites and it is paying off. As Construction Citizen has reported, the injury rate on construction sites in Texas over the last decade has fallen 50 percent. That progress can only be maintained through vigilance on every job site every minute of every day.
OSHA, in a move thought too restrictive by some and too loose by others, released new rules for Permissible Exposure Levels for silica in the construction industry on March 25, 2016. The rules reduced allowable levels of exposure by 80% and covered workers who might be exposed to levels of silica dust particles of over 50 micrograms per square meter over an 8-hour time span. [node:read-more:link]
“As the 2018 hurricane season takes shape (running from June 1 to Nov. 30), it’s imperative to begin construction site hurricane planning efforts early and to be as prepared as possible prior to any storm,” Gilbert says. “Preparing for a storm can help ensure the safety of not only project and onsite teams, but also of the surrounding communities." [node:read-more:link]
The KASK safety hats/helmets are unique because of the advanced technology built into each product. Workers who wear the KASK safety helmets enjoy maximum ventilation in various climates from 10 air intakes and multiple outflow channels, which guarantee effective breathability. [node:read-more:link]
Generic Safety. What does OSHA say about it? From the beginning, OSHA said that employers must provide employment and a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death, illness, or harm to employees. It’s the law. [node:read-more:link]
Experts in the construction industry met at a luncheon hosted by the American Subcontractors Association Houston Chapter recently to talk about employer responsibility for worker safety on the jobsite. The panel discussion focused largely on safety education and risk assessment, employer liabilities in situations of co-employment, and employer responsibilities when there’s a filing with OSHA or a workers’ compensation claim. [node:read-more:link]
On July 21, six Texas Chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and its member companies renewed their partnership and established a two-year agreement with the Texas offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor (OSHA), in order to recognize the importance of ensuring a safe and healthy work environment in the construction industry. [node:read-more:link]
“The Future is here, it is just not very evenly distributed yet.” - William Gibson, Author
Advanced technology is screaming onto the construction jobsite today. Everything from remote driverless dump trucks to self driving concrete trucks, smart phones, ipads, laser scanners, thermal imaging cameras, RFIDS and geospatial devices are all being adopted by contractors on the jobsite. Some companies are investing in the new technologies and others are waiting. They will soon be screaming if they don’t pay close attention to the rapid development of augmented reality and its impact on all parts of our industry.
Personal protection too, is about to get a makeover for the first time in decades. [node:read-more:link]
After an increase in construction related deaths, the New York City Council is poised to consider a raft of proposals aimed at increasing safety on jobsites throughout the largest city in America. Crane safety is on the minds of council members as is the oversight of smaller jobsites.
If this package is passed, there would be stricter monitoring of “troubled actors” and increased penalties for lawbreakers.
More details from a site called Crain's New York Business:
The legislation, called the Construction Safety Act, is led by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, but some elements could face resistance from Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has ambitious goals for housing development and has clashed with construction-worker unions. The mayor has already expressed skepticism with one of the council measures, a bill to require training programs for construction workers. [node:read-more:link]
