March 27, 2019 Risk Factors Affecting Construction Safety Construction accidents happen more often than most people realize. In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), about one in five workplace fatalities happen on construction sites. What makes construction less safe than other occupations? The industry has some very specific aspects that increase the risk of a workplace accident. Injured Construction … Read More »
March 18, 2019 The Fatal Four: The Four Leading Causes of Fatalities in the Construction Industry As you might imagine, construction work is one of the nation’s most dangerous jobs. A Construction worker is exposed to a myriad of potential hazards every day. They must work at great heights, operate heavy equipment and machinery to move materials, use power tools for long periods of time, and deal with excessive dust and … Read More »
March 16, 2019 Workers’ Memorial Day 2019 This April 28th is Workers’ Memorial Day – a day when the nation (and others across the globe) takes a moment to honor the loss of thousands of lives on the job every year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 5,000 men and women die in the workplace annually. The majority … Read More »
February 22, 2019 DOL Rule Proposal Endangers Lives A newly proposed Department of Labor (DOL) rule would allow 16-and-17-year-olds to operate patient powered lifts in nursing homes, hospitals, and other long-term care facilities without any supervision. Young workers already face numerous job-oriented hazards, so many labor unions and other organizations have come forward to publicly challenge the DOL’s proposal, citing not only patient … Read More »
February 21, 2019 Hearing Loss and Workplace Noise Exposure According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than 22 million working men and women are exposed to dangerous levels of noise in the workplace every year. A recent study documented the close link between instances of job-related hearing loss and the early breakdown of a person’s ear canal, which can cause severe … Read More »
February 19, 2019 Winter Storm Hazards Winter storms pose several hazards to construction workers including cold stress, downed power lines, snow-logged rooftops, and icy roads. To ensure that they are prepared for the winter season and the aftermath of winter storms, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that employers and workers take several precautions, including: Wear appropriate footwear – … Read More »
February 8, 2019 Trench Deaths on the Rise Recent data shows the construction market is rebounding. While this is a good sign for the economy, a construction boom may be associated with lapses in safety, such as trench accidents. Likewise, a shortage of skilled labor has resulted in an uptick of serious injuries and fatalities related to trench collapses. The Bureau of Labor … Read More »
February 2, 2019 Too Many Workplace Deaths from Electrical Incidents, says NFPA The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is concerned about the number of contractors who are killed in workplace electrical incidents every year. The majority of electrical hazards in the workplace are preventable through effective safety and health programs. However, too often employers set aside the safety of workers in the rush to complete a job … Read More »
January 19, 2019 20-Year-Old Worker Dies: Company Charged After the recent death of a 20-year-old trench worker, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is fining the employer $275,000 compensation for an array of willful and “serious” safety violations. According to the administration’s investigative findings, the company failed to conduct daily site safety inspections – and as a result, the young worker died … Read More »
