OSHA Safety Issues Archives

OSHA DELAYS CRANE OPERATOR INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Construction Industry News on Nov 21, 2017.

On November 9, 2017,the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a rule delaying for one year, until November 10, 2018, the implementation of a Construction Crane Operator Certification requirement that was scheduled to go into effect on November 10, 2017.  The  crane operator certification requirement, based on an OSHA standard published in 2010, would require an independent third party certification of crane operators via testing and training.  Comments received by OSHA from the construction community questioned whether the independent testing certification standards and evaluation protocol proposed by the OSHA rule were superior to the testing, training, and crane operator certification currently being provided by crane employers. There were also comments made suggesting that the testing and certifications currently being used by crane employers would conflict with the proposed independent certification testing standards.  To study this issue further, OSHA has delayed the implementation of the independent testing standard for an additional year.  In the interim, OSHA has extended for one year its requirement that it is the crane employer’s duty to ensure that its crane operators are competent to operate a crane safely.  Andrew B. Cohn acohn@kaplaw.com 610.941.2549      

Launch of Enforcement of the Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Standard, 29 CFR § 1926.1153

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Construction Industry News on Sep 25, 2017.

On September 23, 2017, OSHA will begin enforcement of the new respirable crystalline silica standard for construction (“new silica rule”). OSHA announced that during the first 30 days of enforcement of the new silica rule, it will consider good-faith efforts by employers in their attempt to comply with the new silica rule. OSHA will offer outreach and assistance to help ensure employers are fully and properly complying with the new requirements. The memorandum issued by OSHA on the subject can be found under the following link: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=31292

OSHA Fines Increased As Of August 1, 2016

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Aug 9, 2016.

President Barack Obama recently signed into law a bill that significantly increases the penalties relating to certain violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Labelled as a “catch-up adjustment”, the new law increases the maximum fines associated with OSHA violations by 78%. An adjustment to the fines was last made in 1990.

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OSHA Hits New Jersey Builder With Huge Fine

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Apr 13, 2016.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced on April 7, 2016, that it was levying a huge fine on New Jersey contractor Berlin Builders. The citations and fines relate to multiple projects, the two most recent of which are the Springford Estates development in Limerick Township, Pennsylvania, and the American House project in Perkasie.

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MODEL SILICA SPECIFICATIONS FOR MASONRY GRINDING, CUTTING, AND SAWING ISSUED BY THE CENTER FOR CONSTUCTION RESEARCH TRAINING

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Nov 18, 2014.

Because of the work of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the CDC, and other construction work groups, many in the construction industry are now aware that prolonged and a high volume exposure to silica based products can cause life threatening diseases. These research and educational efforts have resulted in a better understanding of the threat, lead to better strategies to manage it, and resulted in safety protocols being utilized to protect workers.

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Fight Over Fall Protection In Residential Construction

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Oct 16, 2014.

A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted a long standing issue in construction workplace safety circles. The protection of residential contractors – roofing contractors in particular – from falls on the job. While the problem has been relatively quiet in recent years, it is starting to gain more attention as an increase in injuries and deaths from falls correlates with a rise in the new construction housing market.

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Wave of the Future? New Ladder Safety App Hits Streets

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Sep 10, 2014.

The word on the street is that Apple’s I-Phone 6 will be released soon. This may even include a “watch-phone” that almost everyone assumed – despite being convinced it was way off in the future – was coming at some point. This is just more evidence that technology is constantly evolving and changing the way we do business every day.

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OSHA ANNOUNCES INITIATIVE TO DECREASE WORKPLACE FATALITIES

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Jul 15, 2014.

It should be the goal of every owner and construction company to return employees home for dinner safely every day. In addition to being the right thing to do, workers who are injured, or worse, don’t show up for work the next day. Safety is and should be one of those symbiotic relationships that all parts of the construction community can work on together.

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New OSHA Area Director for Region III

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Jul 14, 2014.

Effective June 29, 2014, Nicholas DeJesse is the Area Director of the Philadelphia Are Office for OSHA. The new position is a promotion from Assistant Area Director in Area III, a position DeJesse has held since April 2012.

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OSHA Wrapping Up National Safety Stand Down Week

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Jun 5, 2014.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is winding down its national Safety Stand Down Week. The effort, which s designed to create an increased awareness on safety issues, is suggested by OSHA in order to set aside a little extra time to teach and train on specific safety issues.

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