EHS Today Construction RSS Feed

Drugs and Construction Sites Don't Mix: Staying Sober to Save Lives, Prevent Injuries

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:31:00 EDT

A new nationwide effort working to help the construction industry remain drug- and alcohol-free has an important message: Drugs and construction sites don't mix.

OSHA Cites Cleveland Cement Contractors for Safety Violations Following Casino Parking Garage Collapse

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:21:00 EDT

An eager crowd stood in line for hours on May 14, waiting their turn to enter Ohio’s first casino, Horseshoe Casino Cleveland. Thousands of gamblers translate to thousands of needed parking space, so could the rush to provide parking for all those people have led to safety shortcuts? On May 9, OSHA cited Cleveland Cement Contractors Inc. for six serious safety violations, including not following design and construction standards, following an investigation into the partial collapse on Dec. 16, 2011 of the casino's second floor parking garage.

Electrical Safety Month: The Importance of Safety in the Home and in the Workplace

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:38:00 EDT

The president of the Electrical Safety Foundation International explains two campaigns created to save lives. The “Be in the Know about the New” campaign addresses latest residential technologies, while “How Do You Know?” helps assess workplace safety practices.

Digging Deeper into Trenching Safety

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT

Some employees end up digging their own graves when they’re working in trenches. This tragedy is avoidable when employers take precautions and employees ask one simple question: “Is it safe?”

States With Low Nonfatal Injury Rates in the Construction Industry Have High Fatality Rates

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:47:00 EDT

The good news and the bad news: States that report low numbers of nonfatal injuries among construction workers tend to have high rates of fatal injuries, while those with low fatality rates tend to report higher numbers of nonfatal injuries, according to a new study from the RAND Corp.

Interactive Map Depicts Fatal Construction Falls

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:55:00 EDT

As part of its Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research has posted an interactive, online map depicting the locations of fatal construction falls that occurred in 2011.

Death on the Job: 13 Occupational Fatalities Occurred Daily in 2010

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:34:00 EDT

AFL-CIO's newly released "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect" report reveals that an average of 13 occupational fatalities occurred every day in 2010.

Boldt’s Sutter Medical Center Construction Site Hits 1,000 Days Without a Lost-Time Accident

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:18:00 EDT

The Boldt Co., named one of America’s Safest Companies by EHS TODAY in 2008, has achieved 1,000 consecutive days without a lost-time accident on its Sutter Medical Center construction project in Sacramento, Calif. During those 1,000 days, there were more than 2 million accident-free hours worked on the site.

OSHA Launches New Construction Fall Prevention Campaign

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:16:00 EDT

At the April 26 Action Summit for Worker Safety and Health, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis honored Workers' Memorial Day and revealed a new OSHA campaign focusing on fall prevention in the construction industry.

58 Workers Died on the Job in Massachusetts in 2011

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:24:00 EDT

The 2012 Dying for Work in Massachusetts: The Loss of Life and Limb in Massachusetts Workplaces report reveals that 58 workers died on the job in the commonwealth in 2011; an estimated 580 additional workers died from occupational disease.

OSHA Alliance Waves Safety Through the Construction Zone

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:26:00 EDT

Roadway construction zones can be a particularly dangerous place to work, with hazards including construction vehicle backovers or runovers and more. In an effort to better protect these construction workers, OSHA announced that it has renewed its alliance with the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Partners.

Older Construction Workers Have More Costly Workers’ Comp Claims

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:41:00 EDT

Older construction workers file a small percentage of workers’ compensation claims, yet their claims tend to be more costly. A recent analysis of over 100,000 workers’ compensation construction industry claims for the state of Colorado found that medical costs rise 1 percent with each year of age, while indemnity costs rise 3.5 percent each year.

Two New ANSI Standards Address Fall Safety

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:56:00 EDT

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) standards addressing fall protection, the new ANSI/ASSE Z359.14-2012, Safety Requirements for Self-Retracting Devices for Personal Fall Arrest and Rescue Systems, and the revised ANSI/ASSE Z359.4-2012, Safety Requirements for Assisted-Rescue and Self-Rescue Systems, Subsystems and Components. The standards are part of the Z359 Fall Protection Code.

Feds Sue to Collect Fines from San Antonio Lath & Plaster Related to Years of OSHA Violations

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:38:00 EDT

The U.S. attorney's office in San Antonio, Tex., has filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas against San Antonio Lath & Plaster Inc. to collect $234,450 in delinquent fines assessed by OSHA for workplace safety violations.

Bechtel: Sharing Safety Lessons

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:58:00 EDT

An environmental safety and health manager at construction giant Bechtel believes that it’s important to share safety lessons across the construction industry.