Miss. Contractors Partner With OSHA for Safety

Sept. 27, 2000
OSHA's Jackson, Miss., area office signed an agreement with the\r\nMississippi Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors \r\nto improve safety and health at construction sites.

OSHA''s Jackson, Miss., area office signed an agreement with the Mississippi Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to improve safety and health at construction sites.

The partnership, based on a national prototype, also recognizes ABC''s "Platinum Partner" contractors who have exemplary safety and health programs at their work sites.

Clyde Payne, Jackson area director said, "Members of the Mississippi ABC and the OSHA area office staff have worked together during the past several years to reduce worker illnesses and injuries. OSHA, by signing this partnership agreement, recognizes ABC''s contributions and the efforts members continue to make toward the goal of safer and healthier construction sites."

ABC''s four-step program designates its safest contractors as platinum partners.

To reach this highest level of safety performance, contractors must meet stringent safety and health guidelines including:

  • a three-year history without fatalities, catastrophic accidents, willful, repeat or serious OSHA violations;
  • an occupational injury and illness rate well below the national construction industry average of 8.8 percent;
  • a site specific, written safety and health program, with significant employee involvement based on guidelines from either the American National Standards Institute or OSHA;
  • designated safety personnel who have completed OSHA''s 30-hour construction safety course or its equivalent;
  • supervisor training programs as effective as, and modeled after, OSHA''s 10-hour construction course, and;
  • effective employee training programs which include recognition and abatement of hazards specifically associated with the employee''s job.

"This agreement is a major milestone, marking the Mississippi ABC''s strong commitment to worker safety and our team effort with OSHA to reduce employee illness and injuries," said C.J. Buddy Edens, the association''s executive vice president.

The agreement also stipulates that after OSHA conducts a verification audit at a job site, that the site will be removed from OSHA''s targeted and programmed inspection lists for 12 months.

Other incentives include assurances that OSHA will process most complaints using the phone and fax method and that the unprogrammed inspections will be conducted only in response to reports of imminent danger, fatalities, catastrophic accidents or signed complaints.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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