Seattle — The owner of a West Seattle construction company has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for his role in a fatal trench collapse, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

Silver Spring, MD — Employers in the construction industry need to promote “effective, non-opioid pain-management methods” for injured workers, a nonprofit safety group is saying after two of its recent studies found construction workers with musculoskeletal disorders are three times more likely than their co-workers to use prescription opioids.

Washington — Age-specific efforts aimed at preventing musculoskeletal disorders related to overexertion – a significant cause of MSDs among construction workers in the United States – could help address the problem, researchers from NIOSH say.

Robust investment growth in target building segments is expected to drive increased spending through 2023, according to the NSCA’s Electronic Systems Outlook report for Summer 2023.  

Boston — Detailed site safety plan requirements, free training and education, and ramped-up enforcement are the three key elements of a new construction safety ordinance in Boston.

Tumwater, WA — To clarify its crane decertification and reinstatement requirements, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing changes to its regulations on cranes and derricks in construction.

New York — In response to fatal overdoses in the local construction industry, New York City’s health and buildings departments are teaming up to conduct outreach at worksites.

Washington – NIOSH has released a document outlining dozens of safety recommendations aimed at reducing deaths and injuries caused by backing construction vehicles and equipment.

Silver Spring, MD — Of the nearly 225,000 construction worker deaths recorded in 2020, 60% of those workers were at least 65 years old, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.

Silver Spring, MD – Construction worker fatalities have increased 16 percent since 2011, outpacing an increase in construction employment during the same time period, according to a report released Oct. 26 by the Center for Construction Research and Training, also known as CPWR.

Safety+Health presents a look at safety in the construction industry.

An easy-to-use mobile employee engagement and time-tracking solution for heavy construction operations, myField allows workers to stay on top of their work while in the field or at the jobsite.

Download a white paper from Columbia Southern University on the role of drones to save lives in construction jobsite safety.

This white paper provides detailed guidance from J. J. Keller’s safety and compliance experts on selecting the right equipment for the job, such as hard hats, footwear, respiratory devices, high-visibility apparel, hearing protection and more.

Silver Spring, MD — More than half of former construction workers have experienced hearing loss, and certain factors can exacerbate the condition, according to a recent study by the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR).

Washington – The construction industry should be exempt from OSHA’s forthcoming proposed rule on beryllium, according to a manufacturer of industrial abrasives.

Washington – OSHA has issued a proposed rule that would roll back certain provisions of its final rule on worker exposure to beryllium in the construction and shipyard industries.

Washington — OSHA’s Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health has scheduled a teleconference/WebEx meeting for Sept. 9 to discuss potential changes to beryllium regulations, according to a notice published in the Aug. 8 Federal Register.

Washington — As expected, OSHA is proposing changes to its beryllium standards for the construction and shipyard industries.

Washington — OSHA has finalized revisions to its beryllium standards for the construction and shipyard industries. Announced Aug. 28, the final rule includes changes designed to “clarify the standards and simplify or improve compliance.”

Washington – Hispanic immigrants who work for small construction firms are among the most at risk of being injured on the job, according to NIOSH and the American Society of Safety Engineers.

A 45-year-old construction worker employed by a custom homebuilder arrived at a site to finish punch list items for a new home. The worker was pressure-washing the home’s driveway when a worker from a landscaping business arrived and parked a medium-duty dump truck at the top of the driveway.

A 49-year-old construction laborer was working as an independent contractor for a residential remodeling company.

Washington – The Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health has scheduled a public meeting on March 31 and April 1 to discuss a proposed revision to OSHA’s crane operator qualification requirement.

Silver Spring, MD — A total of 532 construction workers were killed at road construction sites from 2011 through 2016 – more than twice the combined total for all other industries combined – according to a recent report from the Center for Construction Research and Training, also known as CPWR.

Silver Spring, MD – With summer only days away, the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR – has issued a hazard alert about heat risks and precautions workers can take to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Fort Collins, CO — Employers should prioritize efforts to help workers get a good night’s sleep, researchers from Colorado State University say after their study of construction workers found a connection between poor quality sleep and the risk of workplace incidents and injuries.

Washington – A new booklet from NIOSH describes safe work practices to help residential construction workers avoid manual material handling injuries.

Phoenix – OSHA’s threat to take away Arizona’s oversight of construction safety – prompted by alleged inadequacies in the state’s fall protection standard – is unnecessary in light of recently passed legislation, an attorney representing the state said in a May 1 letter to the federal agency.

Whitewater, WI – One-third of residential construction contractors who participated in a recent study said their firms lacked written safety programs, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

St. Louis – In an effort to help residential construction workers stay safe, a new website is providing details on fall protection methods and equipment.

Washington – A new fact sheet from OSHA is intended to protect residential construction workers operating in confined spaces such as attics, basements and crawl spaces.

Washington — In response to the particularly heavy impact the opioid crisis is having on the construction industry, the National Association of Home Builders has introduced several free resources intended to help residential construction organizations combat the issue.

Hamilton, NJ — Leaders and workers in the civil construction industry lack training and resources on addressing and promoting mental health, according to a recent report published by Dodge Data & Analytics.

Silver Spring, MD — Around two-thirds of construction worker deaths over a recent 11-year period were the result of “Focus Four”-related injuries, a new report says.

Washington — A new pamphlet from NIOSH offers tips to mitigate common risks that construction workers face.

Silver Spring, MD — A new training program from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is aimed at helping residential construction supervisors improve their communication and leadership skills.

Silver Spring, MD — The rate of nonfatal, work-related musculoskeletal disorders requiring days away from work in the construction industry has continued to decline, while the median DAFW for such injuries remains on the rise, according to a recent report from the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.

Detroit — Workers in construction and manufacturing may experience a “significantly higher incidence” of carpal tunnel syndrome compared with office workers, results of a recent study by researchers from the Henry Ford Health System show.

Rockville, MD – Several construction industry trade associations have formed a coalition in response to OSHA’s proposed rule on crystalline silica.

Brooklyn, NY – Latino and immigrant workers are disproportionately killed in falls at construction sites in New York state, according to a new report from the advocacy group Center for Popular Democracy.

New York – Construction worker fatalities have been rising in New York City and throughout the state – and Latino workers are particularly at risk due to falls and willful violations – according to an annual report released Jan. 18 by the advocacy group New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.

New York — Construction worker fatalities remain on the rise in New York state while continuing to decline in New York City, according to an annual report released by the advocacy group New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.

Silver Spring, MD — A recent study of older and retired construction trade workers shows that more than half experience hearing impairment – and the risk increases with age.

Denver — Deaths and serious injuries resulting from falls in the construction industry in recent years have prompted OSHA to launch an initiative to inspect worksites across Colorado’s Front Range, Montana and South Dakota on weekends, “when many employers typically do not monitor their jobsites well.”

New York — In response to the recent deaths of four New York City construction employees in separate workplace incidents, the NYC Department of Buildings has launched a winter construction safety campaign.

Between 2003 and 2013, falls were the leading cause of death in the construction industry, resulting in more than 3,500 fatalities, according to OSHA. During that time, falls from roofs made up roughly 34 percent of the deaths – all of which were preventable.

Not all construction risks can be completely eliminated, so leaders must prevent injury and loss by understanding the specific hazards of various jobsites and providing the proper personal protective equipment for worker tasks.

This white paper aims to provide an overview of key OSHA standards for many of the hazards in the construction industry, frequently cited construction violations and PPE solutions that can help protect workers.