OSHA Forms Partnership to Protect Workers on National Gallery of Art Renovation Project in Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a strategic partnership with Balfour Beatty’s Washington Division and Smoot Construction Joint Venture to promote workplace safety and health by providing guidance and training to workers involved in the National Gallery of Art renovation project in Washington, D.C.

“This partnership reflects our united commitment to ensuring a safe and healthful environment for all workers involved in the National Gallery of Art project,” said Michael Walterschied, director of the agency’s Baltimore Area Office, who attended a ceremony at the site. “We look forward to working with our new partners in a joint effort to prevent needless injuries and illnesses.”

The partnership is designed to develop and implement a project-specific safety and health plan to be administered by qualified safety and health representatives, conduct comprehensive job hazard analyses, hold weekly safety and health meetings with subcontractors, provide ongoing training, establish methods for reporting worksite hazards and collect data related to injuries and illnesses.

The renovation project involves removing more than 17,000 Tennessee pink marble façade stones, reworking a floating anchorage system, refurbishing the stones as necessary and then replacing the stones.

Balfour Beatty is based in Washington and Smooth Construction Joint Venture is based in Fairfax, Va.

Through its Strategic Partnership Program, OSHA partners with employers, workers, professional and trade associations, labor organizations and other interested stakeholders to establish specific goals, strategies and performance measures to improve worker safety and health. For more information, call OSHA’s Baltimore office at 410-865-2057 or visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/partnerships/index.html.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.