Quarterly Data Report Analyzes Construction Falls  

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The new Quarterly Data Report focuses on falls, which remain the most common cause of fatal injuries in the construction industry. In 2017, 389 workers died from falls, 367 from falls to a lower level. Encouragingly, the rate of fatal falls showed signs of decreasing among roofers, the occupation with the highest risk of falls, and among construction laborers, the largest occupation in the industry. Small employers (those with fewer than 20 employees) accounted for 75% of fatal falls between 2015 and 2017, despite making up only 39% of construction payroll employment. The rate of nonfatal falls trended downward between … Read more

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Sheet Metal Workers Take Action to Lessen Suicide Rate among Ranks

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Last November, the CDC released a study showing that from 2012 to 2015, males in construction and extraction workers have the highest rate of suicide in the United States. Categorized in that group are the sheet metal workers which, as an organization, has been focusing on bucking the trend and educating membership through a program aimed at not only challenging trends but decades of stereotypes. The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust, the safety arm of the unionized sheet metal, air conditioning and welding industry, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation workers, took notice of … Read more

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MYCON General Contractors Promotes Construction Safety

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MYCON’s participation in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s sixth annual National Safety Stand-Down week was a huge success, according to the firm’s Senior Vice President Justin Jeffus, CDP, LEED AP. OSHA’s Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event that encourages employers to stop work, or stand-down, and talk directly with workers about safety and how to prevent workplace accidents and fatalities. More than 1,000 workers, including sub-contractor personnel and corporate employees, participated in sessions that focused on preventing injuries from falls, struck-by object, caught in between and electrical hazards. “Providing a safe and secure workplace improves … Read more

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Safety Tips to Protect Construction Workers from Extreme Heat

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Summer is a great time for construction work, but a brutal time for construction workers. Excessive heat and sun exposure pose significant dangers, such as sunburn, dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Every year, construction workers become ill on the job and some even lose their lives due to heat exposure. To protect its workers from the extreme summer heat, Western Specialty Contractors manages a heat illness training program and a safety hotline for its employees. As part of the program, training is provided to all employees and supervisors who work in high temperatures. Training topics include: how … Read more

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AGC Launches Campaign to Alert Summer Motorists to Slow Down + Remain Alert in Construction Work Zones

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67% of highway contractors report that motor vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones during the past year, according to the results of a new highway work zone study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America. In response, association officials have launched a new radio and media campaign urging drivers to slow down and remain alert in highway work zones. “There are simply too many cars crashing into too many work zones, putting too many lives at risk,” said Brian Turmail, the association’s national spokesman. “That is why we are launching a nationwide outreach effort designed to better … Read more

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