Safe + Sound Week Begins August 12

CPWR is a partner in the Safe + Sound Campaign, a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the value of workplace safety and health programs. These programs can identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line. Participating in Safe + Sound Week—taking place August 12-18—can help start a new health and safety program, energize an existing one or recognize your safety successes. Last year, more than 2,700 businesses of all sizes made this commitment to improving worker safety and health. For construction-specific resources, including hardhat stickers, visit CPWR’s Safe + Sound … Read more

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Quarterly Data Report Analyzes Construction Falls  

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

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

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

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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