OSHA Switches from Traditional Hard Hats to Safety Helmets

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets to protect them better when on inspection sites. In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported head injuries accounted for nearly 6% of non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. Almost half of those injuries occurred when workers came in contact with an object or equipment while about 20% were caused by slips, trips and falls. Dating back to the 1960s, traditional hard hats protect the top of a worker’s head but have minimal side … Read more

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Mental Wellness in Construction

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By Elizabeth Crowley Construction workers have always played a visible role in our nation’s prosperity and economic health. After all, they literally build our cities, go to heights where few other people venture and help modernize our world. Construction workers are known for their strength, determination and grit, but there is also a darker and, sadly, unconfronted reality to their work environment that needs more attention. Namely, the high rates of substance abuse, suicide and depression among our workforce. In fact, construction workers are five times more likely to die from suicide than from work-related injuries, and four times more … Read more

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Brass Knuckle Releases Protective Eyewear for Workers Needing Corrective Lenses

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A worker who wears corrective lenses is not exempt from wearing proper eye protection. Typical corrective eyeglasses don’t provide the necessary impact and side protection of work-grade spectacles and goggles. These workers could wear over-the-glasses protective eyewear. But, for a less-bulky, maximum-comfort solution, there is Brass Knuckle Read. The revised ANSI/SEA Z87.1-2015 standard recognizes the need for protective readers that offer magnification for the wearer. Brass Knuckle meets this need with Read BKREAD-6010. Read is great-fitting, cost-effective, super-light bifocal eye protection available in five diopter strengths: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0. A durable polycarbonate frame provides extra side protection … Read more

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OSHA, Noble Texas Builders Partner to Keep Workers Safe at Collegiate Academy Construction Project

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Noble Texas Builders formed a strategic partnership to promote worker safety during construction of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – McAllen Independent School District Collegiate Academy in McAllen. The one-year partnership will address falls, struck-by, caught-in/between and electrical hazards. The goal is to prevent work-related fatalities, control and eliminate serious workplace hazards and continue Noble’s safety and health program. The partners will collaborate on several measures to achieve its goal, including promoting employee reporting to address potential safety and health issues. The partners will also host best practice “Lunch and Learn” … Read more

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Department of Labor Proposes Rule to Clarify PPE Standard, Ensure Safety of Construction Industry Workers

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The U.S. Department of Labor announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the personal protective equipment standard for the construction industry. The current standard does not state clearly that PPE must fit each affected employee properly, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s general industry and maritime standards do. The proposed change would clarify that PPE must fit each employee properly to protect them from occupational hazards. The failure of standard-sized PPE to protect physically smaller construction workers properly, as well as problems with access to properly fitting PPE, have long been safety and health concerns in the construction … Read more

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