Safety reminders to ‘keep your cool’ this summer By Richard Ryan “Hottest summer on record” is a phrase many of us are likely tired of hearing, and none so much as construction project leaders. When you coordinate and lead hundreds of people working outdoors every day, “hottest summer” goes beyond an uncomfortable inconvenience and can quickly verge on danger for all involved. As with many aspects of construction safety, keeping your team safe during hot conditions rests on three equally critical pillars: knowledge, preparation and collective care. When we know the warning signs, prepare to respond competently and commit to … Read more
CPWR Offers Resources for Improving Safety this Summer, Beyond
The start of the summer and the move back toward pre-pandemic life is a great time to recommit to improving safety on the jobsite. The following CPWR resources can help keep workers safe on the job. COVID-19: While there has been progress in keeping workers safe from the coronavirus, it remains a life-threatening hazard. The latest additions to CPWR’s COVID-19 Resources are fact sheets and infographics on vaccines and ventilation, including information targeted to small contractors. These materials join the COVID-19 Clearinghouse, the COVID-19 Exposure Control Planning Tool, the COVID-19 Toolbox Talk, the COVID-19 webinar series and more. Hazard-specific resources: CPWR … Read more
Worker Safety on Worker’s Memorial Day from the Desk of CPWR Executive Director Chris Trahan
Fifty years ago on April 28, the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect. It created two federal agencies vital to protecting American workers: the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. April 28 is also Workers’ Memorial Day in the U.S., the National Day of Mourning in Canada and International Workers’ Memorial Day around the globe. It is a day to pause, to mourn for those injured, made sick or killed by their jobs and to pledge to do better to protect all workers’ safety and health. In the half-century since … Read more
8th Annual OSHA-NIOSH-CPWR National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls May 3-7
Falls continue to be the No.1 cause of workplace fatalities in construction: Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that between 2018 and 2019, fatal falls to a lower level increased from 321 to 401. Those figures make it more important than ever to re-focus on fall hazard awareness and the prevention of falls, particularly as employers and employees are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. CPWR has been posting new resources and information in connection with this May’s OSHA-NIOSH-CPWR National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, including hosting webinars with members of the ANSI Z359 Accredited Standards Committee and the National Roofing … Read more
CPWR Tools for Safety, Health Include Updated Guidance on Indoor Site Ventilation + More
CPWR and the NORA Construction Sector Council COVID-19 Work Group have developed Quick Tips to Increase Ventilation at Indoor Construction Sites Without Operating HVAC Systems. As temperatures drop, construction work is moving inside, work areas are being enclosed and temporary warm-up stations are being set up – and COVID-19 is airborne and spreads faster and further in enclosed areas than outdoors. This guidance offers more than a dozen recommendations for helping keep construction workers safe on indoor jobsites. In addition, CPWR has developed multiple resources to help protect workers from COVID-19, prevent its spread and keep jobsites open, including the … Read more