Secretary of Labor Renews Charter of Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez recently renewed the charter of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that all advisory committees renew their charters every two years. The renewed ACCSH charter, expiring Nov. 17, 2018, includes minor updates to better describe the management of the committee’s records. ACCSH, established under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, advises the secretary of labor and assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health on construction standards and policy matters. ACCSH … Read more

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OSHA Releases Updated Recommended Practices to Encourage Workplace Safety, Health Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently released a set of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs to help employers establish a methodical approach to improving safety and health in their workplaces. The recommendations update OSHA’s 1989 guidelines to reflect changes in the economy, workplaces and evolving safety and health issues. The recommendations feature a new, easier-to-use format and should be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized businesses. Also new is a section on multi-employer workplaces and a greater emphasis on continuous improvement. Supporting tools and resources are included. The programs are not prescriptive; they are … Read more

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OSHA, Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust Renew Alliance

Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust, Alsip, Illinois Background: OSHA and the Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust in Alsip have signed a two-year renewal of their alliance to provide information, guidance and access to training resources to electrical employers and workers. Through the trust, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union No. 134 and the Electrical Contractors’ Association of the City of Chicago sponsor an apprenticeship program for prospective electricians in Cook County. The five-year program combines on-the-job training by union electrical contractors with 53 college credit hours … Read more

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OSHA, Turner Forge Partnership to Train, Protect Construction Workers on CH2 Data Center

OSHA and Turner Construction Turner Company recently established a partnership to protect workers on the CH2 Data Center project in Northlake, Illinois. The partnership includes trade unions and 15 subcontractors, with a combined workforce of more than 500 employees. Construction of the $275-million, 22.8 megawatt data center is expected to be complete in 2018. The partnership will emphasize reducing injury and illness on the jobsite and will focus training on the top four construction industry hazards: falls, struck-by, caught-in/between and electrocutions. The partnership will require all employers, contractors and subcontractors to implement written safety and health programs conduct daily pre-task … Read more

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OSHA Appoints New Director for its Construction Directorate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels has selected Dean McKenzie as the new director of the agency’s directorate of construction. McKenzie served as director of OSHA’s Office of Construction Services from 2012-13, then became the deputy director in 2013, and has been the acting director since January of this year. With more than 40 years of experience in the field of construction, McKenzie has an exceptional understanding of the safety and health issues facing the industry. He started out in the steel mills of Gary, Indiana as a journeyman millwright in … Read more

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