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[UPDATE] OSHA Sets Launch Date of Electronic Injury & Illness Reporting Application

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Data can be submitted in one of 3 ways: manually entering the data on the website, uploading a .csv file (basically an excel document with no formatting saved in .csv format), and transmitting data through and application programming interface.

According to the rule, companies with 250 or more employees are required to submit form 300A by December 1, 2017 with 2016 information.  For their 2017 information, those same companies would be required to submit forms 300A, 300, and 301.

For companies that have 20-249 employees and that are in high risk industries like construction, only form 300A will need to be filled out this year and in subsequent years.

In January of 2017, OSHA released a final rule which greatly reduced the allowable exposure to beryllium, a mineral that can cause deadly lung disease.  While not as commonly encountered in the construction industry as other substances that cause terrible lung diseases, like crystalline silica and asbestos, beryllium is linked to a disease called chronic beryllium disease, which kills around 100 people each year. It’s commonly found in coal slag, which is used for sandblasting.  According to the New York Times, OSHA estimates that 11,500 construction workers would be affected by OSHA’s reduced exposure limit.

[VIDEO] Roofer Amazingly Escapes Burning 6 Story Building By Hanging On to Crane Hook

As recently highlighted by several multi-story building fires, contractors should always be prepared in the event a fire starts on a job site.  There have been dozens multi-story building fires in the past few years and many were started when the building was topped out.  In most cases, the project was completely destroyed, leaving developers and owners to deal with years of delays from insurance claims.  A massive five-alarm fire at an Oakland construction site is one of the more recent examples.

In a year that OSHA can’t seem to enforce any new rules, it appears to have found a way to remove a rule from its books. As announced last week, OSHA has removed monorail hoists from Subpart CC – Cranes and Derricks in Construction.  Employers are still required to follow other OSHA regulations regarding the hoists, but this rule should help clear up some inconsistencies.

For many construction superintendents and project managers across the world, tablets are becoming one of the most important tools on the job site.  They’re great for looking at plans, taking pictures, making notes, and running your favorite construction apps. Carrying a tablet does take up at least one of your hands, however, so it can be a hindrance if you need to help a co-worker lift material or climb a ladder.

High demand battery packs have allowed many construction workers ditch the cords on jobsites throughout the country, by providing more power and longer runtime. As with any battery packs, it’s important to follow safety warnings, but with a higher capacity can sometimes mean greater consequences when those warnings are not followed.

Just before 11 am on Monday morning, 6/26, firefighters were called to an under-construction residential building in Queens, New York after concrete scaffolding and formwork collapsed during a pour.

Two construction workers in Sarasota, Florida were recently trapped 15 stories in the air after one of the lines on their suspended scaffolding snapped.   One of the two men was able to be pulled to safety by some co-workers on site, but the second was stuck on the scaffold for an hour before the fire department could rescue him.

According to OSHA, more than 40 percent of all heat-related worker deaths occur in the construction industry.  Many more workers also become ill from extreme heat and humidity.  With summer now in full effect, it’s time to re-evaluate your personal steps for keeping safe in the heat and how your company is going to help their employees stay safe.