The weekly resource designed and developed exclusively for AGC New Mexico Building Branch members.
Week of March 13-17, 2006
In This Issue
• Important Dates to
Remember
• Safety Excellence: OSHA Inspections, National Work
Zone Awareness Week and OSHA Training Classes
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Important Dates to Remember
• March 19-22 — AGC of America Annual Convention in Palm Springs, CA. Register here.
• June 2 — Annual Best Buildings Awards Celebration Save the Date!
• July 28 — AGC Legends Golf Event 2006 at PaaKo Ridge Golf Club Save the Date!
• October 12 – 14 – Young Constructor’s Forum Fall Working Weekend A National AGC event, right here in New Mexico! Save the Date!
• November 16-18 — Annual Strategic Planning Session Location TBD, but date firm!
Safety Excellence: OSHA Inspections, National Work Zone Awareness Week and OSHA Training Classes
By Dennis W. Roberts, Director of Industry Relations and Safety
OSHA Announces Weekend Inspections: Region VI of Federal OSHA has announced an enforcement initiative of worksites within its jurisdiction to reduce injuries and death resulting from excavation collapse, electrocutions from overhead power lines, falls to other levels, hazards on scaffolds, and struck-by incidents in work zones.
In so doing, federal compliance personnel, through voluntary participation, will be granted permission to inspect active construction sites during weekends. These inspections will take place in instances where the compliance personnel observe, from the “public way”, excavation/trench activity, potential contact with overhead power lines, fall hazards, use of unsafe scaffolds, and/or unsafe traffic work zones.
Excavations operations shall include any observation of conditions exposing employees to a cave-in hazard in excavations greater than five feet in depth. Overhead power lines hazards shall include any observation of employees or equipment used in proximity of overhead power lines. Fall hazards shall include any observed conditions exposing employees to a fall while working at heights greater than six feet above the ground or six feet above the next walking/working surface. Scaffolds in use shall include situations where one or more employees are erecting, dismantling, accessing, or engaged in working on or from a scaffold. Work zones shall include areas where employees are working on or adjacent to highways, streets and bridges in close proximity to construction and motor vehicle traffic.
Partnership Exemptions: If a contractor has passed an OSHA verification inspection, as required by a signed partnership agreement, such as the New Mexico AGC CHASE program, the contractor will not be subject to an inspection, unless a “plain view” hazard is observed.
A review of Region VI fatality data indicates at 10 per cent of the 690 fatalities that have occurred in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico have occurred during weekends and holidays.
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National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 3-9: AGC of America is part of a nationwide effort to bring awareness to motorists to slow down and follow instructions in work zones to protect themselves and workers. The theme for this year’s campaign is Night Work. Download a poster and fact sheet.
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AGC Offers Safety Orientation/OSHA 10-Hour Classes: Beginning March 31, the New Mexico Building Branch will be offered combined Jobsite Safety Orientation/OSHA 10-Hour classes in the AGC Conference Room. The classes are designed for five hours Friday afternoon and five hours Saturday morning. In addition to receiving completion cards from the OSHA Training Institution, those who complete the class will also receive recognition from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
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