Last week I met with an OSHA representative to discuss the upcoming enforcement of the residential fall protection rules that have been on the books since the 1990’s.
As promised, he followed up with an email loaded with good information that I thought I’d pass on to our readers.
The link below will take you to the residential construction fall protection home page where you will find all of the latest information with respect to enforcement of the new requirements for residential construction work. Most useful is the Guidance Document on Fall Protection in Residential Construction. This document is useful in that it shows the various options of fall protection equipment available for employers in the residential construction industry.
With respect to OSHA’s coverage, I’ve attached a publication titled, “All About OSHA” which details when OSHA has jurisdiction and I’ve also provided the link to the OSH Act which is the Public Law that was passed by Congress giving OSHA its statutory authority. The OSH Act specifically states the duties of employers and employees under Section 5, gives OSHA the right to conduct inspections under Section 8, issue citations for non-compliance in Section 9 and issue penalties under Section 17 of the “Act”. It is my hope that through effective compliance assistance and a willingness by employers to create a work environment free from hazards so that citations and penalties can be avoided.
Another area of concern during the summer months for outdoor workers is heat-related illness especially when performing such tasks as roofing work. OSHA has launched a national campaign to prevent heat illness to workers who work outdoors. Information on heat illness can be found on the OSHA website at the following link:
Lastly, if any of your members desire to request a free and confidential on-site consultation visit by the New York State Department of Labor’s On-Site Consultation Program, they can be reached in Buffalo at (716) 847-7166 or at www.labor.ny.gov. If they identify hazards that would violate any of the OSHA standards, they do not issue any citation or penalties but do require employers to correct any serious hazards identified. I would highly recommend the services of the NYS On-Site Consultation Service