Tag: OSHA

Confined Spaces Training

Confined spaces incidents aren’t the most common, but they can be the most deadly. As we have seen in numerous incidents throughout New England, confined spaces hazards tend to be misunderstood or underestimated. In addition, many confined spaces injuries or fatalities  involve not one, but two, victims: the worker and the rescuer.

BTEA and Contractor’s Risk Management (CRM) are working together to offer this training to all our signatory contractors.  Make sure your employees are up to date on the latest in confined spaces regulations and procedures!

The course covers:

  • Key elements of the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces Regulation
  • Confined spaces concepts and terminology
  • The difference between confined spaces and permit-required confined spaces
  • How to identify and evaluate hazards: atmospheric, mechanical, chemical
    Procedures for controlling hazards
  • Proper protective equipment for confined spaces
  • Duties of the entry supervisor, entrant, and attendant
  • Procedures for self-rescue, non-entry rescue, entry rescue by company employees, and entry rescue by emergency responders
  • Completing the entry process

Register HERE

Silica Competent Person Training

The Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA) and PFEANE/GEANE are offering a Silica Competent Person Training Seminar.

Once completed each person will receive a certificate designating them as a competent person on site to manage the dangers of silica exposure. The new OSHA rule regarding Silica Exposure Limits is now in effect! Take advantage of this opportunity for silica training. This seminar will discuss the dangers of silica as well as the new regulations and how contractors and employees can meet the requirements.

REGISTER HERE

All Trades – Confined Spaces Training

Confined spaces incidents aren’t the most common, but they can be the most deadly. As we have seen in numerous incidents throughout New England, confined spaces hazards tend to be misunderstood or underestimated. In addition, many confined spaces injuries or fatalities  involve not one, but two, victims: the worker and the rescuer.

BTEA and Contractor’s Risk Management (CRM) are working together to offer this training to all our signatory contractors.  Make sure your employees are up to date on the latest in confined spaces regulations and procedures!

The course covers:

  • Key elements of the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces Regulation
  • Confined spaces concepts and terminology
  • The difference between confined spaces and permit-required confined spaces
  • How to identify and evaluate hazards: atmospheric, mechanical, chemical
    Procedures for controlling hazards
  • Proper protective equipment for confined spaces
  • Duties of the entry supervisor, entrant, and attendant
  • Procedures for self-rescue, non-entry rescue, entry rescue by company employees, and entry rescue by emergency responders
  • Completing the entry process

Register HERE

OSHA Inspections Down in 2016

Given the increasing focus on safety, you would expect OSHA had a busy year.  However, continuing an ongoing trend, OSHA inspections dropped to the lowest level in 20 years.  This marks the 4th consecutive year that inspections have fallen.

In the Northeast, inspections of construction contractors have fallen by more than 30% over the last 5 years from about 6,800 to about 4,700 total.

Osha Inspections

The graph above illustrates the Northeast average compared to the average with its three biggest states. These declines in the Northeast make up about a third of the overall decrease in construction inspections nationwide.

The OSHA budget peaked in 2012, but was down by about 3% in 2016. OSHA has cited budget cuts as causing the decrease in inspections. However they have found citations 5% more often than in 2015. In addition, appeals of OSHA citations were roughly equivalent in 2015 and 2016 at around 9%. BTEA recommends our members always work with our legal safety consultant before settling a case with OSHA.