May is National Electrical Safety Month

2017-04-28

May is National Electrical Safety Month and Gallagher Bassett (Gallagher Bassett) is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to launch its annual effort to help reduce electrically-related fatalities, injuries, and property loss. This year’s campaign theme is “Decoding the National Electrical Code® (NEC) to Prevent Shock and Electrocution,” which features resources to help protect […]

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Building Safety Month 2017: Keeping the Public Safe & Building Codes Relevant

The International Code Council (ICC) will be running their 37th annual Building Safety Month (BSM) campaign starting on May 1st. The BSM aims to inform the public and businesses about the importance of a modern and model building code. This public awareness campaign aims to not only build a case for regulation but also for […]

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What Can We Learn from the AGC’s Construction Safety Study?

2017-04-27

The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech recently released their construction safety study providing detailed insights where the hazards of our industry lie and how we can respond to them. The AGC’s “Preventing Fatalities in the Construction Industry” study analyzed data ranging from 2010 to 2016 […]

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National Fall Prevention Stand-Down Week

Year after year, falls on construction sites remain the number one cause of preventable fatalities and injuries. In fact, of the 937 construction fatalities reported in 2017 (Bureau of Labor Statistics), 350 of them were the result of a fall from elevation. As part of their ongoing initiative to bring that statistic down to 0, […]

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The Forgotten History of Earth Day and Labor

2017-04-21

Collectively, we celebrate Earth Day in 193 countries worldwide on April 22nd. Originally proposed by peace activist John McConnell in 1969 at a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Conference in San Francisco, the celebration has become synonymous with Environmentalism and Green-Activism. Earth Day’s success is largely credited to policy-makers and marketability; however, […]

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Keeping the Roads Safe: Work Zone Awareness Week

2017-04-07

As Work Zone Awareness Week comes to a close, we take a look at how the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) is working to increase driver awareness and further reduce Work Zone fatalities among DOT workers. Each year there are an average of 700 work zone fatalities reported nationally; thanks to their proactive […]

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OSHA Delays Enforcement of Silica Standard

On June 23, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) passed their final rule on crystalline silica exposure requiring employers to lower the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for their employees and employ engineering controls to limit exposure on the job site. The first compliance date for the new Silica Standard for those in the Construction […]

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OSHA Investigation Results in Fines for NY Contractor for Excavation Violations

2017-04-05

In June 2016, OSHA investigators were notified of possible violations at a suburban NJ high school. Upon their initial inspection, contractors were found to be working in an unprotected 10-foot deep trench, which subsequently landed one of New York’s largest contractors in hot water. OSHA’s investigation found 9 violations including 1 willful violation against Landtek […]

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The future of Queens: Redeveloping the Sunnyside Yards

2017-04-02

The Construction Boom continues in New York City and the Sunnyside Yards are the latest major redevelopment project to clear its first hurdle. Earlier this year, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) gave the go-ahead after completing a feasibility study on the impact the project would have to the immediate surrounding neighborhoods. Based […]

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The Javits Center Gets Much Needed Expansion

2017-04-01

The Jacob Javits Convention Center originally opened in 1986 and has since hosted events for every industry; from cars to comics, construction to electronics, the Jacob Javits Center has been the premiere location for trade exhibitions in the NY-metro area. Since opening over 30 years ago, the convention center has seen incremental upgrades while the […]

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The Volks Rule is Overturned by Congressional Review Act

2017-03-31

The U.S. Labor Department has long made it a requirement that employers keep records of all work-related injury and illness. The most current guidelines state that recordkeeping data must be kept for a minimum of 5 years. OSHA’s rule “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain Accurate Records of Each Recordable Injury and […]

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Combatting Suspension Trauma

Fall protection is a must for any comprehensive safety plan but implementing a fall protection plan that only includes a fall arrest harness only protects a worker from the immediate danger of a fall. But once a worker is suspended from the fall, the clock starts on another dangerous condition – Suspension Trauma. What is […]

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