Like everywhere else around the world, the construction industry in the US happens to be one of the most dangerous on-land occupations. The number of injuries and fatalities reported annually calls for necessary measures to eliminate or minimize the same. It is for this need that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created. Created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and operating under the Department of Labor, OSHA is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring safety and health of employees at private sector workplaces.
One industry where OSHA plays a very important role is in the construction industry for which the agency has developed various Construction Safety Management programs suitable for use by construction managers. Such are mostly compliance programs intended to help principle contractors anticipate and meet legal requirements for the benefit of their employees. They include safety standards, procedures, policies and training programs designed with regulatory demands in mind.
Of particular interest to OSHA when it comes to safety of employees at construction sites are safety programs. Under OSHA’s Construction Safety Management regulations, all principle contractors in the US are obligated to implement appropriate safety programs at their construction sites. Such programs are intended to eliminate or where impossible to mitigate against safety risks at construction sites. Perhaps of very important is the safety training program that contractors are required to implement. Various OSHA approved safety training service providers are available that contractors can engage to train their employees.
All the construction safety programs that contractors are required to implement at their construction sites under OSHA regulations are supposed to be captured in a Construction Safety Management plan. This is the document that indicates a contractor’s commitment to ensuring safe working environments/conditions. It also indicates the safety measures a contractor’s has put in place for the benefit of employees. The plan also makes provision for construction site inspection by both OSHA inspectors and other independent bodies.
Construction site inspection is very important when it comes to safety management. It is through such inspections that hitherto hidden hazards and risks are identified, making it possible for necessary remedy measures to be undertaken. Various tools are used during inspection including written safety programs, construction hazard analysis and safety training amongst others.
Both record keeping and accident investigations are important elements of Construction Safety Management plan. As a matter of fact, all contractors are required under OSHA regulations to maintain a record of all incidents and accidents at their construction sites. It is indeed such records that become very helpful during investigations into construction site accidents. Although OSHA is the agency responsible for ensuring the safety of employees at construction sites, other organizations are also actively involved. Such include independent professional bodies involved in the construction industry and other companies that help contractors in meeting OSHA requirements.
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