In an effort to curb the startling statistic that 40 workers are killed in the U.S. every year as a result of falls from residential roofs, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has set a deadline for implementation of new fall safety requirements for June 16, 2011.

The directive will require any residential builder, coast to coast, engaged in construction projects more than six feet from the ground (or lower levels, on low-slope roofs, steep roofs, etc.) to comply with 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13). The requirement basically calls for conventional fall protection, such as guardrail systems, safety net systems, professional fall arrest systems, or other fall protection measured spelled out in 1926.501(b).

The new rules replace the 1995 Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction, guidelines that allowed many residential builders to ignore fall safety requirements.

Three of OSHA’s Top 10 most frequently cited standards in 2010 pertained to height concerns, including scaffolding (#1), fall protection (#2) and ladders (#3), making fall-releated issues cumulatively one of the most cited hazards for workplaces and work sites across America.

However, there is limited flexibility. As the notice of the new fall protection rules explains, “if an employer can demonstrate that such fall protection is infeasible or presents a greater hazard, it may implement a written fall protection plan meeting the requirements of Sec.  1926.502(k).”

Since the deadline for these new requirements occurs in less than three months, now is the time for residential builders to implement streamlined safety management systems to ensure they meet all the new rules.

OSHA Secretary of Labour Dr. David Michaels gave a sneak peak of some of OSHA’s top priorities for 2011 in a recent online chat facilitated by the Department of Labour (DOL).

Here’s a list of some of the highlights from the 2011 Agenda that Michaels touched on in his talk:

Injury and Illness Prevention Program

In the works for some time, OSHA’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) will require employers to implement a comprehensive program that addresses all aspects of injury and illness prevention, including detailed planning, implementation and evaluation processes and activities that ensure health and safety for all employees.

Michaels indicated that this is OSHA’s highest priority for 2011 and said the next step is the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) process – which helps small businesses implement regulations – targeted for June 2011. While no date has been set for the eventual regulation that will flow from the process, Michael’s said the agency has expedited the program’s schedule.

The I2P2 approach has already been adopted by thousands of employers across the country and echoes standards already implemented in California and other states, Michaels said.

Adopting Electrical Amendments

OSHA is planning to publish new rules on electrical hazards in May 2011 with the intent of harmonizing construction rules with corresponding general industry rules. The agency wants to update the existing 1910.269 standard with revised requirements on:

• Protection from electric arcs.
• Fall protection equipment.
• Minimum approach distances.

The proposal also includes new provisions for the exchange of information between host employers and contractors.

Revised Hazard Communication Standard

In an effort to better synchronize hazard communication conventions with global standards, OSHA is currently developing a final rule to incorporate the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) into its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).

Following public hearings in March 2010 and a public comment period, OSHA is currently finalizing the rule after anticipates it will publish regulations by the end of August this year.

MSD in OSHA Form 300

OSHA is currently reviewing a regulation that would see the addition of a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) column in Form 300 logs. While this change would not take effect this year, Michaels indicated it would be implemented by January 2012.

Stay tuned to the Intelex blog for more detailed information on these emerging OSHA developments in the coming weeks.

Once again, construction industry-related standard violations have topped OSHA’s list of the Top 10 violations of 2010. 

OSHA revealed the list at last week’s Safety Council Congress in San Diego. With more than 8,000 infractions, violations of the construction scaffolding standard once again topped a list that did not differ significantly from violations lists issued in recent years. Fall protection standard violations came in second at more than 7,500 violations.

Here’s a complete list:

Nearly 100,000 violations were issued in the 2010 fiscal year, and the violations specified in this year’s Top 10 list represented about 50 per cent of all violations.

Ensure your business doesn’t contribute to these statistics and keep your safety record clean by covering all your bases with comprehensive safety management software. Scorecards can indicate on an ongoing basis whether or not each and every requirement of OSHA compliance is maintained in advance of safety audits.