Utah unveils safety plan for construction job sites
About 90 percent of the residential construction fatalities from 2001 to 2006 were caused by falls from high places, workers being hit by objects and vehicles and workers getting caught between machinery, as well as by equipment or excavation and electrical accidents, said Louis Silva, Utah OSHA administrator.
The "Big 4" program will focus on residential construction sites between June 1 and Aug. 30 — when housing construction is at its height.
Compliance officers will visit construction sites throughout the state to determine whether dangerous conditions are present and whether the sites have a safety or health program in effect. The safety and health program doesn't necessarily have to be in writing, Silva said, but it must be a set of protocols with which employees are familiar.
Citations and penalties could be issued for serious violations during inspections. Compliance officers could also offer on-site assistance on starting a safety and health program, Silva said.
Compliance officers will not be "nit-picky, otherwise we will not be able to cover the whole state," he said. "We're after the major causes of (fatalities) in residential construction."
"We've always had compliance officers that circle a geographical area and they drive around and inspect construction sites," he said. "We're trying to do it in a more organized manner."
Utah OSHA offers free consultation to small employers on how to improve safety, with the promise of not issuing citations for problems. Interested employers should call Utah OSHA Consultation Services at 530-6855.
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com
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