Tag: #CPWR

Are you ready for the National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction?

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: OSHA

Washington — The 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is fast approaching, and employers nationwide are being encouraged to host an event.

Set to take place May 1-5, the stand-down was created by NIOSH, OSHA, and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. It’s intended to help prevent fall-related deaths and injuries by raising awareness of hazards. Falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death in the industry, accounting for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In a press release, OSHA administrator Doug Parker says that although the event’s message has remained similar over the past decade, it “bears repeating again and again.”

He continues: “Workers should never have to risk their lives to make a living. The stand-down is an opportunity for employers to prove their commitment to their workers and provide the leadership, tools and training to prevent falls.”

NIOSH encourages workplace participation in the stand-down through toolbox talks and safety activities such as developing drills, practices and rescue plans; conducting equipment inspections; and discussing job-specific hazards.

CPWR is offering multiple resources for employers as part of its One Stop Stand-Down Shop, including a public service announcement that can be shared, ideas for stand-down events to be hosted and hazard alert cards that can be handed out to workers.

On its website, OSHA features highlights of past events from around the country. Last year, about 3,500 stand-downs conducted worldwide reached more than 455,000 workers. Fifty-four percent of attendees indicated they had participated in at least three events during their careers.

“The stand-downs are an important opportunity to further occupational health equity and emphasize worker safety at all times,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in the release. “Stopping to take time in the workday to recognize existing fall safety hazards and offering demonstrations or trainings can contribute to a positive work culture and a safer working environment for all.”

Employers can share their stand-down stories by emailing oshastanddown@dol.gov or using the hashtag #StandDown4Safety on social media.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Nail Gun Safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: NIOSH

Before you pick up that nail gun, do you know how to use it safely?

Here are a few common causes of injury that CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training says are related to improper use of nail guns: unintended firing, holding down the contact trigger when the gun isn’t firm against the work surface, ricocheting or airborne nails, nails going through the work surface, and bypassing safety features.

All of these can be avoided.

According to CPWR, here’s how:

  • Keep the nail gun pointed away from your body and other workers, especially when the air supply is connected.
  • Disconnect the compressed air if you leave a nail gun unattended, move to a new location with it, hand it off to a co-worker or are performing maintenance.
  • Don’t reach up and attempt to use the nail gun in a spot you cannot fully see. If you can’t reach the work, use a hammer instead.
  • Wear personal protective equipment: safety glasses marked with Z87+, hearing protection and steel-toed footwear.
  • Make sure you’re trained on the safe use and handling of a nail gun.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by NIOSH

Español (Spanish) 

The National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction was launched in 2012 through the NORA Construction Sector Council with leadership from NIOSH, OSHA and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. Each year as part of the campaign, a National Stand-Down is held to focus on fall prevention. Falls are the number one cause of construction-worker fatalities, accounting for one-third of all on-the-job deaths in the industry.

2023 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction May 1-5.

A variety of campaign materials are available (in Spanish and English) to raise awareness about construction falls and to provide practical information about fall prevention on OSHA’s official Campaign website. Products include Stand-Down planning tools, fact sheets, infographics, training materials (including toolbox talks), videos, hazard alert cards, and more.

Infographics

Each year, NIOSH, CPWR, along with the NORA Construction Sector Council Falls Working Group work together to develop a new series of infographics in English and Spanish. View and download the infographics as PDFs or JPEGs for use in social media, presentations, and print materials.

infographic a snapshot of fatal falls
Heat Exposure Infographic
McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Mark your calendars for the National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-By Incidents

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
CPWR_StandDown2023.jpg
Photo: CPWR

Washington — An annual event intended to raise awareness of struck-by hazards – and how to prevent them – is set to take place April 17-21.

The National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-By Incidents, scheduled in conjunction with National Work Zone Awareness Week, will kick off with a webinar hosted by CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.

OSHA says the four most common struck-by hazards involve falling, flying, swinging or rolling objects.

“The national stand-down encourages employers and workers to pause voluntarily during the workday for safety demonstrations; training in hazard recognition and fall prevention; and talks about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations,” states the National Work Zone Awareness Week website, managed by the American Traffic Safety Services Association.

Resources related to work zone, lift zone and heavy equipment safety are available from CPWR.

NIOSH’s National Occupational Research Construction Sector Council coordinates the stand-down, while partnering with OSHA, CPWR, and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Construction Safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Prevent falls through skylights and other openings

In 2021, 62 U.S. construction workers died after falling through a surface or an existing opening such as a skylight, according to data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

“Holes and openings are made in roofs and floors of buildings, both when they are built and when they are torn down,” CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training says.

Prevent injuries on your jobsite. Tips from CPWR:

  • Guard or cover all holes before you leave a work area. Your co-workers may not see an uncovered hole, which means they could fall through it.
  • Label all covers with the word “hole” or “cover.”
  • If you see a hole that’s uncovered, take the time to cover it.
  • Make sure hole covers can support at least two times the weight of your co-workers, equipment and materials. If a hole is larger than plywood, use guardrails. (OSHA requires covers of standard strength and construction.)
  • Fasten all hole covers with screws and/or nails. “If a worker steps on an unsecured cover, it can shift and the worker can fall through the hole and be injured.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

CPWR report examines causes of death for current, retired and former construction workers

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Silver Spring, MD — Of the nearly 225,000 construction worker deaths recorded in 2020, 60% were at least 65 years old, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.

Researchers looked at 2020 data from the National Vital Statistics System, which included all causes of death for construction workers – employed, retired or no longer working – from every state except Arizona, North Carolina, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia.

Findings show that, among the 224,400 deaths, the majority were non-Hispanic (88%), white (87%) and male (96%).

The leading cause of death varied by age group. For workers 16-34, the leading cause was poisoning and exposure to narcotics and hallucinogens (17%). For those 35 and older, COVID-19 was the leading cause, including nearly 15,000 workers 65 or older. Another 8,700 workers at least 65 years old died of heart disease.

“Although CPWR and others have extensively researched fatal occupational injuries, there is limited information on deaths not on the jobsite among construction workers, even though worksite exposures and tasks may result in lifetime health impacts such as cancers,” CPWR says.

The report was published in the January issue of CPWR’s Data Bulletin.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Create a safety committee

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Does your workplace have a safety committee? If not, the new year is the perfect time to get one started. Here’s how CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training outlines setting up a committee.

First, determine who the members will be. Will it be volunteer-based, or will workers be elected by their co-workers? Will company leaders have a spot at the table?

Next, plan to meet once a month to “discuss hazards and the ways of preventing those hazards.” Safety regulations and training are two other topics for your meeting agenda.

Examples from CPWR of questions to ask:

  • Are workers protected against falls by guardrails or fall arrest systems?
  • Are workers wearing safety glasses to protect against flying objects?
  • Are all workers trained to respond appropriately if there’s a risk of contamination from hazardous chemicals?

The center also suggests committees meet every three months to complete a “workplace inspection to identify hazardous conditions.”

Part of this discussion should include a strategy for how you’ll get workers to cooperate and help the committee identify hazards.

During all meetings and inspections, make sure someone is taking notes. Afterward, give copies to your employer and committee members, and post the notes in a spot where all workers can see and read them.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Drone use in construction can distract workers and increase risk of falls: CPWR

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: Courtesy of 3D Robotics 

Silver Spring, MD — As the use of drone technology in the construction industry expands, so too do safety concerns related to worker distraction and potential collisions while operating at height.

That’s the conclusion of researchers from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, who in a recent study analyzed the behaviors of 153 participants “with varying construction experience” in a virtual construction site.

Findings show that working with or near drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, “reduces the attention workers devote to the task at hand, which could result in falls when they are at height.” Workers operating while drones were 12 and 25 feet away looked away from job tasks more frequently than when drones were 1.5 and 4 feet away.

Additionally, working with drones at any distance contributes to “significant” psychological or emotional distress. Workers may feel as though they’re constantly being monitored. They also might be fearful of being struck by a drone, as they already operate in high-risk environments at height.

A 2021 survey conducted by Dodge Data & Analytics in partnership with CPWR, among other organizations, found that 37% of construction contractors use drones on worksites, while an additional 6% anticipated future use. Still, the study concluded that construction workers “generally have a negative attitude” toward working with or near drones.

To help ensure safe integration of drones in construction, CPWR advises employers to:

  • Train workers. “There are currently no specific OSHA standards or guidelines regarding UAVs on construction sites, so training workers is even more critical. The training content needs to be developed to not only educate workers about UAVs, but also help familiarize them with working alongside UAVs.” CPWR says virtual reality training carries multiple benefits and may help workers view drones “less negatively.”
  • Design drones to “limit the frequency and severity of risks” they pose to workers and minimize crash impact.
  • Prepare worksites to ensure drones “work efficiently and safely around workers,” accounting for factors that include drone size and shape, flight path, and weather conditions.

CPWR also suggests using the Hierarchy of Controls to assist with hazard prevention. When possible, schedule work so employees aren’t present in areas in which drones are operating. Use drones only for operations that provide “significant benefits” over traditional work methods, and isolate workers from drones when no substitute for drone use exists.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Preventing suicide and overdose in the construction industry: Takeaways from CPWR workshop

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: CPWR

Washington — A new white paper from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training details key takeaways from a two-day workshop on “Combating Suicide and Overdose Fatalities Among Construction Workers.”

The workshop took place Aug. 1-2 in the nation’s capital and was funded by NIOSH.

The white paper outlines training available to help workers, best practices for training effectiveness, and smartphone apps to use and hotlines to call when a worker is in need. The resource also looks at related challenges, such as stigma.

CPWR Executive Director Chris Trahan Cain highlights research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that both male and female workers in construction and extraction jobs “have a higher prevalence of dying by suicide than the average male or female worker.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Improving nanomaterial Safety Data Sheets: CPWR launches e-tool

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
NanoSDS.jpg

Photo: CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

Silver Spring, MD — A new e-tool from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is intended to help manufacturers, distributors and importers of products that contain nanomaterials strengthen their Safety Data Sheets.

The free, interactive Nano Safety Data Sheet Improvement Tool poses to users a series of questions to help evaluate their existing SDSs, and then generates a report with recommendations for improvement. That report is based on the 16 sections of an SDS required by OSHA that follow specifications of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

Nanomaterials – materials that have at least one dimension (height, width or length) that’s smaller than 100 nanometers – are chemical substances whose microscopic size gives them properties they don’t possess in their larger form.

CPWR has identified more than 800 nanomaterials that are increasingly being used in construction. Those materials include sealants, coatings, paints, concrete, flooring, lubricants and roofing materials. When workers use the materials, they can be exposed to fumes, gases, vapors and dust containing nanomaterials, which can present health hazards.

Knowing which materials could be hazardous allows workers to take precautions to mitigate the risks, according to CPWR, which says SDSs for these products should clearly identify nanomaterials that are present and offer information on potential safety and health risks.

A 2019 study led by Laura Hodson, the retired coordinator of the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center, revealed that only 3% of the nanomaterial SDSs evaluated were satisfactory and 79% needed significant improvement.

McCraren Compliance assists employers in protecting their workers, starting with a comprehensive Work-site Analysis, Hazard Prevention, Controls, and Safety & Health Training.

Please contact us today at 888-758-4757 to learn how we can provide mine safety training and consulting for your business.