Did you know a staggering 20% of all worker fatalities happen within the construction industry? As a construction industry worker, you’re faced with a variety of hazards on a regular basis. And New York's Intro 1447 is designed to minimize hazards, reduce construction workplace fatalities, and create a safer workplace.
Most recently, Bill de Blasio — Mayor of New York City — signed the legislation Intro 1447. The measure mandates construction workers to successfully complete a minimum of 40 hours of OSHA-approved safety training.
In the event the city’s Department of Buildings determines the number of qualified training professionals and centers to be insufficient for the demand, the deadline can be pushed back to December of 2020. Read on to learn more about Intro 1447 and the OSHA 10-hour training.
Why Was New York's Intro 1447 Passed?
Simply put, Intro 1447 was passed to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on construction worksites. New York City lawmakers suggest a long list of topics that should be a part of the training, including demolition, fall protection, and excavation.
Fall Protection
Fall protection led OSHA’s annual list of the most commonly cited workplace violations for safety. Falls are the top cause of construction site accidental deaths with 350 of the 937 deaths reported in 2015 being related to a fall accident.
Demolition Safety
Another major concern is demolition safety. One example of the importance of demolition safety is when a South Dakota construction worker was killed during a collapse. OSHA reported crews removed two load bearing walls before the structure failed. And the company never properly conducted an engineering survey prior to the demolition being done.
Trench Safety and Excavations
Trench safety and excavations are another area of major concern. Most construction workers are surprised to learn one cubic yard of soil can potentially weight three-thousand pounds, which can kill or crush a worker.
According to reports by OSHA, trench-related fatalities more than doubled last year. However, this number could be drastically decreased if contractors trained their workers on the right safety procedures and complied with the OSHA’s standards.
How Can the OSHA 10-Hour Course Help?
Since OSHA was founded on April 28th, 1971; the occurrence of workplace fatalities has decreased by 66%. According to OSHA, private industry construction workers experienced fatality rates three times the rate of other industries, which makes training for construction workers a necessary.
Although all hazards present a real danger, OSHA has named four construction industry hazards that cause most of the fatal injuries. These hazards – the OSHA Construction Focus Four – account for nearly 80% of all fatalities on a construction work site. The Construction Focus Four include:
Because these four hazards are so prevalent in the construction industry, all Osha-authorized Outreach training courses – including the OSHA 10-hour course – must provide an in-depth analysis of these four areas.
What’s Is the OSHA 10-Hour Course?
Construction workers will receive job-specific training on a variety of safety concerns, including personal protective equipment, general health & safety provision, fall protection, and more.
To ensure all construction workers have access the training, OSHA created the Outreach training program. This program involves promoting workplace safety by giving access to OSHA-authorized trainers, like Premier Safety Partners.
Once you complete the training, you’ll receive an official Department of Labor OSHA card – formally known as the OSHA 10 card. Those who complete the 30 hour training will receive an OSHA 30 card.
Contact Premier Safety Partners
All construction workers are required to complete the OSHA 10-Hour Safety Training by March 2018. The remainder of the 40 hours of safety training must be completed by December 2018. The experts at Premier Safety Partners are authorized providers of the OSHA 10-Hour Safety training.
Contact Premier Safety Partners today to learn more about Intro 1447 or the training all construction workers are required to complete.
