Thursday, July 02, 2009
Solis: Texas safety initiative to focus on construction
OSHA is launching a construction safety initiative in Texas, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced June 29.
The state leads the nation in worker deaths, with 67 construction industry fatalities in 2008 and 33 so far this year (as of press time), according to a Department of Labor press release. In an effort to prevent future injuries and deaths, OSHA said it is increasing its number of inspectors in Texas who are empowered to launch an investigation if they observe unsafe hazards at a jobsite.
The announcement comes after the Austin, TX-based Workers Defense Project released a study (.pdf file) in which surveyed construction workers reported a lack of safety and health training, company-provided personal protective equipment, health insurance and sick days.