Health & Safety

Liberty Bridge

Specifying Flame Retardant Containment Materials

On September 2, 2016, workers were cutting steel with a torch on the Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The steel cutting operations were being performed within a containment enclosure system previously erected for an associated paint removal project on the bridge.  During the steel cutting process, sparks reportedly ignited ventilation piping inside the containment, then […]

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fall protection

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls: An Opportunity to Save Lives and Improve our Industry

National Safety Stand Down For the past several years, OSHA has promoted an annual National Safety Stand-Down.  The focus of this year’s National Stand-Down was to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in the construction industry.  During the stand-down, employers and employees are asked to take a break in the work day to talk about

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OSHA confined spaces

Confined Spaces in Construction- Highlights of the New Rule

OSHA issued its final rule for Confined Spaces in Construction on May 5, 2015.  The rule is intended to provide construction workers with protection similar to that which manufacturing and general industry workers have had for years, with some differences tailored to the construction industry. The rule takes effect on August 3, 2015 but full

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Polycharbonates

Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs In Paint, Adhesives, and Caulks

Background of PCB While exposure to lead is often regarded as the most prevalent health and environmental hazard in the coatings industry, it is important to be aware that there are other hazards that can be of serious concern.  One of these hazards is exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls, commonly referred to as PCBs.   PCBs are

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Effect of OSHA’s Proposed Crystalline Silica Rule On Hydraulic Fracturing, Industrial Painting, Construction, and Manufacturing Operations

OSHA recently published a proposed regulation… to limit worker exposure to crystalline silica.  According to OSHA, the proposed rule would save nearly 700 lives per year and prevent 1,600 new cases of deadly silicosis annually.  The proposed standard includes the following provisions: Establishes an Action Level of  25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic meter

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