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Changes announced in Oregon rules for concrete and masonry construction
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) has announced
changes in the Oregon Administrative Rules, Chapter 437, Division 3/Q,
Concrete and Masonry Construction. The changes are effective April 30,
2003.
New rules were adopted following requests from industry professionals
to make the criteria mandatory to ensure worker safety during masonry
construction projects. Existing rules did not provide specific procedures
for ensuring that masonry walls under construction met a standard that
requires "adequate bracing to prevent overturn and collapse."
Changes provide greater clarity for meeting definitions of "adequate
bracing" and provide a higher level of safety to workers constructing,
or working near, masonry walls.
Additions include language addressing the use of straight coil loops,
specifications for bracing systems and procedures to follow when wind
speeds exceed 25 mph on a construction site.The new rules were adopted
following concerns from industry professionals requesting clarification
to ensure worker safety during masonry construction projects.
The new criteria were developed under a Worksite Redesign Program grant
from Oregon OSHA.
Additional information about the changes, and text of the adopted rules,
is available on the Oregon OSHA Web site, www.orosha.org. For answers
to questions about the standards, contact Mike Mitchell in Oregon OSHA's
Standards and Technical section at (503) 378-3272, or toll-free in Oregon,
(800) 922-2689.
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