Falls are still a risk for solar PV installers

How falls happen.

A solar PV installer must have considerable on-the-job experience as an apprentice, including safety training, to obtain a license in Oregon, but falls are still one of the leading causes of injuries among these workers and an ever-present hazard. How do they happen? As the following excerpts from OSHA accident investigation summaries (nationwide) suggest, ladders and a lack of fall protection are the causes. ... Read more ...

Speed and distraction are deadly combinations when drivers enter construction work zones

With Memorial Day coming up on May 28, it's a good time to remind drivers to slow down and pay attention – especially in work zones.

Nationwide, 9,900 people have died in work-zone crashes over the past decade, according to a study by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Roadway construction zones are certainly a dangerous place to work, but what many folks don't realize is that 80 percent to 85 percent of the deaths in work zones are motorists or passengers. ... Read more ...

Toolbox talk: Electrocution hazards and how they happen

Contact with overhead power lines, failing to de-energize equipment, and improper use of extension cords are the most common electrocution hazards in construction work. Here are three examples of how relatively simple tasks can have unexpected consequences. ... Read more ...

Need sleep?

Are you getting six or fewer hours of sleep per night?

If so, you're not alone – but that's not the good news. In fact, there is no good news if you're chronically sleep deprived. According to a recent issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 30 percent of American workers don't get enough sleep – and a lack of sleep can have serious, sometimes fatal, consequences for them and those around them. ... Read more ...

Rules updates

Confined spaces

The comment period for Oregon OSHA's new confined space rule, 437-002-0146 Confined Spaces, which replaces 1910.146 Permit-Required Confined Spaces, closed May 9, 2012.

Penalties

Oregon OSHA's proposed changes to its Penalties rule, 437-001-0015 Penalties, will become effective July 1, 2012. ... Read more ...