Safety and health newsletter for the Oregon construction industry

• Rulemaking: Hearings scheduled on three Oregon OSHA proposed rules
• The story behind Oregon OSHA's proposed small-capacity cranes rule
• How much can you safely lift? Try Oregon OSHA's new lift calculator
• Sawing concrete? Use water.

	Rulemaking: Hearings scheduled on three Oregon OSHA proposed rules Oregon OSHA is holding public hearings later this month in Bend (Jan. 24) and in Salem (Jan. 29 and 31) on three new proposed rules: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in construction, Hole Openings (including skylights) in general industry, and Small capacity cranes in general industry. ... Read more ...
	The story behind Oregon OSHA's proposed small-capacity cranes rule Not long after federal OSHA adopted its Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard, some employers who used digger derricks challenged parts of the rule regarding certification and training for digger derrick operators. ... Read more ...
	How much can you safely lift? Try Oregon OSHA's new lift calculator Let's say you have a basic lifting task - moving boxes off a conveyer, for example - that you have to repeat frequently for an hour. You know where the lift begins and where it ends. What's the maximum safe weight that you can lift? ... Read more ...
	Sawing concrete? Use water. An article in the September 2012 issue of the Construction Depot, Respirable hazard of the month: silica dust, described the hazards involved in cutting concrete and pointed out that, "When you're cutting concrete, the best safe practice is to cut wet." It turns out there's now some real-world evidence to back up the wisdom. ... Read more ...