Photo courtesy of NIOSH Hydraulic fracturing kicks up massive amounts of silica dust, a known health hazard linked to lung cancer. Photo by Tudor Van Hampton for ENR Chris Sneden, marketing manager for 3M, demonstrates a new tablet app on the National Safety Council exhibit floor in Orlando. Related Links: NIOSH on Frac Sand Dust Is Part of a Road-Milling Crew's Daily Grind The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it is halting the development of a long-awaited silica dust regulation to study the respiratory hazards created during hydraulic fracturing operations. New research released earlier this year shows that fracking
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton for ENR Studying accidents only after they happen "is like driving a car looking through the rearview mirror," Ruebesam said. Related Links: Fluor Turns 100 Years Old ENR's Top 225 International Contractors Recognizing that studying past safety lapses is like driving a car while looking through the rearview mirror, Fluor Corp. has launched a company-wide effort this year to look ahead at leading safety indicators on its jobsites.Speaking at the National Safety Council's annual meeting Oct. 22 in Orlando, Jeffrey G. Ruebesam, Fluor's vice president of corporate health, safety and environment (HSE), said the company
Related Links: Crane Had Passed Inspection Profile of Michael Simermeyer, Laborer Federal safety officials cited Yonkers Contracting Co. and a subcontractor in connection with a crane accident last April that killed a 30-year-old laborer at a Manhattan subway jobsite. The firms face proposed fines totaling $75,000.In the accident, a snapped wire rope cable dropped a boom on Michael Simermeyer, who died of his injuries.Most of the possible fine is against Yonkers Contracting Co., based in Yonkers, N.Y. The sub, J&E Industries, Rockaway, N.J., faces a $7,000 fine for a serious violation in allegedly failing to train a rigger.According to industry
Photo Courtesy of EN Engineering EN Engineering's Mitch Hulet (left) and Tom Ziegenfuss say their pursuit of integrity management projects has led to the company's revenue more than doubling in the past five years. Related Links: New Report Slams PG&E in San Bruno Blast Some Leeway in New Pipeline Safety Law Amid the U.S. boom in natural-gas and oil production, it's easy to imagine a noticeable uptick in business for a pipeline engineering firm.EN Engineering, based in Woodbridge, Ill., however, has grown its business by focusing on safety for existing pipelines, rather than building new lines.The firm reports revenue growth
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton for ENR Tower cranes pose a major challenge on construction sites in emerging markets. Here, tower cranes work in the commercial district of Gurgaon, New Delhi. Related Links: Details Emerge on First Industry Standard for Lift Planning Were Dallas Crane Bolts Loosened Too Early? India’s economic boom, which has led to hectic construction of roads, bridges, metro rail and tall buildings, is also witnessing an increase in crane accidents. On average, two accidents involving lifting equipment occur daily in the country, reports The Times of India.The problem areas are in maintenance, inspection and operations. Companies
Related Links: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 census of fatal occupational injuries Construction workplace deaths declined 6.8% in 2011, to 721 from 774 in 2010 and the industry's fatality rate also was down, to 8.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, from 9.8 in 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.BLS said that the 2011 data in its annual report on fatal occupational injuries, released on Sept. 20, are preliminary. It will issue final numbers for 2011 next spring.The bureau's data show that the number of construction deaths generally has been on a downward path in recent years. The industry's
Photo Courtesy of Terex Corp. Though ASME P30 may not define a critical lift, it will lay out considerations, such as potential property damage or public risk. Related Links: Were Dallas Crane Bolts Loosened Too Early? Judge Acquits NYC Crane Owner It may be hard to believe, but no industry standard or regulation exists for how to plan a lift. Whether crews are using a 10-ton crane to pick up pipe or a 1,000-ton rig to hoist a pressure vessel, contractors mainly figure out how to do it safely with no industry input. An ASME P30 document could change all
Photo courtesy of Alistair Gibb Alistair Gibb, professor of complex project management at Loughborough University in England, talked about safety at the London Olympics at a Construction Industry Institute meeting in Baltimore. Photo courtesy of Alistair Gibb The mission statement of the London Olympics construction program included a commitment to safety. Related Links: London Olympic Committee Holds the Line on Costs 2012 Games Are Stepping Stones in Grand Scheme As the Olympic torch arrived to light the cauldron at Olympic Stadium on July 27, it was greeted by an honor guard of 500 hardhat-wearing construction workers, many of whom had
Related Links: Questions Raised About Crane Disassembly Process See the Dallas Morning News Story Bolts removed from a tower crane being disassembled may have led to a fatal crash at the University of Texas at Dallas, according to safety experts. The accident occurred at the $60-million Arts and Technology Building on July 7, killing two workers. Officials with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.Photos published in local news reports show the tower lying across the building that was under construction, with two tower sections separated. At the time of the collapse, the jib already had been removed
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