Now 10 years old, Construction Safety Week has evolved. What at first was a national industry stand-down to emphasize safety compliance has grown into a coordinated five days of training and advocacy.
When we need to reach a little higher, we strap extensions—stilts—on workers’ legs. When fearing a fall, we tie workers to buildings with a length of rope, and then we hope.
In December, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it was replacing traditional hardhats for its employees with ANSI-Z89.1-certified Type II safety helmets when they work on sites.
As the last of 41 workers trapped for 17 days emerged this week, there are growing calls to reemphasize safety and geology risks as the nation embarks on a rapid infrastructure buildout.
Jessie Singer, author of “There Are No Accidents” (Simon & Schuster, 336 pages), works for a nonprofit dedicated to making cities safer for pedestrians and cyclists, but her views of error and accidents go far beyond urban life and cars.