Majority of Construction Contractors Lack Access to Workplace Digital Safety Systems: Study

• Some 60% of U.S. construction contractors lack digital safety systems, hindering response times and worker safety, according to a study by Twiceme Technology.
• The company’s 2024 Construction Safety Survey of 500 construction contractors and 390 safety managers/directors revealed that while 79% of safety managers have digital systems to track critical safety information and personal protective equipment health, only 40% of contractors surveyed noted they have digital access to this information, too.
• More than 88% of the managers surveyed said they would be willing to pay $15 or more for helmets or other PPE gear for their organization if they included a safety management system that tracks work-related documents, equipment expiration dates, emergency response and reporting tools.
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Chicago Transit Workers Complete OSHA Joint Safety Training

• Eight Chicago Transit Authority workers have completed the only OSHA-approved safety certificate program designed for both public and private sector employees.
• They completed 68 contact hours of instruction through the program, which included a series of seven OSHA courses and covered key safety and health topics relevant to CTA’s daily operations.
• It was in collaboration with the National Safety Education Center, an OSHA-authorized education center formed through a partnership between the Construction Safety Council and Northern Illinois University.
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Minnesota Aquatic Worker Drowning Results in Six-Figure Penalty 

• Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry has assessed a $730,369 penalty to Your Lake Aquatic Plant Management for commercial diving standard violations after a worker drowned in May 2024 while removing aquatic weeds requiring scuba diving equipment.
• It was the state’s second worker drowning since June 2022 that involved employees using scuba diving equipment while performing aquatic weed removal in a lake.
• Last month, the department’s OSHA division issued five willful violations of the commercial diving operations standard after an investigation found employees of the Columbia Heights, Minnesota firm did not have the experience or training necessary to perform work safely, among other violations. Also, a standby diver was not available while diving operations took place.
• The company is contesting the penalty.
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Texas DWC to Offer OSHA Construction Classes 

• The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is offering free Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-Hour Construction classes in English and Spanish, Jan. 13-14.
• The two-day or three-day courses are presented by authorized instructors and designed to instruct employers and their employees in the essentials of occupational safety and health in construction.
• Participants who successfully complete all of the two-day in-person courses or three-day online course will receive an OSHA 10-Hour Construction class completion card (typically within six to eight weeks).
• While the program is free of charge, advanced registration is required due to limited space.
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