Scrutiny continues at construction sites
- OSHA has placed an increased emphasis on accidents at construction sites.
- The construction industry already accounts for more than half of all OSHA citations.
- OSHA guidance emphasizes training, worker awareness of potential hazards, and inspections of job sites to avoid incidents.
- The agency has further stressed fall protection, proper equipment operation, work zone stability, and overhead protection in operating aerial lifts.
Rates rise in The Golden State
- The latest wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor show that California’s SAWW increased by 5.159 percent from $1,570 in the first quarter of 2021 to $1,651 in the first quarter of 2022.
- State law also ties minimum weekly TTD/PTD rates to SAWW increases, so those minimums will rise by $11.91 from the current $230.95 per week to $242.86 per week for claims with 2023 injury dates.
- Department of Industrial Relations unit, Division of Workers’ Compensation is expected to issue a formal, notice about the increase at some point.
- TTD/PTD maximum rate stands at $1,539.71 per week for 2022 injuries following a record increase of more than 13.5 percent that took effect last January and will increase to $1,619.15 per week for claims with injury dates on or after Jan. 1, 2023.
Contractor faces fines for repeat offenses
- Federal safety inspectors observed workers employed by a Calumet City roofing contractor near Chicago exposed to deadly fall hazards at job sites three times in four months.
- In each instance, the company’s foremen on site failed to protect workers from known hazards as they did residential framing work on new homes under construction.
- Following three investigations by OSHA, Araujo Construction Corp. faces $277,584 in proposed penalties after workplace safety inspectors identified two willful, four repeat, and six serious violations.
- Inspectors returned to Lake Zurich to find Araujo’s workers again exposed to the fall hazards.
Another whistleblower case in Texas
- Barton Scott, the department head at a technical education school in Fort Worth, Texas, filed a whistleblower complaint against the school district in September with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
- Scott accused the Fort Worth school district of requiring students to take an occupational safety course that is not needed in their industry.
- He alleged the school is profiting off of students by receiving bonuses for their achievement as part of a Texas Education Agency program.
- Scott claims the district is funneling at-risk children into low-skilled jobs instead of preparing them for higher-paying careers.