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Top News
OSHA’s top officials earnestly engage with AGC contractors to understand the real-world impacts of the agency’s heat hazards National Emphasis Program, including the 80-degree trigger, reduced worker hours to allow for acclimatization, and body temperature and heart rate monitoring.
On July 26, the top OSHA officials—including OSHA head Douglas Parker—met with AGC in conjunction with the association’s Construction Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Washington, D.C. Robust conversations were held on the regulatory landscape facing construction contractors, including a future OSHA rulemaking on establishing a national heat standard. AGC contractors had the opportunity to impart real-world impacts of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards, including the 80 degree trigger, reduced work days to allow acclimatization for new workers and those returning from vacation, and body temperature and heart rate monitoring.
The conference was especially timely as the U.S. House of Representative’s Education and Labor Committee on July 27 advanced a legislative proposal to require OSHA to issue a national heat standard far earlier than OSHA has said is possible. The legislation, H.R.2193 (Asuncion Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2021), ignores the significant progress that the industry has taken to address work-related heat exposure, not to mention the recent actions that OSHA has taken with its National Emphasis Program.
The accelerated timeline as proposed in H.R.2193 to finalize a complex and prescriptive standard also jeopardizes the effectiveness and opportunity for stakeholder involvement. The Construction Industry Safety Coalition, of which AGC is a leader, shared these concerns and more with lawmakers. AGC will continue to advocate for sensible workplace safety regulations. The legislation is not expected to become law, but rather pressure OSHA to rush establishing a national heat standard.
Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. Successful safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line. Participating in Safe + Sound Week can help get your program started, energize an existing one, or provide a chance to recognize your safety successes.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
AGC of America is now accepting speaking proposals for the Construction Safety & Health Conference taking place January 18-20, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
We are looking for experienced presenters to deliver dynamic and engaging presentations related to safety and health. AGC wants to deliver content that will stimulate and provoke discussion. We invite you to share your knowledge and help us shape the 2023 experience. For more information on speaker expectations, important deadlines, and how to submit your proposal, please refer to our conference guidelines. Proposals are due by close of business on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. 
The survey will close on August 15
The construction industry has experienced some very significant and sudden changes during the past few months that have led to dramatic changes in demand for work, availability of key construction materials, and the need for new workers. We want to understand exactly how those changes are impacting the industry’s current workforce needs to better be able to advocate for measures to help the industry’s labor needs in both the short- and long-term. That is why we are asking you to take a few minutes to complete the following workforce survey that we and our partners at Autodesk have prepared. The more people understand the scope, and consequences, of current labor market conditions, the more likely they are to enact measures to help meet the industry’s needs. The more members who take the survey, the better able we all will be to describe labor market conditions where you operate.
Events
August 17 and September 27, 2022
AGC’s Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA), sponsored by Willis Towers Watson (WTW), is the industry’s elite safety excellence awards program. The CSEA recognizes companies that have developed and implemented premier safety and risk control programs and showcases companies that have achieved continuous improvement and maintenance of their safety and health management systems. Join us for a webinar series highlighting the top 10 safest construction companies for 2021. The interactive, Q-and-A format will explore each company’s approach to the following areas:
• Senior Management Ownership and Participation • Risk Identification and Analysis • Task design - Engineering Controls for Safety • Safe Work Methods • Worker Engagement, Involvement, and Participation • Safety Training and Validation of Training • Subcontractor Management • Emergency and Crisis Management Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how these companies developed award-winning safety, health, and risk management programs. Learn more and register HERE. AGC of America, supported by a Susan Harwood Federal Training Grant, developed the Trenching & Excavation Hazards in Construction Safety Training. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), from 2015 to 2018, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 103 total trenching and excavation-related deaths, an average of 25 per year over this 4-year period. Also, the OSHA Information System (OIS) Accident Investigation Report shows that between FY 2013 – FY 2017, there were a total of 156 incidents reported in the construction industry. Moreover, between October 2018 and September 2019, there were 1,499 citations and more than $7,000,000 in penalties issued to construction employers for failing to meet their compliance obligations under Subpart P. AUGUST 2022 AGC of Colorado AGC Florida East Coast Chapter SEPTEMBER 2022 AGC of America For a full list of classes, please click here.
October 26 – 28, 2022 | Albuquerque, NM
Registration: $1195 This unique three–day course provides construction safety and health professionals with the next–level knowledge required to successfully manage a company–wide safety program. Moving beyond the basics of Focus Four training, AGC’s Advanced Safety Management Training Program will give participants a more holistic view of safety’s role in project and company success, as well as advanced tactics and best practices for managing all aspects of a corporate safety program. 
Safety Cabinet
AGC’s Professional Mobile Crane Operations Program is designed to assist the construction community as a whole to prepare for the certification requirement to reflect the provisions in the new standards. This student guide is designed to help participants become a better crane operator by learning sage and efficient practices. Upon completion of the program participants will understand various operational and safety principles and practices that can be used every day. This program covers rules and regulations, site review and set-up, operations, conditions affecting operations, basic rigging and wire rope, maintenance and inspection, load charts, and crane types.
Best Practices
In this episode, AGC’s own Jimmy Christianson, Vice President of Government Relations, and Deniz Mustafa, Program Coordinator for the Building Division take a dive into what Buy America/n requirements are, why we have them, and what we may be able to expect from new Buy America Build America Act regulations that come with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. As government agencies work through their individual processes and procedures, AGC would like to prepare members for imminent changes involving material procurement.
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