The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), for the seventh year in a row, has partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to offer the FREE Susan Harwood Grant training seminars! The Focus Four Hazards in Construction, covers falls, electrocutions, struck-by's, and caught-between’s, which account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry.

AGC will be offering the Focus Four Hazards in Construction Training Seminar in 14 Chapter locations this year. The first class will be held at the Omni San Diego Hotel on January 13, 2009.

Topics that will be covered:

• Focus Four Hazard Statistics
• OSHA standards and industry best practices to abate Focus Four Hazards
• How to identify locations of Focus Four Hazards
• Selection and criteria of Focus Four Hazards safety systems and equipment
• Training requirements for Focus Four Hazards

The FREE Focus Four Hazards training seminar will assist you in lowering your risk of falls or injuries on the job site. Click here to register or for additional details contact Raj Vohra at vohrar@agc.org or call (703) 837-5409.

For a full list of Focus Four Hazards in Construction Training Seminar locations and dates, please visit our Susan Harwood Grant Training Seminar page.

The Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published an information collection (paperwork reduction) requirement (ICR) for Blasting and the Use of Explosives on December 8, 2008. OSHA is soliciting public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the ICR specified in the Standard on Blasting and the Use of Explosives (29 CFR part 1926, subpart U).

OSHA is requesting that OMB extend its approval of the collection of information requirements contained in the Standard on Blasting and the Use of Explosives. The Agency will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend the approval of these collections of information requirements. OSHA estimates that the average time per response varies from 5 minutes (.08 hour) to notify a hoist operator of blasting agents to 8 hours to develop an alternative plan if an employer is unable to display adequate warning signs against mobile transmitters during blasting operations. OSHA estimates that the total burden hours is 1,294 and the estimated cost for operation and maintenance is approximately $800,000.

OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:

• Whether the proposed information collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency’s functions, including whether the information is useful;
• The accuracy of OSHA’s estimate of the burden (time and costs) of the information collection requirements, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
• Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and transmission techniques.

Please contact Michele Myers, Director, Safety and Health at (703) 837-5410 or via email - , to
myersm@agc.org submit comments.  Comments are due to OSHA by February 6, 2009.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration published on Thursday, December 4, 2008, an extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) approval of information collection (Paperwork) requirements (ICR).  OSHA is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the ICR contained in the Cadmium in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1127).

The Agency estimates the burden hours at 39,331; however, it is proposing to increase the currently approved capital costs from $1,657,460 to $1,775,457, a total increase of $117,997, which is due to the Agency increasing the cost to perform medical surveillance and exposure monitoring. The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this notice and will include this summary in the request to OMB. OSHA estimates that the average time per response varies from two minutes (.03 hour) for a secretary to compile and maintain training records to 1.5 hours to administer employee medical
examinations.

OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:

• Whether the proposed ICR is necessary for the proper performance of the Agency’s functions, including whether the information is useful;
• The accuracy of OSHA’s estimate of the burden (time and costs) of the information collection requirements, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
• Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply; for example, by using automated or other technological information collection and transmission techniques.

Please contact Michele Myers, Director, Safety and Health at (703) 837-5410 or via email - , to
myersm@agc.org submit comments.  Comments are due to OSHA by February 3, 2009.