Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Lawyers Blog
On March 28, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a request for information seeking comments on how to prevent injuries and deaths from reinforcing concrete activities in construction and from vehicles and mobile equipment backing into workers in construction, general industry, agriculture and the maritime industry. According to workerscompensation.com, OSHA will use the comments received to learn more about how workers get injured and what solutions exist to prevent such injuries and deaths, including possible regulatory action.
Workers using reinforcing methods to strengthen concrete face potential life-threatening hazards including impalement, collapsed walls, and slips and falls.
According to OSHA more than 30 workers died from these activities from 2000 to 2009.
Workers also face fatal injuries when struck by backing up or when caught between backing vehicles and objects like loading docks.
OSHA states 360 workers died from backover incidents from 2005 to 2010.
Comments on this RFI must be submitted by June 27, 2012. Interested parties may submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Comments may also be submitted by mail or facsimile. See the Federal Register notice for details.