OSHA Issues FAQs on N95 Respirator Effectiveness Against Coronavirus
On Oct. 19, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a set of frequently asked questions on the effectiveness of N95 respirators against coronavirus exposure as part of the agency’s COVID-19 FAQs page.
In addition to these new FAQs, OSHA recently issued frequently asked questions and answers regarding the need to report employees’ in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities resulting from work-related cases of the coronavirus. Visit osha.gov for more information.
OFCCP Offers Resources for EO on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs launched a hotline and email address to receive and investigate complaints under existing Executive Order 11246 as well as Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, issued by President Trump.
The new OFCCP Complaint Hotline to Combat Race and Sex Stereotyping can be reached at (202) 343-2008 or via email at OFCCPComplaintHotline@dol.gov.
The order, published on Sept. 22, states, “It shall be the policy of the United States not to promote race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating in the federal workforce or in the uniformed services, and not to allow grant funds to be used for these purposes. In addition, federal contractors will not be permitted to inculcate such views in their employees.”
The order has ignited confusion among federal contractors and grant recipients, and many argue that it debilitates organizations’ existing diversity, anti-discrimination and unconscious bias training initiatives.
Federal contractors’ specific requirements apply to federal contracts entered as of Nov. 21.
ABC New Hampshire Chapter Makes Scholarship Donation
ABC’s New Hampshire/Vermont Chapter has donated a $1,000 scholarship to MY TURN, a Manchester, New Hampshire, youth services organization working toward the development of post-secondary education or training and the world of work.
This particular scholarship was made in the name of Tim Barton, a member of DECCO’s board of directors, participant in ABC’s National Craft Championships and facilitator of a critical apprenticeship program between DECCO and MY TURN. DECCO’s Center for Craft Excellence was dedicated in his memory on July 23.
Crane Index and Cost Report Reveal COVID-19’s Effects on Construction
Rider Levett Bucknall, an international property and construction consultancy firm recently released a revised Crane Index and Quarterly Cost Report that highlights the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cities throughout North America:
- Cities with an increase in cranes include Phoenix, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
- Cities experiencing a decrease of cranes include Chicago, Denver and New York.
- Cranes dedicated to cultural projects have dropped 38% from the previous count.
- Active cranes increased 38% in health care projects nationwide.
Scaffold Law Contested in New York
New York contractors are again appealing to the governor and the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) to repeal Labor Law 240, known as the Scaffold Law.
The policy centers around contractor liability for fall incidents, holding contractors fully and absolutely liable for any fall if the employee did not have access to proper protective equipment. A group of 75 construction industry and pro-business organizations, including the Empire State chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, have formed the Scaffold Law Reform Coalition to make the case to Gov. Cuomo and NYCOSH that the added insurance costs created by the law are an unnecessary burden on taxpayers and contractors.
The coalition has cited the inflation of project costs for public construction work to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually, as well as the fact that some insurers have refrained from offering coverage to contractors altogether as concerns.
While supporters of the law claim that contractors are only held liable if it is found that they were negligent in following the proper safety procedures and regulations, critics feel the law is archaic and does not reflect the realities of employer/employee liability in incidents, and are asking for an updated policy that allows for more liability protection for employers when an employee has been obviously negligent in their own safety responsibilities.
