From the Desk of Chris Trahan Cain, Executive Director | |
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New Data Bulletin Examines Contractor Safety Practices | |
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The new CPWR Data Bulletin examines safety practices reported by a panel of construction contractors -- including conducting pre-task planning, right-sizing PPE, managing heat exposure, and using emerging technologies -- by union and trade association status. Based on data from a study done every two years by CPWR and the Dodge Construction Network, the Data Bulletin shows contractors who employed union workers were more likely to provide individualized PPE (93.5%) to their workers than those that employed non-union (75.9%) workers. Also, members of trade associations (64.4%) reported higher of use of emerging technologies to improve safety than non-members (46.4%). Dodge’s report on the study, Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2023 SmartMarket Report, is the sixth it has done with CPWR since 2012.
New Resources Improve Pre-Task Planning
Pre-Task Planning (PTP) is a process performed before each task starts to discuss the steps of work, the hazards, and available controls. To help contractors design, implement, assess, and continuously improve their PTP process, CPWR has developed an all-in-one PTP package. It includes checklists, templates, and practical examples to help firms either start their PTP or improve an existing process. Learn more by watching last month’s webinar about the package, available for free on-demand.
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TOOLS FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH | |
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Resources for Safer Winter Work
Working outside in cold, wet, icy, or snowy conditions can lead to serious dangers such as hypothermia and frostbite. CPWR’s website offers material to help keep workers safe and healthy during the winter months, including our Toolbox Talk, Hazard Alert and infographics on the topic, as well as valuable information from other organizations like NIOSH and OSHA.
New Infographics for Roofer Safety
One in 10 fatal slips, trips, and falls in construction happen among roofers. Protecting roofers and other workers who work on roofs is a top priority for the National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction. Two new roofing safety infographics have been added to the NIOSH and CPWR collection: Roofing Safety for Construction Workers (available in English and Spanish) and Roofing Safety: Weather to Work (now in English, coming soon in Spanish). Use the infographics for social media or blow them up and print them as job site posters. Remember, the Falls Campaign continues year-round!
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Beryllium disease among construction trade workers at Department of Energy nuclear sites: A follow‐up. Marianne Cloeren, John Dement, Joanna Gaitens, Stella Hines, Liliana Diaz, Yazmeen Tembunde, Kim Cranford, Janet Shorter, Terry Mosier, Knut Ringen. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2022. Read the Key Finding and the abstract.
Participate in a Pilot Program on Preventing Struck-by Incidents
CPWR is recruiting general and specialty contractors to participate in a pilot planning program to prevent struck-by incidents. Learn more about the free program and how to participate by watching the webinar from earlier this year, Struck by Hazards, Barriers, and Opportunities in the Construction Industry, or by emailing Grace Barlet at CPWR.
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Thursday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET (1 hour)
Nanomaterials in Construction: CPWR Research and Resources
Construction workers are increasingly likely to encounter products that contain engineered nanoparticles, which are many times smaller than a human hair. Research shows that some nanoparticles -- which now appear in insulation, cement, paints and coatings, wood products, and many other products -- pose health hazards, but the risks they pose depend upon exposure. Join this webinar to learn how nanomaterials are used in construction, their risks, and how to be safer with CPWR resources like the Construction Nanomaterials Inventory (eLCOSH Nano), training materials like toolbox talks, and the CPWR Data Center’s new Nanomaterials Data Dashboard.
Panelists:
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Gavin West, MPH, Director, Nanomaterials Research, CPWR
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Bruce Lippy, PhD, CIH, CSP, President, The Lippy Group, LLC, and consultant to CPWR
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William Harris, MS, Research Analyst, Data Center, CPWR
Click here to register and submit a question in advance.
Please note: CPWR can only accommodate 1,000 attendees live on Zoom, however, we will record and share the webinar with everyone who registered after the event.
Wednesday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Falls in Construction: New Resources & a Data-Driven Exploration of Trends
Hosted by ISHN
A discussion of new data on trends in falls and updated resources from CPWR and the OSHA-NIOSH-CPWR National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction. The webinar will cover trends in fatal and nonfatal falls in construction, including information by subsector, state, and injury type. CPWR Data Center resources that can be used to explore fall injuries qualitatively through injury narratives will also be shown. Presenters will also provide information on the latest Falls Campaign resources, the campaign website redesign, and evaluation data from the 2023 Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.
Panelists:
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William Harris, Research Analyst, Data Center, CPWR
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Rosa Greenberg, Research Analyst, Research to Practice, CPWR
Click here to register.
FWP Medical Screening Webinar 2023: Hearing Loss and Its Implications on Compensation Yesterday the U.S. Department of Energy’s Former Worker Medical Screening Program hosted its fourth webinar. Dr. Marianne Cloeren from the Building Trades National Medical Screening Program presented on hearing loss, starting with an in-depth look at the ear itself, including its complex structure and functions. Dr. Cloeren emphasized the prevention of hearing loss, including the importance of taking protective measures in noisy environments. Because hearing loss can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life, the session addressed its emotional and psychological aspects and the challenges faced by individuals with this condition. The webinar also tackled compensation and the guidelines for filing a hearing loss claim with EEOICPA and also shared information on state workers’ compensation. The recording will be available at https://www.energy.gov/ehss/former-worker-medical-screening-program-webinar-series.
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November 12-14, Atlanta – American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo
November 14 -- Poster Presentation: Trends in heavy drinking among construction workers with depression and anxiety
- Thomas Yohannes, Research Assistant, Data Center, CPWR
November 26-30, Sydney, Australia -- 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work
November 30, 8:30 a.m. -- Vision Zero in the Construction Industry
- Babak Memarian, Director, Exposure Control Technologies Research, CPWR
- Jakob Kort, Co-Head Digital Transformation & Corporate Development, BG BAU
- Knut Ringen, Vice-President, ISSA Construction
- Krishna Nirmalya Sen, Head EHS, L&T
- Mark Fuellemann, Founder, Practice & Experience
- Petra Jackisch, Secretary General, ISSA Construction
- Sarah Nicholson, State Inspector, Safework Nsw
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