Last week a question was on what to test was answered on the EPA website. The answer clarifies some of the questions Certified Renovators ask in the class. For example the answer says when testing a window or door to be replaced one must test the sash/door and trim both inside and out. This means at least 4 Lead check test kits per window and door.  Also if you test and find a negative result you must still document your findings.

Hello guys. The calls keep coming in from contractors visited by OSHA. Today I learned of four OSHA site visits in the North Shore area around Beverly and Andover Mass. This comes on the heels of the recent OSHA Fall Protection Awareness seminar a few weeks ago. The promised sweeps are well underway as the spring season progresses. By coincidence there happens to be an OSHA office in Andover.

Last week in our RRP training at Brockway Smith a student reported about his experience at a recent OSHA Fall Protection Awareness seminar in Andover, Ma held by OSHA. He said there were a lot of angry roofers and contractors at the seminar. Pete told me that many of the contractors present were instructed to be there by OSHA.

OSHA has launched a national fall protection campaign aimed at protecting workers from the dangers of falls in construction. Last year in Region 1 (New England) OSHA started their outreach program that they are now rolling out throughout the nation. We hosted 6 OSHA awareness seminars with OSHA for contractors and had great turnouts. In the past month OSHA held 5 more fall protection outreach seminars to raise awareness in the Boston area.

Massachusetts contractors are being preyed upon by telemarketers selling CEU training services. These telemarketers are calling contractors and telling them they need to sign up right away to get their credits or they will not be able to renew their Construction Supervisor License. Anyone can obtain a list of contractors who hold a CSL in Mass by writing the BBRS

Last week I completed the OSHA 500 Construction course training to teach OSHA 10 and 30 programs. Our instructor, Jay Fitzpatrick did a great job teaching the various programs and approaches used to train these programs.

Today we were informed by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Mass that Region 1 OSHA enforcement officers were seen viewing open permits in Worcester, Ma. I will post the newsletter in its entirety so there is nothing lost in the translation;

Earlier this year Massachusetts' insurance industry announced that they looking for a 19.3% increase for workers compensation rates. Many contractors report they are having issues with their workers compensation costs after going through audits. One contractor in our Fall Protection Training said recently he was hit for $12,000 for his comp liability. He said his insurance agents calculations were a little off. Turns out the agent doesn't really specialize in insurance for residential contractors. But the agent did insure the contractors wife's car which lead to the contractor buying insurance from this firm. ($12,000.00 OUCH!!) 

A New Hampshire construction company has been fined for the death of a worker who fell from scaffolding. The planking the worker was working on snapped and he plunged to his death. The worker, Steven Sawyer was employed by MacMillin Co, Inc.

When we think of falls in construction we don't normally think about falls through floor openings. When contractors and builders build homes and additions with stairwells they often leave the well open posing a hazard to a fall below. As workers get busy worker inside they tend to not worry about something like a fall on the inside of the house. This lack of awareness can be dangerous at wall openings, stairwells and landings. We spend time on this false sense of security in our fall protection trainings.