A Mass contractor was fined for allowing his men to carry heavy objects up a ladder to a roof. In OSHA Subpart X, Ladders it says in section 1926.1053(b)(22) 

OSHA offices are closed and most activity has come to a halt due to the government shut down. I called the OSHA office in Braintree this week and was greeted by a voice message that they are closed. However they will answer calls for complaints and imminnent danger situations.

OSHA's enforcement extension of the new Fall Protection Protection directive ended on 3/15/2013. Residential contractors must now fully comply and protect workers exposed to hazards 6 feet or more above lower levels. The interim fall protection directive is rescinded and replaced with the new standard. The new directive was announced over two years ago on 12/16/2010. OSHA agreed to extend full compliance enforcement expecting the extra time would result in more contractors training and adopting the new standards to protect their workers. 

Before you know it Spring 2013 will be here. OSHA will continue to focus their enforcement activities on the residential construction industry. Residential construction is a targeted industry for educational outreach and enforcement.

I am teaching an Fall Protection Workshop at the JLC Live Northwest Trade Show in Portland Oregon on 12/5/2012.

OSHA has produced fall protection videos called v-Tools for contractors in the residential construction industry. These videos are produced in both English and Spanish. In our fall protection training we are asked to provide tools to help with the training of employees.These videos can assist contractor employers who are required to train their workers on fall protection.

Last week a worker was killed in Shelton Connecticut when he fell 39 feet from a roof while installing skylights.

Most contractors are unaware that OSHA extended its Region 1 (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine) Local Emphasis Program for Fall Protection until September 30, 2015.

A Maine roofing contractor has just fallen on real hard times due to violations of the OSHA Fall Protection Standard. After repeated violations he is now facing a potential of $243,000 in fines.

The new OSHA Fall Protection Standard enforcement date is 6/16/2011. Many of the contractors we have recently trained in our RRP classes were not aware of the OSHA directive. Unfortunately many contractors will find themselves in peril if their job is visited by an OSHA inspector starting 6/16/2011.