Month: September 2015

Construction sites are notoriously dangerous. But there are precautions you can take to help minimize the risks of injury. Here are the Top Ten Safety Concerns you shouldn’t overlook:

1. Scaffolding

Providing extensive scaffolding training for any workers who will use it is essential. Not all workers automatically know how to use scaffolding. They must be taught about the dangers of power lines, unstable platforms and falling debris. Be sure any suspended or supported scaffolds have guardrails. Scaffolding must always be strong enough to support at least four times the intended load.

2. Ladder Safety

Ladders should be visually inspected before each use. Show employees how the check the side rails, rungs and feet for damage or defects. All ladders’ side rails should extend no less than three feet above the ground, and the top must meet a sturdy support. Educate employees about the dangers of ladder misuse. Ladders should only have weight loads that they’re designed to support. Be sure they also comply with the OSHA’s 29 CFR 1926.1053(a)(1) regulation.

3. Personal Protective Equipment

Most employees know this term simply as PPE. This equipment is essential for protecting employees from various hazards. Latex gloves are used when handling chemicals, dust masks are worn when sawing and earplugs are worn when using noisy tools. Hard hats and goggles are usually worn at all times to protect workers from dangerous falling or flying objects. OSHA requires employers to provide PPE when it is essential for the workplace. Construction sites are never an exception to this rule. Many employees find these accessories uncomfortable to wear. To prevent them from refusing to wear PPE, employers should offer comfortable equipment that specially made.

4. Confined Space Safety

Working in a small space may result in injury or death from being exposed to a toxic, combustible or oxygen-deficient atmosphere. Such spaces should always be connected to a reliable monitoring system. Employees exposed to the area should also be educated about the risks and how to identify them. Be sure to implement a Lockout/Tagout system to protect workers from unwanted starting of dangerous machines. To learn more about this system’s regulations, read the 29 CFR 1910.147 OSHA regulation. Compliance with this standard prevents approximately 55,000 injuries and 120 deaths annually.

5. Welding Safety

Eye injuries and burns happen to welders too often. These injuries may cause extended damage or permanent disfigurement. By making sure welding employees always wear the right PPE, this risk is reduced greatly. To prevent welders from refusing PPE, be sure their equipment is paid for, comfortable and fits properly. Be sure to provide them with flame-retardant clothing also. ANSI Z87.1 rules that helmets are essential. They are a secondary form of eye protection, so goggles or glasses must also be worn. It’s also essential to ensure there are fans or ventilation systems in place to reduce the risk of airborne hazards.

6. Fall Protection

In addition to providing fall prevention training, employers should conduct a test or review of employees’ knowledge. It’s important to ensure that they know how to prevent themselves from falling. Develop an efficient safety plan that includes a team effort.

Be sure to have fall protection equipment checked regularly. Observe it after each use for any apparent damage. In addition to this, have the equipment inspected and documented annually. Remember to keep OSHA regulations in mind for inspections and documentation.

7. Respiratory Safety

This safety issue is serious enough that OSHA developed many regulations about it. The types of chemicals, dust or other harmful substances that cause respiratory problems may vary from one work site to another. However, there are precautions that must be taken to avoid overexposure or accidental inhalation of a substance.

OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.134 regulation details respiratory safety standards. Employers should always have a work site assessed by an occupational health specialist to determine the risk of exposure to harmful substances. In addition to this, contact a personal business insurance company to find out what their rules about harmful substance exposure are.

8. First Aid & Fire Safety

Since the risk for injuries is higher in the construction field, it’s essential for employees to know first aid. Show them how to use kits, how to treat common injuries and how to prevent infections. They should also be instructed to report their injuries, however small or large, to their supervisor. Show them how to use eyewash stations, burn kits and emergency drench showers. Be sure they know how to use a fire extinguisher and are familiar with evacuation plans. Conducting regular fire drills is a safety essential.

9. Proper Documentation

Not only is thorough documentation required by OSHA but it’s also required by the law. In the unfortunate event of injuries or fatalities, it’s imperative to have thorough documentation of everything. Investigations are common in legal proceedings, so having a lack of documentation may place an employer in a bottomless pit of problems. Always keep injury logs, work logs and employee injury records current.

10. Safety Training

Be sure to provide ample training for employees. Weekly safety meetings, monthly seminars and voluntary training classes should all be established. OSHA offers an outreach training program that is voluntary. To give employees the chance to complete it, contact OSHA to receive complete information about the program.

 

Signed into law on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as the ACA, included reforms intended to improve Americans’ access to affordable health coverage while prohibiting abusive insurance company practices. A number of the provisions within the ACA have  gone into effect—in 2014 and 2015 that directly relate to your construction business.  Here are the biggest ones you need to be aware of as a construction employer.

Mandatory Affordable Health Coverage

If your construction company employs 50 or more full time and full time equivalent workers, you must provide them with health coverage. Should you fail to do so, the ACA requires you to pay a $167 penalty for each full time employee in excess of 30. You must pay this penalty monthly if even one of your full time workers purchases federally subsidized coverage through the exchange.

If the requirements of the ACA classify the health coverage you provide as unaffordable (costing more than 9.5 percent of annual household income), or should that health coverage fail to provide minimum value (covering less than 60 percent of health care expenses), you will also have to pay a monthly penalty of $250 for each full time worker who purchases federally subsidized coverage through the exchange.

These mandates went into effect January 2015. However, the government will use your 2014 payroll numbers to determine compliance. Note: while the employer-paid portion of your employees’ health insurance premiums is tax deductible, these penalties are not.

Full Time and Full Time Equivalent Employees

The Affordable Care Act defines full time employees as those who work at least 30 hour per week. However, you must also count part time workers when determining your construction company’s total number of employees. These workers’ monthly hours, when added together and divided by the number of part timers, becomes the number of full time equivalent employees you employ.

Seasonal Employment Spikes

In the construction industry, it’s quite common for employee numbers to fluctuate seasonally. Sometimes you may have 50 or more workers and fall under the “applicable large employer” definition—other times you may not. As such, you may be exempt from the ACA’s “pay or play” rule—provided your employee average does not exceed 50 for more than four months.

Calculating full time equivalent employees and determining whether your current health care plan is affordable and offers minimum value can be quite complicated. Consult your benefits manager or another knowledgeable expert for guidance and advice