CPWR UPDATE
From the Desk of Chris Trahan Cain, Executive Director

August 2023

Safe + Sound Week Highlights Importance of Safety Plans

We’re halfway through Safe + Sound week, a key part of OSHA’s year-round campaign to encourage every workplace to have an effective safety and health program. As a proud organizing partner in this effort, CPWR helps construction firms of all sizes and types of work be safer and more productive by providing free, proven resources. They include the Safety Climate-Safety Management Information System, which enables contractors to assess and strengthen their safety climate; the Foundations for Safety Leadership training program, which demonstrates leadership skills crew leaders can use on the job site to improve safety climate and safety outcomes; and materials to improve mental health.

TOOLS FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH

Best Built Plans Materials Updated

As part of a series of improvements to our Best Built Plans program, there’s now an updated Contractor Training Program to educate employers on what management and workers need to know about ergonomics, why they should have an ergonomics program, and how ergonomics can be integrated into their existing safety program. The 50-minute training program is available in full as a YouTube video or PowerPoint presentation for delivery by a trainer, and it has also been broken out into eight short videos that can be viewed based on interest. Three infographics have also been improved: Plan Your Lift, Plan Your Route, and Safe Lifting and Moving Practices. 

RESEARCH NEWS

New Entries in 17 Annotated Bibliographies

CPWR’s collection of annotated, interdisciplinary bibliographies summarize academic research on major topics in construction occupational safety and health, such as electricity, falls, noise, and struck-by. The original collection of 17 bibliographies has been updated with research from the last four years, adding more than 200 citations.  


Using Community-based Organizations and Partnerships to Enhance Reach and Engagement of Small Construction Establishments. Sue Ann Sarpy and Alicia Stachowski. CPWR Small Study, August 2023. Read the Key Finding and the full report.

 

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 late last year, Struck by Hazards, Barriers, and Opportunities in the Construction Industry, or by emailing Grace Barlet at CPWR. 

NEWS & EVENTS

Webinars


Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30 at 2:00pm Eastern (1 hour +)

Staying Safe When Digging: Excavation & Trenching Basics



Dirt is heavy. Really heavy. One cubic yard of dirt is the weight of a mid-sized car. For this reason, excavating the earth’s surface for any reason can be dangerous, especially when that excavation takes the form of a trench – a cavity deeper than its width and narrower than its length. If an excavation cave-in occurs (even a partial one), workers can be crushed in seconds, even if their head and arms remain above the dirt. Join CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training, the Associated General Contractors of America, OSHA Region III, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to learn more about staying safe during excavation activities. Dr. Douglas Trout will review the basics of excavation and trenching safety and our contractor safety specialists from Ed Bell Construction Company and BTConstruction will follow up by sharing their practical experience from the field along with information on activities and initiatives they are engaged in, including, for example, the Trenching Excavation Safety Task force (TEST) to increase awareness and prevention of excavation injuries and fatalities.


Welcome:

  • Kevin Cannon, CSP, ARM, Senior Director, Safety and Health Services, Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)


Q&A Moderator:

  • Nicholas DeJesse, Assistant Regional Administrator – Cooperative and State Programs, OSHA Philadelphia Regional Office


Panelists:

  • Douglas Trout, MD, MHS, Medical Officer, Office of Construction Safety and Health, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Phillippe Falkner, Safety Director, Project Management, and Business Services Specialist, Ed Bell Construction Company
  • Perry Silvey, CHST, Safety Manager, BTConstruction


NOTE: A Spanish audio option will be provided through the use of a simultaneous translation service.

NOTA: Se proporcionará una opción de audio en español a través del uso de un servicio de traducción simultánea.


Click here to register and submit questions in advance.

CPWR in the News

A Tool for Measuring & Strengthening Jobsite Safety Climate, Professional Safety, July 2023


Summer of climate catastrophes brings risks for workers, The Hill, 7/14/23


On the Safe Side podcast Episode 41: Influence in safety and trenching/excavation hazards, Safety+Health Magazine, 7/16/23


Career Opportunities

CPWR has openings for two positions:



Visit our Career Opportunities page for instructions on applying.

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