On Oct. 18, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it agreed to further delay enforcement of the anti-retaliation provisions of OSHA’s final rule on Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses until Dec. 1st. Under the anti-retaliation provisions of the final rule, some forms of post-accident drug testing and accident-free incentive programs will be deemed unlawfully retaliatory. 

On June 28, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration issued a final rule on the operation and certification of non-hobbyist small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones). The final rule covers commercial uses for UAS that weigh less than 55 pounds and it takes effect Aug. 29.

On July 11, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued its decision in Miller & Anderson. In a 3-1 decision, the NLRB held that “employer consent is not necessary for units that combine jointly employed and solely employed employees of a single user employer. Instead, we will apply the traditional community of interest factors to decide if such units are appropriate.” Philip A. Miscimarra, the only Republican Board Member, dissented. The NLRB’s decision can be read here.  

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Wage and Hour Division recently released a new guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for employers, managers, human resources specialists, and professional leave administrators. The Employer’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act provides employers with a roadmap for leave administration from the initial leave request to the employee’s return to the same or equivalent job at the conclusion of leave.

On June 2, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a final rule increasing the penalty for failure to post notices of worker rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act (GINA).  Under the final rule, the maximum fine for failure to comply with these notice-posting requirements rises from $210 to $525 per violation.  

Construction jobsites in Washington, D.C., stopped work at midday on Thursday, May 5 so that workers could attend a special Safety Week event, the Ballpark Grand Slam for Safety at Nationals Park. Workers made their way to the stadium for safety and equipment demonstrations and exhibits, a Stretch and Flex exercise, subcontractor safety awards, remarks by OSHA's Acting Director, of the Directorate of Construction and lunch. The event was sponsored by ABC -a Safety Week partner, major general contractors, insurers and Associated General Contractors 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released three new fact sheets that are free to download from OSHA's Publications webpage. A ladder jack scaffolds fact sheet* illustrates how to prevent injuries from falls when using work platforms supported by portable ladders. A confined spaces fact sheet* emphasizes the OSHA requirement for employers to develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue or emergency services in permit-required confined spaces. Lastly, a fact sheet on longshoring in marine terminals* describes how to prevent semi-tractor driver injuries during container lifting operations. 

A new SmartMarket Report from Dodge Data & Analytics takes a close look at 33 indicators of a safety culture in the construction industry, including measures of management commitment to safety and health, worker involvement in jobsite safety, company communications on safety and the degree to which safety is treated as a fundamental company value. The study found nearly equal numbers of companies showing high, moderate and low levels of engagement with these indicators, though large companies are more likely to be further along the safety culture spectrum than smaller companies. 

ABC recognized the country’s top construction projects as well as leading company-wide safety and diversity programs at the 26th annual Excellence in Construction® Awards gala March 2 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The 2015 National Safety Award Pinnacle, Excellence and Merit Winners are: