The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report Nov. 7 showing a decrease in on-the-job injury and illness rates for the construction industry in 2012. The total number of recordable cases declined to 3.6 incidents for every 100 full time employees (FTEs), down from 3.8 in 2011. 

ABC congratulated its member companies that were awarded top honors for the Construction Users Roundtable’s (CURT) Construction Industry Safety Excellence (CISE) Awards and Workforce Development Awards at CURT’s Nov. 12 national conference in Tucson, Ariz. 

National Safety Excellence Award (NSEA) applications are due Oct. 25 and can be downloaded on ABC’s website. All 2013 Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) Diamond and Platinum recipients are eligible to apply; there is no fee to participate. New for 2013, STEP Gold recipients may also apply for the NSEA by submitting the NSEA Gold application and $450 application fee. ABC members who do not have STEP status can learn more about STEP on ABC’s website. 

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics/Department of Labor Aug. 22 report, construction fatalities increased 5 percent in 2012, marking the first increase in six years. According to the report, there were 775 workplace deaths in the private construction industry in 2012 and 738 in 2011. That translates into a 2012 fatality rate of 9.5 per 100,000 workers, up from 9.1 in 2011

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced June 17 that it has released a new ladder safety smartphone app, which uses visual and audio signals to make it easier for workers using extension ladders to check the angle of the ladder and offers useful tips for using extension ladders safely. The app is available for free download on iPhone and Android devices. 

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have re-launched their construction falls prevention campaign to raise awareness of fall hazards and provide information that employers and workers can use to prevent injury and death

OSHA has released a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet as part of their national campaign to prevent fatal falls titled, “Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely.” 

OSHA has released a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet as part of their national campaign to prevent fatal falls titled, “Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely.” 

OSHA has released a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet as part of their national campaign to prevent fatal falls titled, “Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely.” 

OSHA is holding a free webinar on how to prevent falls on the jobsite April 10 at 11 a.m. (ET) as part of their Safety Pay, Falls Cost campaign.