Safety Consultant / OSHA Assistance ECA contracts with a Safety Consultant to provide members an opportunity to benefit from a quality health & safety professional with numerous years of experience in the construction industry. Many of the Safety Consultant's services are offered FREE of charge to members!
Some of the services provided include: On-site inspections of work sites A site inspection provides multiple benefits. First, it provides an accurate assessment of how compliant a job site is with OSHA regulations. The Safety Consultant will arrive at the job site, make observations and discuss issues with personnel. The report will be indicative of how the same job site might fair during an actual OSHA inspection. Second, health and safety issues are identified, and in many instances can be corrected immediately. Issues that cannot be corrected immediately are controlled and personnel responsible for corrective action can be designated. Third, while touring and identifying issues, the Consultant is actively communicating with employees on site so that they can understand the issues and know how to prevent hazardous situations in the future.
Assistance with OSHA Matters In the event a member becomes the subject of an OSHA inspection, citation or complaint, the Safety Consultant can provide valuable experience, insight and advice. The Consultant responds regularly to members’ requests for support during an inspection and assistance in responding to complaints. Assistance with OSHA issues alone has resulted in thousands of dollars in savings for members and numerous dropped citations.
Conducting Specific Safety Training ECA offers numerous safety and health courses such as OSHA 10- and 30-hour classes, First-Aid/CPR/AED, Lead Certification and more throughout the year. Member firms occasionally have specific needs for training and the Safety Consultant is available to provide training or offer advice on outside training options. Some topics include, but are not limited to: fall protection, scaffold erection, rigging awareness and excavation requirements.
Review of Company Policies and Programs All employers need to regularly review and revise their company manual to keep current with changing regulations, as well as to be sure that their policies cover the work and activity they are actually performing. The Safety Consultant can assist in the development of site-specific safety programs, emergency action plans, hazard communication programs, respiratory protection programs, job hazard analysis, pre-task plans or any other program required to comply with OSHA or contractual obligations.
For more information about services available or to better understand how ECA's Safety Consultant can provide value for your company, please contact Laura at (518) 869-0961 or [email protected].
Albany Safety Training Center Don't forget that ECA members have a great place to conduct safety training programs for employees. The Albany Safety Training Center is located at 116 Railroad Avenue, Albany, and is available for member use free of charge. The Safety Training Center is fully equipped with safety equipment, audio/visual equipment and seating arrangements to comfortably accommodate groups of up to 22 people. Call ECA for more information, (518) 869-0961.
Construction Safety Manual Available FREE to ECA Members Through our relationship with the Building Industry Employers of NYS (BIE) and Lovell Safety Management Company, ECA is making available a sample Construction Safety Manual to its members. Contact Laura at [email protected] or (518) 869-0961 for more information.
Tool Box Talks ECA members have access to Tool Box Talks covering a wide range of topics. Contact Laura at [email protected] for more information. Tool Box Talks are also provided to members in the monthly Safety News.
Conducting weekly “Tool Box” talks is an excellent way to safe-guard employees against the hazards that can exist on any job site. For “Tool Box” information to be effective, consider the following:
“Tool Box” talks should be presented – not read! The presenter should review topic materials before the meeting, and then present the topic. He/She should not just read a “Tool Box” safety talk. The information will be more effective if it is presented and not just read. “Tool Box” talks should be presented by a Supervisor, Foreman or similar type employee. Don’t delegate this significant task. When “Tool Box” information is presented by a credible supervisor or person of similar responsibility, it’s more likely the material will be taken seriously.
“Tool Box” talks should address the hazards at your workplace. The topic should be relevant to your job site. Otherwise, you’ll lose the attention of your employees and workers.
“Tool Box” talks should be quick and to the point and should take no longer than 5-10 minutes. You can likely address one specific hazard or issue that is relevant to the job site in a 5-10 minute time span. You want your employees and workers to understand and remember topic presented and keep the talk short and to the point.
Document your “Tool Box” talks. One of the most frequently cited OSHA Standards – 1926.21(b)(2) reads: “The employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.”
Basically this means it’s the employer’s responsibility to train and advise employees regarding ALL workplace hazards and the appropriate safe-guard actions. Documentation is the only way to prove to OSHA that this information has been discussed and delivered to employees and workers.
