b'a(Continued from previous page)Butitems are fuzzy.Let\'s often checklistofsafetyitemsim moveawayfromtheperimeter portantto our ind us try.guardrail example and refer instead Thatlistshouldbeclearandto covering roof openings.Weapunambiguousand should be writtenprovethatrequirement.FallingConstructionEmployersEvaluate in language my foreman can under throughanunguardedopeningisOSHA stand.Ifsuchan approved checkmorecommonthanfallingoff theNearly 1,000 construction induslist were developed, every respon edge.Thecommonwaytomeettryrepresentativesattendedthe sibleroofingcontractorinthetheOSHArequirement is tocoverrecent meeting of theConstruction countrywouldseetoitthatthetheopeningwith plywood and se EmployersNationalLegislative list was checked at each job site.cureit.Conference,Washington,D.C.,to 3.Don\'timposeregulationsBut who has the responsibility?protestregulationsintheOccupawhichgreatlyincreasejobcostsTheroofingcontractorisoneoftionalSafety and HealthAct. withlittleresultingsafetyim severalcraftswho willbe Onthe provement.The statistics demon roof.Generally, he has no carpen DonShasteen,ExecutiveAssisstrate that falls fromthe perimeterterin hisemployand no plywoodtanttoSenatorCarlT.Curtis of the roofarenot amajor causeamonghismaterials.Common(R-Neb.) recommended that contracof injury in our industry.Requir senseagainwouldassignthistors push for what hecalled"overingguardrailsaroundthepe,i responsibilitytothegeneral con sight"hearings,to be heldbythe meter- wouldaddsubstantiallytotractor.ButthewaythelawisSenateLaborandPublicWelfare constructioncostswithlittlere written the roofing contractor wouldCommittee.Whilethesehearings sultingbenefitinsafetycondi beequallyliable forthe citation.would notthe law, they would amend tions.Wehavetried- - without suc determineif the present law is beWesuspectthataregulationcess- - tointerestAssociatedingadministeredfairlyorifconrequiring aguardrail would simplyGeneral Contractors in developingtractorsarepenalizedunjustly. beignoredintheindustrysincestandardcontractlanguageinor Amendments would then be possible itisunrealistic.Nothing breedsdertoassignOSHAcomplianceat alater date. disregard forgovernmentalregula responsibility.Intheabsence ofFive billshavebeenintroduced tion morequicklythan unrealisticactionbyAGC,wehave unilater toamendOSHA:S.3262- would regulations.allyproposedourowncontractexemptemployersof25orfewer 4.Employcomplianceofficersrider.fromOSHAenforcementandwould knowledgeableinconstruction.OSHA by regulation could indi delayenforcementforemployers Thereisanenormousvariance incatewhohasprimaryresponsi - with25 - 100 workersforone year. complianceofficerswhichinturnbilityforcompliance or could actH.R.12068 - would exempt all nonresultsingreatvarianceinen - as acatalyst in bringing the AGC,manufacturingfirmsandallother forcement.FewareadequatelyAIAandmajorsubcontractingfirmsemploying 25or less as long trained.Veryfewareknowledge groupstogetherindraftcontractas they were in states having their ableinconstruction.Those wholanguageacceptable to all.With effective regulations.H.R. 12296-haveabackground in constructionoutthiswearedestinedtothewouldrequireOSHAtoset up difknow what to look for and interpretnever-endingbattleoftheformsferent standards for light and heavy thelaw in a manner which createswhileeveryonetriestoshift,construction.H.R.13562 - would confidenceandencouragescom ratherthanaccepthisresponsi provide that if an employer corrects pliance.bility.asafetyviolationwithinaspeci5.Help ustodefine legal res 6.Enforcethe law against em fiedtime,hewould not besubject ponsibilitybetweenthegeneralployees, too.Safety is everyone\'stoafine. contractor andhis subcontractors.business.Quite often an employerRep.Larry Winn(R-Kan.)called Newconstructionworktodayismakes an earnesteffort to comply,uponcontractorstosupporttheir generallyhandledbyageneralbutfindsthathisemployeesarerepresentativesbywritingthem contractorandanumberofsub simplynot goingalong.Hebuysregardingpendinglegislation. contractors.Insomelargejobshardhats,postsrules,enforces themechanicalcontractormaythemwhenviolatorsarecaught. haveaseparate contract with theThenonehotdayanOSHAcom HelpinComplying withOSHA owner and he in turn will havesub plianceofficerfindsonemaninA new service hasbeen developcontractors.Onoccasionthereasix-man crew without ahard hatedtoassist companiesin meeting areseverallayersof subcontrac in an area requiring one.The em therequirementsoftheFederal tors.Whois responsible forcom ployergetsfined.WhynottheOccupationalSafetyandHealth pliancewithspecificOSHAre man?Franklyit\'sdifficultforActof 1970.Viking Laboratories, quirements?contractors to get their employeesInc.,Poughkeepsie,N.Y.,claims The simpleapproach isto say:totakeOSHAseriously.Afewtheyhaveafullystaffedgroup of everyone.Butwheneveryoneisfinesimposedagainstemployeelicensed engineers and technicians responsiblefordoingsomething,violatorswouldhelptoobtainspeciallytrained in OSHA requireoftennoonedoes it.Pinpointingtheirattentionto,and respect forments ,available to contractors and responsibilitywouldgreatlyad thelaw.theindustry in general forconsulvancethe OSHAcause.tation services.For additional inForexample,OSHAimposesformation,contact:VikingLabs., certainsanitationrules.ClearlySixsimple suggestions.If fol Inc.,P.O.B.3074,Poughkeepsie, it makes no sense for each of twolowed,theywouldhelpOSHAtoNewYork12603. dozensubcontractorstoprovidesucceed.Iwant it to succeed - -toiletfacilitiesatthesite.Justandso does ourindustry.But it abouteveryoneacceptsthefactwon\'tif ourindustryis givenno thisisthegeneralcontractor\'svoic~inshapingandreviewing responsibility.the enforcementthe regulations. of SEPTEMBER19729'