b' OSHA Proposes $43,950 inNational Fire - IPenalties Against TexasProtection :-uE"u- - - - ContractorAgency (NFPA) - I -!!Ill- .to Develop -=u.::u - - or from falling or flying objects, orworkers. Companies cited for viola- .fromelectrical shock andbu tionsh 15 wo days fromBuilding Code I u.-:L__employeesona walkwayrns;receiptavei ci rkingto comply,At its Mar 2000meeting,theI __within awere notlocatedrequestof thetationsor toch I = I I J - - by ascaffoldsystem;protectedcontestannform hearing,ltiesNFPAannouncedits\'plansto - - - foldsguardrail,andscaf beforethe citati aland penadevelop theBuildingTo - were not erected moved, dis tionaltheonsOccupa beaNFPAoftheCode.the :.:p - mantled, or altered only under theindependentReviewbenamed NFPA 5000,code will I SafetyandHealth supervision and direction of aCommission.complete s co for com etdes T federalOccupational Safetypetent person qualified.MRCA p idesa comprehen builtironment, m toiherov env eantcompland Health Administration (OSHA)A seriousviolationis oneinsive health and safety program thatment the National Electric Code, and citeda Houston-basedcontractorwhich there is aproba membersmayparticipateinthatbecome o of twoy substantialneke documents of for13allegedsafetyandhealthbility that death or serious physicalcan prevent unsafe conditions andthe Consensus Codes set. violations and proposed penaltiesharm could result and the employerhelp youmeetorexceedOSHA" have heard f NFPA mWeromemof$43,950,announcedtheU.S.knew or should have k of thestandards.bers, our other constituents, and nownlegDepartment of Labor.hazard. The three repeat violationsT Safety and HealthAgendaislative and agency officialsthey hethat T subcontractor was perform included the platforms on workingforRoofingProfessionalswantNFPA to developa building he ing work at an apartment construe levels of the scaffolds were not fully(SHARPT""Jprogramisunlikecode," said George Miller, president . \'ion sitein Pearland,Texas.Theplankedordeckedb theanyotherintheindustry.ofe"We are committed to etweenth NFPA. Va11eged violations were discoveredfront uprightthe gu sup SHARPprovidesthetrainingNFPA\'s-tested and proven open andardrailtimeduring anunprogrammedinspec ports;guardraisystemsdidnottoolsdoc nconsensus p .consenIandumentatio materialsrocess Truesus tionwhichbeganNovember24,meetfall protectionrequirementsnecessary to complythof theis the cornerstone of NFPA\'s mission wi all 1999, when bricklayers were work and the employer did not identifyviolations that this contractor wasand it isn al to pu safety." esse ti blic ingonunsafe, inadequately con andevaluatetherespiratoryhaz cited with.According totheN existing FPA, structedscaffoldingwithnofal Iards in theAt vio Although inthis case the con NFPAdocuments,suchasthe workplace.repeaprotection.OSHA\'sstandardslation is one in which the employertractorwasinthebrickandNational Electric C and the Life ode require that fall protection be pro has been cited previously forsub masonry industry, if he had been aSaf Code, will form an important aety vided for employees working on astantiallysimilarcondition.Anroofingcontractorandinthepart of thenewConsensus Codes scaffold more than 10 feet in height.other-than-seriousviolationisaSHARP pr all of the vio set.In addition, the NFPA will rely ogram, T company was cited for nineviolation that has arelation lationsabovemostlikelywouldupon partnerships with g such hedirectroups serious violations, three repeat vio ship to job safety and health, but ishave been caught by aas thet Fire Chief\'s A acooperativeWes ernssocilations, and one other-than-seriousnot serious in nature. The Houstonsafety director and corrected beforetionproduce the code. to violation. Some of the nine seriousSouth OSHA office has developed atheOSHAinspectorsarrived.The new code wil I reportedly be violationsincludedtheemployerlocalprogram to addressSH4RPkeep materialreadyreview by the NFPA mememphasishelps youfor notmaintainingcopiesoftheunsafe construction work sites.safetydatasheetsupdated,andbership in 2002,willadopted andbe required material safety data sheetsOSHAdedicatessignificantprovidesdocumentedproofoflaterthatsameyear.Users can for each hazardous chemical in theresources to address the safety andtrainings and inspections that canexpectthe samelevel of support workplace;notmaintaininganhealth concerns in the constructionp venttheoccurrenceofOSHANFPA gives all itsand s re codestanviolation isoinspection program conducted by aindustry. Employersandemploy violations. If you have a,dards, including its\' adv ry servcompetentpersonthatexaminedees with questions regarding work SHARP will assist youin pre ice, handbooks, and reference matejob sites, materials and equipmentplace safety andhealth standardss ing evidence of your commit rials.Aninspectorcertification entona frequentandregularbasis;can call the nearest OSHA office.ment to safety.program for the new code is planned, employeeswerenot protectedbyOSHA\'shotlineFormoreinformationontheas well. For moreformation about toll-free(800/321- in- protective helmets while working in67may be used to report work SHARP program,800/497- th is new code, visit the N onal Fire 42)callatifatalitareas where there was a possibleplace accidents,ies, or situa 6722.ProtectionAssociationonlineat danger of head injury from impact,tionsposing imminentdanger towww.nfpa.org.'