CSC NEWS

The 130-Hour Construction Safety Coordinator Certificate Program The Construction Safety Coordinator Certificate Program was created to help meet industry demands and covers key topics relating to physical and health hazards, emergency preparedness, administrative issues, and OSHA compliance for construction.  It is sponsored by the Construction Safety Council and Northern Illinois University.

The benefits of taking this course are numerous.  Past participants report greater employee safety awareness, fewer jobsite injuries, fewer citations and fines, and career advancement. Ultimately these benefits translate into saving more lives, and saving the company insurance and litigation expense in the long run.

The course offers 42 training sessions, including extensive resource and instructional materials, the 29 CFR 1926 Standards Book, the Construction Safety Management & Engineering textbook, demonstrations and hands-on instruction, guest presenters and specialists who will enhance the learning experience, admission to the 15th Annual Construction Safety Conference and Expo, networking opportunities and much more. 

Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a 30-Hour Card, and a Construction Safety Coordinator Certificate with up to 13 CEU's from Northern Illinois University College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.   The Program also meets the minimum training/education requirements, when combined with at least a high school diploma, for the Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification of the Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists. 

For more information, email Thomas A. Broderick or call NIU Engineering Outreach at (815) 753-6902, or 708-544-2082, ext. 202, or visit www.engineeringoutreach.niu.edu.

 
CSC Hosts Inaugural Disaster Site Worker Train-the-Trainer Class

Paul Satti, Director of Devlopment at the Construction Safety Council (CSC) was detailed this summer to the OSHA Training Institute to assist in the development of the new Disaster Site Worker Course.  The course will be piloted by CSC/National Safety Education Center, then offered by other education centers throughout the country.

The construction trades played a critical role in the response to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster.  For months, ironworkers, operating engineers, laborers, teamsters, and other skilled support personnel took part in response efforts.  Based on lessons learned at the WTC disaster, it became clear that it was necessary to develop a training program for Disaster Site Workers who provide skilled support services, (e.g. utility, demolition, debris removal, or heavy equipment operation) or site clean-up services in response to natural and man-made disasters.  Specifically, it was recognized that all workers at disaster sites need to be aware of the differences between disaster sites and regular construction or demolition worksites and be able to inspect, don, and doff air-purifying respirators. 
 

OSHA’s goal for the Disaster Site Worker Training Program is to encourage the development of a cadre of workers who are highly trained to respond safely to natural and man-made disasters.  OSHA has identified three courses that workers need to take to accomplish this goal.  These courses are intended to be taken pre-incident – before work at any disaster.  The three courses include the OSHA Construction Outreach Training Course (10 Hours); the new Disaster Site Worker Course (16 hours) and HAZWOPER (40 hours).  These courses progress from general awareness training to response-specific training.  OSHA will issue a “Disaster Site Worker Training Program Card (Program Card)” for workers who complete the series of all three courses.  Workers who choose to attend only the 10 Hour Course and the Disaster Site Worker course (and not the HAZWOPER class) will receive a “Disaster Site Worker Course Card (Course Card)”
 

The 16 hour Worker Course is for skilled construction trade workers to develop an awareness of incident command systems and special safety and health hazards, including CBRNE hazards that may be present at such sites.  In addition, participants will each complete a performance test demonstrating the ability to inspect, don and doff a negative-pressure air-purifying respirator.

 
17th Annual Construction Safety Conference
February 13-15, 2007
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL

Phone: 708-544-2082 or 800-552-7744. Fax: 708-544-2371. Internet: www.buildsafe.org
 

CSC Selected to head VPP Challenge Pilot
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently held a ceremony in Washington, DC to launch two Voluntary Protection Program pilots- OSHA Challenge and VPP Corporate- that will expand programs to promote the safety and health of thousands more workers across the nation.  Senior officials from participating companies and organizations attended today’s ceremony in Washington, DC.
“We want to continually improve OSHA’s cooperative programs and provide opportunities for more employers and employees who want to work with OSHA to create safer and healthier workplaces.” said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw.  “Encouraging many more facilities to continuously improve safety and health is the most effective way to assure compliance and further reductions in injuries, illnesses and fatalities.”
Fifteen companies, associations, and a Federal agency will participate in the pilots based on their commitment to improve workplace safety and health programs. OSHA will evaluate both pilots after the first year. 

John Henshaw and Thomas A. Broderick
OSHA Challenge is designed to reach employers in all industry groups who are committed to improving their safety and health management systems and want to pursue recognition for their improvements.  Open to private or public-sector employees, Challenge provides a roadmap to improve performance and ultimately to VPP Merit or Star. The Challenge program outlines the requirements needed to develop and implement effective safety and health management systems through incremental steps.  A number of companies and associations have stepped forward as Challenge Administrators to work with employers as they move through the steps of the Challenge program.  Charter Administrators are Associated Builders and Contractors, The Associated General Contractors of America, Black & Veatch, Construction Safety Council, Curtis Lumber Company, Independent Electrical Contractors, NEA-The Association of Union Constructors, and Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association.
VPP Corporate is designed to eliminate barriers faced by some corporations who want to implement VPP company-wide.  To participate, corporations agree to strive for corporate-wide VPP implementation and to support the programs through mentoring and outreach activities.  Streamlined application and onsite evaluation processes are used to facilitate implementation.”  Charter Participants are Dow Chemical Company, General Electric Company, Georgia Pacific Corporation, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson, Maytag Corporation, and United States Postal Service.
The Voluntary Protection Programs promotes effective worksite-based safety and health.  VPP worksites save millions each year because their injury and illness rates are more than 50 percent below the averages for their industries. Approval into VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have implemented exemplary safety and health management systems.
OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. 
   
 

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