Thursday, May 21, 2015

New resources available on protecting roofing workers, fall prevention and respirator evaluation

OSHA's new booklet on Protecting Roofing Workers* provides guidance for preventing falls from roofs, which accounted for nearly 1,200 fatalities between 2008 and 2012, or more than a third of all occupational fall deaths during that period. An updated Fall Protection in Construction* publication is now available to help workers and employers better understand OSHA's Fall Protection in Construction standard requirements and the criteria for fall protection in construction workplaces.
OSHA also has a new resource to help employers conduct medical evaluations in workplace situations where respirators are required to protect employees from hazardous airborne contaminants. When respiratory protection is required, employers must have a respirator protection program as directed in OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard. The newRespirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire Infosheet*provides the mandatory minimum required medical questionnaire for this evaluation.