OSHA focuses on crane safety in Northwest
18 June 2013US regulator OSHA has launched a programme aimed at reducing serious injuries and fatalities associated with the operation of cranes in construction, general industry and maritime operations for employers under federal OSHA jurisdiction in Idaho, Alaska, Washington and Oregon.
The association said that in order to help improve compliance, officers would conduct inspections at ports, construction sites and other locations where cranes are in use. OSHA also said that they would also conduct outreach, training, on-site consultation and use partnerships, alliances, and participation in the Voluntary Protection Program in an effort to improve compliance and prevent serious injuries and fatalities.
OSHA said that it had investigated 13 fatal accidents involving cranes in the past five years in areas where the federal agency has jurisdiction in the four Northwestern states. The most common hazards leading to serious injuries and fatalities were crane tip-overs, people being struck by a crane, electrocutions, being caught in between a crane and other equipment or objects, and falls from the equipment.
Federal OSHA's jurisdiction is shared with state-run safety and health programs in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
