OSHA-HBA partnership signs two participants

Two builders are participating in the five-month-old partnership between the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The partnership serves as a way for OSHA to promote awareness of the latest building site regulations.

Addie Walters, HBA’s director of member services, said that Cornerstone Cottages and Homes by Sam Watts Inc. already have applied and have been approved for the program.

No other local builders have yet applied to join the program – a fact Walters partially attributes to the common view of OSHA.

“One misconception people have is that when they join this partnership they’re going to be on OSHA’s radar,” she said. “But it’s completely the opposite. If they’re part of the partnership, OSHA knows they’re working to have a safer job site and sees no reason to go there as often if someone is doing everything correctly.”

OSHA fears

Sam Watts, home builder and program member, agreed that many builders are fearful of being subjected to more federal safety regulation. He added that this program should help alleviate that fear, which he said “is really an excuse for people to bury their head in the sand or look the other direction.”

Watts’ motive is to strengthen job-site safety and knowledge.

“There’s not enough attention paid to safety to start with, and then there’s a lot of misconceptions about what is and isn’t an OSHA regulation,” Watts said. “Plus, it’s a free service that OSHA provides, and I think it’s a good idea to take advantage of any free services the government offers, especially if they’re going to increase your safety on the job.”

Site fatalities

Barbara Theriot, area director for the OSHA’s Kansas City office, said that the majority of workplace fatalities come from construction sites. Those accidents usually come in one of four areas: falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in or caught–between incidents, and electrocutions.

This partnership program, Theriot said, can help with prevention of those types of incidents.

“The best way to get to those companies, rather than enforcement, is to work with them, train them and make them responsible,” she said. “It’s a way for us to get together without having to be in enforcement mode. It works so much better for us – it frees up our resources to work with those companies that are not as proactive.”

Theriot said that companies who are members of the program are also eligible for additional perks: recognition for safety improvements or good-faith reductions in fines if citations are found during inspections.

“I think this program is probably the easiest and least expensive way to find out what is expected by OSHA,” Watts said.

Applicant reviews

To be approved for the program, builders must show proof of completed OSHA certification training. They also must be below a certain experience modification rate, which measures workers’ compensation claims.

“The application is reviewed by the regional OSHA office in Kansas City, and then it’s also reviewed by a third-party company that acts as safety consultants for this program,” HBA’s Walters said. “They review these applications and they go out and meet the builders, to see where they stand on safety programs for the job site.” [[In-content Ad]]