OSHA 3358-01N, Deck Barge Safety, presents guide on preventing injuries and illnesses from workplace hazards on deck barges. Approximately 4,000 deck barges operate in the Unites States, using different types of winches and other equipment in a variety of operations. Employees on these vessels can face serious hazards. Between 1997 and 2006, 305 employees were killed on barge/tow combinations, and 379 explosions or fires occurred on barges or towboats, killing 14 employees. Many such injuries and deaths could be prevented with proper controls, procedures, training, and awareness of hazards...

This guidance document, OSHA 3362-04, Controlling Silica Exposures in Construction, addresses the control of employee exposures to respirable dust containing crystalline silica, which is known to cause silicosis, a serious lung disease, as well as increase the risk of lung cancer and other systemic diseases. This document provides information on the effectiveness of various engineering control approaches for several kinds of construction operations and equipment, and contains recommendations for work practices and respiratory protection, as appropriate. Quartz is the most common form of...

This Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), OSHA 3384-09 - Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respiratory Protection Standard, is intended to help small businesses comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Respiratory Protection standard (63 FR 1152; January 8, 1998). While the guide is for small entities, the guide itself is not small. OSHA's goal for this document is to provide small entities with a comprehensive step-by-step guide complete with checklists and commonly asked questions that will aid both employees and employers in small businesses with a better...

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major concern to businesses, schools, building managers, tenants, and workers because it can impact the health, comfort, well-being, and productivity of the building occupants. OSHA recognizes that poor IAQ can be hazardous to workers' health and that it is in the best interest of everyone that building owners, managers, and employers take a proactive approach to address IAQ concerns. This OSHA guidance document on IAQ, OSHA 3430-04 - Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings, provides practical recommendations that will help prevent or...

OSHA 3498-12N, Worker Safety Series: Protecting Yourself from Noise in Construction, addresses the issue that exposure to high levels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Neither surgery nor a hearing aid can help correct this type of hearing loss. Construction sites have many noisy operations and can be a significant source of noise exposure. Loud noise can also reduce work productivity and contribute to workplace accidents by making it difficult to hear warning signals. Hearing loss from loud noise limits your ability to hear high frequencies, understand speech, and reduces your...

OSHA 3302-06N, All About OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to help employers and employees reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths on the job in America. Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. 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 process improvement in workplace safety and health. OSHA establishes and...

This new Chromium (VI) Directive addresses enforcement procedures for the new Chromium (VI) standards published in the Federal Register (FR) on February 28, 2006. On that date, OSHA issued three standards for hexavalent chromium (also written as chromium (VI) and abbreviated as Cr(VI)), adding three new sections to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as Sections 29 CFR 1910.1026, 29 CFR 1926.1126, and 29 CFR 1915.1026, applicable to general industry, construction, and shipyards, respectively. All three standards were effective May 30, 2006. Employers with 20 or more employees were allowed...