Region 1 News Release:   BOS 2001-179
Tuesday, December 4, 2001
Contact: John M. Chavez
Phone: (617) 565-2075

BOSTON -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has signed a site-safety partnership agreement with the contractor building the new stadium for the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution soccer team.

The partnership between OSHA and Beacon-Barton Malow, a joint venture between Beacon Skanska, Inc. of Boston and Barton Malow Company of Southfield, Mich., will be effect during construction of the CMGI Field in Foxboro, Mass.

On hand for the signing ceremony was OSHA Administrator John Henshaw, who commended the parties for the project's sterling safety record since construction began in April 2000. He noted that the injury and illness rate for the project so far is only half the national average.

"Cooperation among labor, management and OSHA is vitally necessary to ensure the safety and health of workers on any large and complex construction project," said Henshaw. "This partnership agreement to protect the workers building the New England Patriots' CMGI Field is precisely the type of framework which fosters that essential cooperation."

The partnership agreement, signed at a gala event at the CMGI Field site on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2001, and involving 1,200 workers and invited guests, formalizes a commitment to safety and health among the contractor, sub-contractors, employees, employee representatives and OSHA.

"This partnership, which includes representatives of the workers at this construction site, is designed to ensure the safety of those workers as much as possible," said Ruth McCully, OSHA's New England regional director

Signatories for OSHA included Regional Administrator McCully and Brenda J. Gordon, OSHA area director in Braintree, Mass. Signing for Beacon Barton Malow, Joint Venture, were Michael F. McNally, principle of the company, Jane B. Beaudry, corporate safety director, and Paul V. Loughran, project safety director. Timothy Cayton, president of the Brockton and Vicinity Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO, signed on behalf of employee representatives.

The partnership agreement outlines a cooperative effort to ensure a safe work environment during construction of the state-of-the-art football and soccer stadium. Elements include a comprehensive safety plan for the site, site-specific training for all employees on hazards and regulations applicable to their work, and constant site monitoring by the contractor's safety team. The agreement also establishes a labor-management safety committee composed of each craft steward on site and representatives from management for each contractor. The committee will coordinate with the site safety team to resolve any safety and health problems or complaints and will hold bi-weekly safety meetings with the team.