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OSHA News Release
2007 - 05/03/2007 - U.S. Labor Department's OSHA forms construction safety and health partnership for Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration Project

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Region 1 News Release:    07-589-BOS/BOS 2007-113
May 3, 2007
Contact: Ted Fitzgerald
Phone: (617) 565-2074


U.S. Labor Department's OSHA forms construction safety and health partnership for Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration Project

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed a partnership with Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to protect the safety and health of employees working on the Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration construction project on Columbus Boulevard in Hartford.

The partnership has a goal of reducing hazards and encouraging a safe and healthful work environment for the approximately 20 specialty contractors and 200 trades employees expected to work on the project, for which Whiting-Turner is the general contractor.

All specialty contractors have agreed to participate. They will be required to develop and implement comprehensive safety and health programs that will equal or exceed OSHA guidelines; provide effective, documented safety and health training for employees and supervisors; compile injury and illness data; and designate a trained individual responsible for conducting inspections that will identify and eliminate hazardous conditions.

"This partnership takes a systematic, proactive approach toward safety and health that will analyze, identify and prevent hazards before they harm employees," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "All contractors will be expected to develop a zero tolerance attitude toward workplace hazards so that their employees can return home whole and healthy at the end of each workday."

Benefits of the partnership are expected to include a reduction in injuries and illnesses, decreased workers' compensation costs, enhanced safety and health training, priority access to compliance assistance and outreach resources, shared knowledge of best practices and recognition for companies with effective safety practices.

Freeman of OSHA, Whiting-Turner Contracting Director of Safety Doug Walters and the subcontractors signed the partnership on Feb. 20 in Hartford. For more information about this and other OSHA partnerships and alliances in Connecticut, call OSHA's area office in Hartford at (860) 240-3152 or in Bridgeport at (203) 579-5581.

OSHA's Strategic Partnership Program is part of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao's ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of employees through cooperative relationships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and employees. More than 1.2 million employees and more than 33,000 employers across the United States have participated with OSHA in 455 Strategic Partnerships since the program began in 1998.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.


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U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7765 or TTY (202) 693-7755. DOL is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.

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