Region 1 News Release: 09-376-BOS/BOS 2009-142
Tues., May 19, 2009
Contact: Ted Fitzgerald
Phone: 617-565-2074

U.S. Labor Department's OSHA forms safety partnership with Turner Construction during hospital project in Hartford, Conn.

HARTFORD, Conn. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed a site safety partnership with Turner Construction of Milford, Conn., to minimize hazards and enhance worker safety and health during the construction of a new 320,000-square-foot, 10-story tower at the St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford.

"This partnership is designed to encourage, recognize and assist contractors in their efforts to analyze, identify and eliminate hazardous conditions before they harm workers," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford.

Under the agreement, Turner will develop a project-specific safety and health plan to be administered by a qualified safety and health representative; conduct job hazard analyses; ensure that all employees on site receive necessary safety and health training, including training on the safe operation of cranes; implement and enforce an ongoing site safety audit program that will include daily site walk-throughs; and establish a system to collect and analyze injury and illness trends.

Subcontractors will be expected to develop and maintain project-specific safety and health plans; provide employees with safety orientation, training and weekly task-specific safety instructions; and conduct weekly safety and health inspections. OSHA will review and evaluate the safety and health plan and compliance; assist in ensuring the delivery of effective training; provide clarification, feedback and input, as needed; and periodically attend site safety and health meetings.

Freeman signed the agreement for OSHA. Signing for Turner Construction were Safety Director Paul Huntley and Superintendent Joseph Hammond. More than 1.4 million employees and nearly 28,000 employers across the United States have participated with OSHA in more than 580 strategic partnerships since the program began in 1998. For more information about OSHA partnerships in Connecticut, contact the OSHA area office in Hartford (860-240-3152) or Bridgeport (203-579-5581).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their workers. OSHA's role is to promote 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.

###

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department 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.