September 13, 2016
OSHA is requesting input from the maritime industry, issuing a Request for Information as it considers updating Subpart E of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards in Shipyard Employment — the standards addressing falls in shipbuilding, ship repair, shipbreaking, and other shipyard-related employment.
The request seeks comments and information on safe access to and egress from vessels, buildings, and other structures in shipyards (including the use of stairways and ladders); the use of fall protection and also falling object protection; and the erection, use, and dismantling of scaffolding systems. Comments and materials may be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov (search for Docket No. OSHA-2013-0022). They are due by Dec. 7, 2016.
Falls are a leading cause of shipyard fatalities, according to OSHA, which states that 40 percent of all fatal incidents in shipyard employment from 1992 to 2014 resulted from falls to a lower level, citing BLS data. The current standards haven’t been updated since 1971.
Read Full Article At Ohsonline.com
