Expert Witness Blog
In Construction site injuries/fatalities OSHA expert witness Jon J. Pina writes:
Construction sites have ranked high on OSHA’s “hit list” for random inspections simply because of their high fatality rate. Due to the nature of different tasks among various contractors many hazards may exist and develop on a continual basis as work progresses. OSHA’s Multi-employer Directive is an enforcement regulation developed to coordinate activities to ensure contractors work safely and don’t create hazards for other contractor employees. The four entities of the Multi-employer Directive are the “controlling,” “creating,” “correcting,” and “exposing” employer.
Most fatalities are caused by falls from elevation, equipment struck-bys, electrical shock, and trenching cave-ins. The General Contractor (GC) or Construction Manager (GM) is usually the “controlling” employer by contract and ultimately responsible for the safety management of all parties. Job Safety Analyses (JSA) s, a valuable tool developed for all tasks and used in “toolbox” meetings, should be mandatory along with a site specific safety and health plan. All contractor and subcontractor safety and health plans should be at as strict as the safety and health program of the GC or GM.