OSHA will be increasing the number of inspections in Texas. OSHA stated that Texas has the highest rate of construction site fatalities in the country, the Dallas-Fort Worth area leads the state of Texas in the number of construction-related fatalities. The number of inspectors have been increased in Texas by OSHA to bolster construction site safety compliance. OSHA declined to say how many outside inspectors have been brought in. In 2008, there were 67 work site fatalities in Texas. So far this year, there have been 33, according to OSHA.
"When investigators find those construction contractors and subcontractors who are not following the law, citations and penalties will be assessed for unsafe working conditions," said OSHA Fort Worth Area Director Dean Wingo. On the other hand, Jeffrey Nielsen, executive vice president of the Houston Contractors Association, says, “I think they will be disappointed if they come to our job sites if they are looking to collect fees.”
The increase in unannounced inspections is part of a broader push by the Labor Department. Since the appointment of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, the department has announced it will ramp up enforcement efforts.
Sources:
Editorial Staff. "OSHA Enforcement Increased at Texas Construction Sites." EHS Today. Web. 25 Aug. 2009.
Wooten, Casey. "OSHA to eye Texas construction sites." Dallas Business Journal, 25 Aug. 2009. Web. 25 Aug. 2009.
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