Worker’s Rights Project and a New Cycle of OSHA Safety Training: Our workers’ rights project is BWC’s core program and is the foundation for all the initiatives, activities, educational sessions, and training that take place at BWC. The services that we offer are all linked to bringing workers to the Center, where we can support them not only in solving their workplace problems, but also in assisting them in gaining knowledge about their rights and how to defend them. In October 2011, BWC received federal support from the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) to train over 400 Brazilian and Latino construction workers in safety rules to prevent falls, through courses offered both in Portuguese and in Spanish at BWC and in other community locations throughout the region.
Stand Down to Prevent Falls
BRAZILIAN WORKER CENTER PARTICIPATES IN OSHA NATIONAL STAND-DOWN TO PREVENT FALLS IN CONSTRUCTION
From May 28 through June 6 the Brazilian Worker Center in alliance with OSHA Region One (New England) is collaborating in OSHA’s NATIONAL SAFETY STAND-DOWN TO PREVENT FALLS IN CONSTRUCTION CAMPAIGN.
The goal of this national campaign is to engage employers and their employees in discussion about FALL HAZARDS on the job, and to reinforce the importance of proven FALL PREVENTION techniques. Among many of the activities scheduled BWC will host an OSHA Listening Event on Wednesday June 4 at 7PM, at 14 Harvard Avenue, 2nd Floor, Allston. In addition BWC will offer a Fall Protection training at BWC on June 19 at 7pm at the same location. Everyone is welcome!
FALLS ARE THE LEADING SINGLE CAUSE OF DEATHS IN CONSTRUCTION. In 2010, there were 264 fall fatalities out of 774 total fatalities in construction, amounting to over a third of all accidental deaths on the job. These deaths are preventable!
Falls can be prevented and lives can be saved through three simple steps:
PLAN, PROVIDE & TRAIN
1- PLAN ahead to get the job done safely. When working from heights, such as on ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.
2- PROVIDE the right equipment. Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide correct fall protection equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear.
Many employers lead many workers to believe that working with fall protection equipment will slow them down, and make them less productive. The truth is that taking a few minutes at the beginning of the day to put on the equipment will actually make them more productive, since they will only have to worry about the work, and not whether they will fall.
Different ladders and scaffolds are appropriate for different jobs. Always provide workers with the kind they need to get the job done safely. For roof work, there are many ways to prevent falls.
TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely. Falls can be prevented when workers understand proper set-up and safe use of equipment: they need training on the specific equipment they will use to complete the job. Employers must train workers in hazard recognition and in the care and safe use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems, and other equipment they’ll be using on the job. For more information about OSHA health and safety please visit www.osha.gov.
Visit www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/ to join a nation wide Safety Stand-Down campaign. Visit the site and sign up at any time during the week of June 2-6, 2014.
How can OSHA help?
Workers have a right to a safe workplace. If you think your job is unsafe or you have questions, contact OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). It’s confidential. We can help. For other valuable worker protection information, such as Workers’ Rights, Employer Responsibilities and other services OSHA offers, visit OSHA’s Workers’ page.
OSHA also provides help to employers. OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. For more information or for additional compliance assistance, contact OSHA at 1800321OSHA (6742).
The Brazilian Worker Center is very grateful to Jeffrey Erskine and Carol Bates, of OSHA Region One, US Department of Labor, for their ongoing commitment to the safety of all workers. Also, many thanks to Rony Jabour, of United Safety Net, and the Brazilian community media, including Pastor Glauber Morare (Nossa Radio USA), Eduardo Oliveira (A Hora da Noticia, WSRO), and Rosario Quiroz Swaidan (WKKL, 90.7FM) for supporting this effort.
SH Five Hour Fall Protection Training
Worker’s Rights Project and a New Cycle of OSHA Safety Training: Our workers’ rights project is BWC’s core program and is the foundation for all the initiatives, activities, educational sessions, and training that take place at BWC. The services that we offer are all linked to bringing workers to the Center, where we can support them not only in solving their workplace problems, but also in assisting them in gaining knowledge about their rights and how to defend them.
In October 2011 and 2012 BWC received federal support from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to train Brazilian and Latino construction workers in safety rules to prevent falls, through courses offered both in Portuguese and in Spanish at BWC and in other community locations throughout the region. Since then, the BWC has trained 1,192 workers in fall protection for residential construction.
