OSHA Joins with Rockland County (N.Y.) Builders and Remodelers Assoc. to Improve Safety

Preventing injuries and promoting safe and healthful working conditions for residential contractors in Rockland County (New York) are the goals of an alliance among the Tarrytown area office of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Rockland County Builders and Remodelers Association (RCBA) and the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Safety and Health’s On-Site Consultation Program.

“The alliance establishes a collaborative relationship through which OSHA and the RCBA will use their collective expertise to share best practices and technical knowledge to better safeguard workers against hazards inherent in residential construction,” said Diana Cortez, OSHA’s area director in Tarrytown.

Through the alliance, OSHA and the RCBA, a non-profit trade association of contractors and related businesses from Rockland County, will provide RCBA members with information and training to help them reduce and prevent their employees’ exposure to injuries from amputation, excavation, fall and other occupational hazards.

OSHA and the RCBA will develop and arrange for delivery of safety and health training relevant to residential construction. In addition, OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals will share information about best practices or effective approaches and publicize successful outcomes in a variety of forums. They will also promote and encourage RCBA members’ and worksites’ participation in OSHA’s cooperative programs.

A team with representatives from each alliance organization will develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. The team will meet at least three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the alliance.

OSHA health and safety alliances are part of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao’s ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of workers through cooperative partnerships. Signing the alliance were Patricia Clark, OSHA’s regional administrator; Diana Cortez, OSHA area director in Tarrytown; Brian McFarland, vice president of the Rockland County Builders and Remodelers Association; and James Rush, director of the New York State On-Site Consultation Program.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has created more than 230 alliances with organizations committed to fostering safety and health in the workplace.