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Archived News
Barr & Barr, OSHA and Hamilton College forge safety & health partnership |
7 January, 2008 - Enhanced safety and health protections for the employees constructing the Kirner-Johnson Addition and Renovation Project at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., is the goal of a newly signed partnership agreement among the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the project’s general contractor, Barr & Barr Inc.; the college; numerous subcontractors; and the New York State Department of Labor On-Site Consultation Program.
“This partnership emphasizes employee training and a commitment by contractors to  identify and eliminate hazards before they harm employees,” said Louis Ricca, OSHA’s deputy regional administrator in New York. “The project’s stringent safety requirements mandate that every project subcontractor have a site-specific safety and health program administered by a qualified person, training to address new project tasks and processes, a safety and health orientation for all new hires, and successful completion of OSHA training courses by all foremen and employees.”
Other goals include eliminating incidents involving the four major causes of construction injuries – falls, electrical hazards, being struck-by equipment and objects, and being caught-in or between materials.
“This partnership is the second for OSHA and Barr & Barr,” said Christopher Adams, OSHA’s area director in Syracuse. “Based on the success of the first, we are confident that a positive safety culture among employers and employees during the construction process will result in reduced costs, increased productivity and protection of employees from injuries and illnesses.”
The new partnership was signed Dec. 18 by OSHA’s Ricca and Adams; for Barr & Barr Inc.: Vice Presidents Thomas D. Barr and Robert DiPaolo, Project Manager Joe Clavin, Superintendent William Gibson and Safety Director James Manoli; Associate Director of Hamilton College Physical Plant William J. Huggins; Mark Sliker for the New York State Department of Labor’s On-Site Consultation Program; and more than 15 subcontractors with employees on the site.
OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program is part of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao’s ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of employees through cooperative relationships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and employees. More than 1.2 million employees and more than 21,000 employers across the U.S. have participated with OSHA in 484 Strategic Partnerships since the program began in 1998. For information about OSHA partnerships in central New York, contact Dave Heckman (telephone 315-451-0808, ext. 3003).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. |
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