ReNews -- Remodelors Council News - 10/20/2004 (Plain Text Version)Doug Sutton, Sr. CGR, CAPS View Graphical Version | Subscribe to NAHB Publications | Email our Editor... In this issue: Construction News: OSHA Helps Builders Communicate With Hispanic Workers, Liability Issues Tops NAHBIn This Section:
OSHA Site Helps Builders Communicate With Hispanic WorkersA new bilingual Web site from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) helps English-speaking employers access safety compliance assistance resources that are translated into Spanish. The 17.5 million Hispanics in the U.S. workforce have been a particular focus of OSHA because they have accounted for a disproportionate number of job-related deaths, injuries and illnesses in recent years. For the first time in seven years, those numbers began coming down in 2002, but the government still considers them too high. Construction is one of the industries in which Hispanic workers are most concentrated. The site contains links to OSHA en Espanől, as well as Spanish-language dictionaries, online compliance assistance tools, fact sheets, posters, publications, public service announcements, toll-free telephone assistance, training grant information and training videos. Links also provide information in Spanish on Hispanic/English-as-a-second-language coordinators, employer and employee rights and responsibilities and OSHA cooperative programs. Additionally, OSHA developed a Spanish language eTool, which is an interactive Web-based training tool that addresses the "big-four" hazards on construction sites — electrical incidents (e.g., overhead power lines, power tools and cords, outlets, temporary wiring); falls (floors, platforms, roofs); struck-by (falling objects, vehicles); and trenching and excavatioin (caught-in/between). These hazards cause 90% of the injuries and fatalities in the construction industry. OSHA has documented successes in the construction industry from outreach programs that provide bi-lingual communication and safety training for Hispanic workers. NAHB worked with OSHA to provide its members and others in the residential construction industry with information, training opportunities and guidance that will help them protect the health and safety of their employees. To learn more about this comprehensive alliance, click here. For information on the many OSHA standards that apply to the residential construction industry, hazards in home building and their solutions, and developing and implementing a safety program, click here. For more information, contact Rob Matuga at NAHB, 800-368-5242 x8507.
Liability Insurance Most Critical Concern in NAHB SurveyResults from NAHB’s most recently conducted Critical Issues Survey (information on this link is available to NAHB members only) show that the cost and availability of general liability insurance topped builder concerns between July 2003 and June 2004. On a scale of one to five, where one equals not at all critical and five equals very critical, general liability insurance cost scored 4.49 and availability scored 4.26. These results parallel results from the past three survey periods, where general liability insurance cost and availability also ranked as the top two most pressing issues for the home building industry. The survey, which asked executive officers or their designees to rank 75 issues according to how important or critical they are to their members, had a response rate of more than 20%. Rounding out the top five issues were lumber price and supply at 4.25, development approval process at 4.22 and development costs at 4.18. Notably absent from the top 10 list of issues was mold, which peaked at fourth during the 2002-2003 survey period. The issue dropped from 11th during last year's survey period to 29th this year. Labor availability — which was ranked as one of the industry’s most critical issues for several years — dropped to 11th place during 2002-2003 and 14th during this survey period. Critical Issues Survey results are used to help guide NAHB's work. To obtain complete survey results, e-mail Sam Leyvas in NAHB's State & Local Government Affairs Department, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8326. For more information or to contact us directly, please visit www.NAHB.org | ©2004, National Association of Home Builders |