Ironworkers and IMPACT Pursue New Reinforcing Steel and Post-Tensioning OSHA Standard

General officers of the Ironworkers International and representatives of IMPACT recently met with Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to request the Agency to purse Negotiated Rulemaking for developing new OSHA regulations for the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry.

(Pictured left to right: Eric Waterman, IMPACT CEO; Ed McHugh, General Treasurer, Ironworkers International; Joseph Hunt, General President, Ironworkers International; Walter Wise, General Secretary, Ironworkers International)

General President Hunt provided Dr. Michaels with a petition letter from an industry coalition of stakeholders regarding fatalities and accident trends that continue to exist in the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry. The Industry Coalition of Stakeholders included representatives from The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust, National Association of Reinforcing Steel Contractors, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Post Tensioning Institute, Western Steel Council, Department of Reinforcing Ironworkers Advisory Committee, and The Center for Construction Research and Training.

The Industry Coalition Rational for pursuing Negotiated Rulemaking consists of the following primary considerations:

1. The current OSHA Subpart Q - Concrete and Masonry standard is antiquated and contains limited safety provisions for hazards associated with reinforcing steel and post-tensioning activities.


2. Fatality and accident trends in the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry indicate a direct correlation between accident causation factors and lack of specific regulations.


3. The use of steel reinforcement and post-tensioning in poured in-place concrete is expected to double by 2015 from its 1990 level and may comprise a majority of commercial and industrial construction.


4. The Negotiated Rulemaking process will produce the best safety standard and regulations through the cooperative efforts of OSHA, stakeholders, and experts in the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry.

An overview of fatalities, accident trends and causation factors was presented to OSHA by representatives of the Ironworkers International and IMPACT. Common activities during the reinforcing and post-tensioning process and corresponding workplace accidents focused on material handing injuries, structural collapse of vertical formwork and decks, structural collapse of vertical and horizontal columns, impalement by protruding reinforcing steel dowels, and use of post-tensioning equipment.

Click HERE for a complete copy of the "petition letter to OSHA from the industry coalition of stakeholders".

For more information, contact the IMPACT offices at (800) 545-4921.