Summer’s Coming!

Greetings;

The summer construction season is nearly here. We’re seeing a lot of interest in site safety training, especially the OSHA 10 hour Construction Safety Course, as well as in the State Building and Fire Codes.

Chapter 282 of the New York State Laws of 2007, codified as Labor Law 220-h took effect on July 18, 2008. All contractors and sub-contractors must attach a copy of proof of completion of the OSHA 10 course to the contracting agency and on every contract for public work of $250,000.00 or more. More detail here. The NYC Department of Buildings has similar requirements, wherein all site personnel are expected to complete the 10 hour course.

EEA is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with the New York State Builders Association Research & Education Foundation to provide the OSHA 10 across through their network. EEA and NYSBA also partner to offer the Lead Renovators training in person and on-line. EEA already works with the DOE Fund in New York City to provide the course to training participants in their workforce development program.

We’re also ramping up for the expected changes to the NYS Asbestos Regulation. There’s been a lot of discussion between the State DOL and the State Codes Department over the role of local code officials in the compliance process as well as new expectations for design professionals and asbestos project designers. Stakeholders and other currently affected by the asbestos regulations should start getting familiar with relevant sections of the State Building Code and Fire Code. EEA has prepared an introduction to asbestos for code officials that is approved by the NYS Department of State for continuing education credits. We’re presenting at various codes related events over the next several months, so check with your building association to see if we’re on the agenda.

EEA has already been integrating these building and fire code expectations into our asbestos refreshers programs. We’ve got a complete slate of refreshers set for Rochester next week, including the asbestos supervisor, asbestos project monitor, asbestos project designer and asbestos operations & maintenance refreshers. EEA President, Andy McLellan will be the primary instructor for most of those sessions.

We’re also running an asbestos supervisor initial course in Buffalo next week, and an asbestos handler initial at Groveland Correctional Facility. The Buffalo course has plenty of room but the Groveland course is exclusive to NYSDOCS inmates only (sorry about that). BTW, EEA has supported Corcraft, the manufacturing and services division of the State Department of Corrections (DOCS) with asbestos and other environmental training for several years. Contact EEA if you’d like more information on how this resource could help your organization.

And finally, this week’s winner of our environmental remediation supplies giveaway is Michael Walker.