Recent renovation of a doctor’s x-ray room… note the drywall dust, reciprocating saw, and the sheets of lead… put the clues together. What might you also find? (Photo: Jan Thomas)

Sometimes I choose topics for this blog when the same issue crosses my desk or my awareness three times or more in close proximity.  Lead exposure in the workplace is the most recent example.

A new EPA requirement came into effect on April 22, 2010. It impacts any contractor doing renovation, repairs and painting in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities.  The focus seems very specific and might not apply to all contractors. However, no one is turning down work today and renovation of existing spaces & LEED are up-swing trends so, just in case, we’ve been making sure all of our contractor clients know about this rule.  See the Lead-Renovation Rule.

And then it became personal. I’ve just bought an historic house (read built in the late 1900’s and in need of some repair).  During the last few weeks we’ve had interior reframing and repainting done.  Even though I knew about the new rule, I saw how it might be applied to and impact small renovation companies.

But as I hope everyone knows, this renovation rule from EPA is only one of many such federal and state requirements.  We also need to be aware of OSHA lead standards.  The above photo from a recent audit shows the cutting and installation of lead-lined drywall. The company and their drywall sub were quick to respond when we discussed potential exposure.

And then today I dropped off a family heirloom stained glass window that needed repair and I ended up walking around the artist’s studio talking about lead exposures – yes, lead is still used and there was a lot of it with what looked like all the correct controls.  So you see why I have lead on my mind.  Be safe out there!  Jan

This is a picture from National Wind of a wind turbine under construction. Can you see the familiar hazards?

I recently attended an OSHA seminar in Washington, D.C. concerning the growth of “green jobs” and the role safety plays in those jobs. Green jobs are jobs related to preserving or restoring the environment or natural resources. Green however, does not mean a job is safe.

The focus of green jobs, carbon footprints and sustainability is to limit human impact on the natural environment. We do this by using new technologies in building construction to limit wastes, by creating new and different ways to produce energy and by rethinking the ways our industries operate with the end goal of being more environmentally friendly. What about safety? How can we use the things we have learned in the green movement and apply those to safety issues? How can we make green jobs safe?

The answer is easy. Green jobs are just like any other job, and it is essential to protect our nation’s workers on the job. The overall consensus was that green jobs are no different in terms of compliance as all the rest. Common hazards still exist, such as electricity, falls, heavy equipment, that can potentially injure or kill workers. Therefore, safety must not be forgotten when dealing with green jobs. A job is not sustainable unless all the workers come home safe!

We can also use some techniques of the green jobs movement to improve the way we “do” safety. At this conference one of the speakers introduced a safety system based on the LEED model that was geared toward safety. This model uses a LEED type points system in construction projects as a way to rate them based on the importance given to safety and the degree of implementation of safety elements. Essentially it is a scoring system for how safe a job is. Using a system such as this, safety remains an essential component in the construction industry.

Green jobs MUST be safe jobs!

Rating System: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui/bitstream/1957/3805/1/Rajendran%20Dissertation%20Report.pdf