MARCH 2, 2015
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Federal officials have rejected an Arizona construction
worker safety plan, saying it doesn't go far enough to protect employees.
Residential construction sites must now follow Occupational
Safety and Health Administration safety standards when it comes to fall
protection. The state can create new requirements of its own, but one federal
official said that's not likely to happen.
One construction industry representative called the federal
regulations unnecessary, and he said following those guidelines could cause
more harm than good.
"We believe the employment of federal standards is not
safe," said Spencer Kamps, vice president of legislative affairs for the
Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.
In 2012, legislators crafted fall guidelines for the state
residential construction industry in response to the OSHA standards. They
argued that the standards were too costly for home builders and wouldn't
significantly increase safety.
On Feb. 6, OSHA rejected the statute. Among other
provisions, workers must now wear a safety harness when working above 6 feet
instead of the previous 15-foot requirement under the statute.
OSHA will monitor construction sites to make sure they
follow federal standards, said Zachary Barnett, director at OSHA's Phoenix
office.
"It baffles me. Why would an industry not want to
provide the best protection for workers? I don't know," Barnett said.
But Kamps said one reason he thinks the federal regulations
are more dangerous is because residential construction sites use wood, which
doesn't make a strong anchor point for workers to tie off their harnesses.
Kamps, who lobbied for legislation outlining the state's
plan, said Arizona's guidelines were effective.
"The safety record proves it," he said.
"We've had these plans since the '90s."
Thirteen people died on construction sites in 2013, with
five of those attributed to falls, slips or trips, according to Industrial
Commission of Arizona records.
Joshua Welp, the safety director for Kitchell Contractors,
said he's glad OSHA is enforcing the federal standards. He said it does cost
more to follow the 6-foot rule, but some companies skimp on safety.
"They are trying to build as cheap as they can per
square foot," Welp said. "Some companies say they are about safety
and don't mean it."
But Welp said serious injuries or fatalities would cost much
more money than equipment and training for workers.
Kamps agreed that safety should be a priority.
"We are always looking for opportunities to reduce
money and time, but not in this issue," Kamps said.