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WASHINGTON, June 10 /U.S. Newswire The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced yesterday the new site - (SST) plan that will target approximately 3,200 high-hazard worksites for unannounced comprehensive safety and health inspections over the coming year.
RSI Note:
Telecommunication sites are on the top of this list, the Telecommunication
industry has 10 to 100 times higher
injury rate than standard groups.
"The purpose of our targeted inspection program is to more effectively allocate our inspection resources to those workplaces of highest safety and health risk," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw. "This program gives us the opportunity to focus our enforcement where it will have the most benefit to workers and employers." OSHA is dedicated to assuring worker safety and health. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life.
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Past Issues
June 23, 2003
WIRELESS INDUSTRY NEWS
| Communications Tower Industry Hears from OSHA |
OSHA Administrator John Henshaw asked communication tower owners and providers to work with OSHA in reducing the high fatality rate of workers in the industry. Henshaw sent a personal letter last month to more than 50 owners and large tower contractors asking their support in recognizing contractors with excellent safety and health records and also ensuring that contractors follow OSHA requirements.
"Enforcement must be strong, fair and effective to serve as the underpinning for the successful deployment of the other two strategies. We have increased our inspection activity over the years . And this year we'll conduct over 37,700 inspections in the federal states alone." |
Building on our success, during the past two years, OSHA has focused on these three strategies:
- strong, fair and effective enforcement;
- outreach, education and compliance assistance; and
- partnerships and cooperative programs.
In 2002, 73 percent of OSHA citations were classified as serious, willful or repeat - the highest rate ever. And the average penalty for serious violations was one of the highest ever. Keep in mind, these are activity measures - our real measure of success is whether we are reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities - the triple bottom line. Every working American has the right to a safe and healthful workplace. We must not allow recalcitrant employers to ignore that. |
We expect our goals to lead to real results. And the results we are looking for are challenging. Over the next five years, we want to reduce the rate of workplace fatalities by at least 15%. And we want to reduce the rate of workplace injuries and illnesses by at least 20%.
American Industrial Hygiene
Conference & Expo
"Navigating Uncharted Territory"
Dallas, Texas
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What if I don't own or control the site? I'm only a licensee.
The FCC states: "The key trigger with respect to our RF exposure rules is the existence of an accessible area where RF field levels will exceed our MPE limits." (FCC 97-303, par 70)
FCC 97-303 also states: "Responsibility is to be shared among those transmitter facilities contributing above the 5% threshold at a non complying area." FCC 97-303 (in other words, site MPE data is mandated)
Furthermore, If you are collocated with another transmitter that renews after October 15, 1997 and you contribute more than 5% of the applicable guideline to the area in question, you must also come into compliance with the new guidelines at that time.
What if I'm a site owner, not a licensee?
Visit www.rfcomply.com "faqs"
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