March is National Ladder Safety Month

03/17/2021

by United Alliance Services Corporation Safety

Ladder related accidents claim over 100 lives every year, with many, many more suffering serious injury. Better training and awareness is the key to reducing the amount of these very preventable accidents.

Every March for the last five years, the American Ladder Institute (ALI) has been leading the way with National Ladder Safety Month.

The goal of the month is based around six key points:

Decrease number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities
Increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI
Increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on www.laddersafetytraining.org
Lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly “Top 10 Citations List”
Increase the number of in-person ladder trainings
Increase the number of companies and individuals that inspect and properly dispose of old, damaged or obsolete ladders

Ladder accidents, whether they’re at home or on a job site, are preventable and some basic awareness is all it takes to keep you and anyone working for you from adding to the already too high number of injuries and fatalities that take place.

For commercial and industrial use, training courses such as Competent Person Fall Protection Training (EM 385 Training) go into great detail about not just working at elevated heights, but specifically providing an overview of fall protection use and requirements on ladders, stairways, and scaffolding systems. This training is intended for those in a leadership position who must also serve as the competent person and supervise other contractors and employees working at an elevated level.

However, the accidents that occur from ladders aren’t only on jobsites. Residential/personal use cases require diligent safety procedures, from painting high walls and ceilings to cleaning gutters and accessing a roof. The American Ladder Institute has put together a number of helpful videos and infographics for home use that can keep you safe.

It is ultimately up to the user to keep themselves safe while using a ladder of any height. It’s our hope that with commercial and residential resources promoted throughout the month of March, the amount of accidents that happen on ladders is reduced.

Always Remember:

Webinar: Massachusetts Construction Site Safety Guidelines and COVID-19 Safety Measures

04/01/2020

by United Alliance Services Corporation Safety

Join us for an informative webinar sponsored by the ABC Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Group (SIG) on the Massachusetts Construction Safety Guidelines issued by the Governor on March 25 along with additional related safety measures in the new world of the coronavirus.

We are pleased to offer the expertise of two ABC member safety consultants, Contractors Risk Management and United Alliance Services Corp.

Brian Stevens, safety consultant with Contractors Risk Management, will review the state’s guidelines, which are required for public projects and recommended for private projects, along with a one-page summary he has prepared, which will be made available to all webinar attendees. Brian will be joined by two contractors from the ABC Workers Compensation SIG – Chris McCauley from Rivers Electric and Drew Patalano of Medford Wellington Service Co – who will discuss how they are implementing these on their sites.

The team from United Alliance Services Corp. – Marc Bianco, Chris Montero and Rich Sarnie — will discuss infection control and how to establish a COVID-19 program as well as compliance with OSHA construction and general industry standards in light of the virus. The UA team will also discuss third-party verification as well as the role of municipalities, and their handout will be available to attendees.

The webinar will be moderated by Jennifer Monkiewicz of FutureComp/USI Insurance, the administrator of the ABC SIG. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance to questions@abcma.org.

EM385 FP Training Classes – March 16, 17, 18 – Don’t Miss Out!

03/11/2020

by United Alliance Services Corporation with No Comment Construction Onsite Fall Protection Courses OSHA Safety Safety Training Workplace Safety

It’s a training requirement that has hit many construction supervisors or project manager’s sites; yet, it still seems to be one of those training requirements that is not widely offered, even here in the Northeast.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a 900-page manual that outlines the safety regulations for their job-sites, with many of the requirements being a bit stricter than OSHA regulations.

Every contractor and subcontractor on a UASCE-overseen job-site must have at least one person who is trained and competent on the specifics buried within those 900 pages of their Engineer Manual (EM) 385-1-1. There’s no getting out of it.

PM’s Need for EM 385 Training

Given the number of daily phone calls we receive from PMs who need the training ASAP in order to return to work, the UASCE has become more stringent on ensuring this training is completed. They are also doling out some hefty fines as well as issuing stop orders until the mandates are met – especially if you don’t have designated safety personnel on-site.

Thankfully, we have several highly competent and trained construction professionals who have poured over the complete 900 pages and have designed a training program that ensures compliance.

Our EM 385 Compliance training, often referred to as 24 Hour Competent Person Fall Protection, is one of our most sought out training – often after being kicked off a job site. Those same trainers are able to also assist in meeting the requirements of having a Site Safety and Health Officer (SSHO) and Quality Control Manager, Quality Assurances Manager (QA/QC) on-site quickly.

Federal Bid Requirement

If you’re planning on bidding on a federal contract that takes place in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey or on any of the bases listed below, be sure to reach out to us to secure your training.

This will no doubt save your company money, fines, and lost work time and make you the star employee of the week.

We can promise you that somewhere, tucked away in the fine print, the USACE requires you to have at least one person training in EM 385, 24 Hour Competent Person Fall Protection on your site at ALL times. There aren’t any loopholes or fast-talking yourself out of the requirement.

It also doesn’t exempt you from following OSHA regulations and our course clearly outlines the differences between the two. Because of this, we strongly recommend that all persons in our EM 385 training also have completed their OSHA 10 Hour Construction training. For an added peace of mind, we strongly recommend you train multiple employees to ensure that you always have someone available in case of injury, illness, or time-off requests.

We’ve clocked thousands of hours of training on this topic at various bases and our experts can help your team members understand the complexities of the UASCE requirements, ensure their fall arrest systems are safe and in compliance, and know their responsibilities on a job site.

Projects on Bases

If you have any upcoming projects in VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY or NJ at any of these bases*, be sure to call us today to secure your training dates or SSHO and/or QA/QC needs:

Massachusetts

Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, MA
Otis Air National Guard Base, Buzzards Bay, MA
Hanscom Airforce Base, Bedford, MA
Westover Air Reserve Base, Chicopee, MA
Fort Devens, Devens, MA
AIRSTA Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay, MA
AIRSTA Salem, Salem, MA
Aviation Station Ten Pound Island, Gloucester, MA

Rhode Island

Quonset Point Air National Guard Station, North Kingstown, RI
NS Newport, Newport RI

Connecticut

Marine Safety Center Marine Base in Groton, CT
Research And Development Center Coast Guard Groton, CT
Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT
Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, CT

New York

Fort Drum Army Base in Jefferson, NY
Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, NY
US Military Academy Army Base in West Point, NY
Watervliet Arsenal Army Base in Watervliet, NY

New Jersey

McGuire Air Force Base in New Hanover, NJ
Fort Dix Army Base in Burlington, NJ
Fort Monmouth Army Base in Monmouth, NJ
Picatinny Arsenal Army Base in Morris County, NJ
Loran Support Unit Coast Guard Base in Wildwood, NJ
Training Center Cape May Coast Guard Cape May, NJ
NWS Earle Navy Base in Colts Neck, NJ
NAES Lakehurst Navy Base in Lakehurst, NJ

*This is not a complete list of military bases

To sign up for the next public class offering at United Alliance Services Corporation, visit our online calendar.

For more information, call 877-399-1698

Construction site is laying new asphalt road pavement,road construction workers and road construction machinery scene.

Prevent Construction Struck-By Fatalities by Implementing Proper Safety Techniques

01/23/2020

by United Alliance Services Corporation Safety

One in four “struck by vehicle” deaths involve construction workers, more than any other occupation.

Struck-by incidents contributed to 804 construction worker fatalities from 2011 to 2015, the most of any major industry, according to a recent article from Safety & Health Magazine

Vehicles Causing the Most Backover Fatalities 2005-2010+

Dump Truck	67
Semi/Tractor Trailer	40
Truck	30
Forklift	21
Garbage Truck	20
Pick-up Truck	16

+OSHA Integrated Management Information System data

Fifty-two percent of the fatalities involved workers struck by an object or equipment; the remaining deaths involved workers struck by vehicles, the report states.

Other findings:

57 percent of the struck-by vehicle fatalities occurred in work zones.
114 deaths were the result of being struck by passenger vehicles, and 112 workers died after being struck by trucks.
Highway, street and bridge workers accounted for 264 of the 804 construction fatalities during the period.
Construction workers 65 and older experienced the highest rate of struck-by fatalities.
Highway maintenance workers, power line installers, and excavating or loading machine operators experienced the most struck-by fatalities.

“Struck-by … deaths are preventable,” the report states. “Training (OSHA, 2011), personal protective equipment, engineering controls, safety protocols and other solutions may be implemented to prevent struck-by injuries among construction workers.”

Download the full report here.

Know the Risks

Back-over accidents can happen for a variety of reasons.

Drivers may not be able to see a worker in their blind spot.
Workers may not hear backup alarms because of other worksite noises or because the alarms are not functioning.
A spotter assisting one truck may not see another truck behind him.
Workers riding on vehicles may fall off and get backed over.
Drivers may assume that the area is clear and not look in the direction of travel.

Implement a Safety Plan

OSHA’s website provides various methods to use that could help prevent such accidents from happening:

Spotters – Using a spotter to help drivers back up their vehicles
Cameras – Used to help drivers see what is behind them
Proximity Detection Devices -To alert drivers to objects behind them with a visual and/or audio warning
Internal Traffic Control Plans – Help to coordinate the flow of moving equipment, workers, and vehicles at a worksite to minimize or eliminate vehicles and employees from crossing paths
Tag-based Systems – This system consists of electromagnetic field generators and field detecting devices. These can be worn by people and installed on vehicles to alert a person and driver of proximity
Training – Initiate a combination of computer-based and on-site training programs to assist employees understand the environment and be cognizant of where potential blind spots can occur.

Get the Proper Training

UASC offers professional OSHA compliant health & safety training for businesses and industries in the New England and Tri-State regions.

Using digital reference photography, videos, hands-on materials and PowerPoint in our training programs we ensure that your staff and managers leave with the knowledge that safety is a top priority and have a thorough understanding of the material presented to them.

For your convenience, we offer training at our headquarters, or onsite at your facility or job site.

View our course offerings here

Worker using fall protection gear as a safety precaution he learned in em 385 training

UASC filling in EM385 FP Training lack in Northeast

10/01/2019

by United Alliance Services Corporation with No Comment Construction Onsite Fall Protection Courses OSHA Safety Safety Training Workplace Safety

It’s a training requirement that has hit many construction supervisor or project manager’s site; yet, it still seems to be one of those trainings that is not widely offered, even here in the Northeast. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a 900-page manual that outlines the safety regulations for their job-sites, with many of the requirements being a bit stricter than OSHA regulations. Every contractor and subcontractor on a UASCE-overseen job-site must have at least one person who is trained and competent on the specifics buried within those 900 pages of their Engineer Manual (EM) 385-1-1. There’s no getting out of it.

PM’s Need for EM 385 Training

Given the amount of daily phone calls we receive from PMs who need the training ASAP in order to return to work, the UASCE has become more stringent on ensuring this training is completed. They are also doling out some hefty fines as well as issuing stop orders until the mandates are met – especially if you don’t have designated safety personnel on-site. Thankfully, we have several highly competent and trained construction professionals who have poured over the complete 900 pages and have designed a training program that ensures compliance. Our EM 385 Compliance training, often referred to as 24 Hour Competent Person Fall Protection, is one of our most sought out trainings – often after being kicked off a job site. Those same trainers are able to also assist on meeting the requirements of having a Site Safety and Health Officer (SSHO) and Quality Control Manager, Quality Assurances Manager (QA/QC) on-site quickly.

Federal Bid Requirement

If you’re planning on bidding on a federal contract that takes place in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey or on any of the bases listed below, be sure to reach out to us to secure your training. This will no doubt save your company money, fines, and lost work-time and make you the star employee of the week. We can promise you that somewhere, tucked away in the fine print, the USACE requires you to have at least one person training in EM 385, 24 Hour Competent Person Fall Protection on your site at ALL times. There aren’t any loopholes or fast-talking yourself out of the requirement. It also doesn’t exempt you from following OSHA regulations and our course clearly outlines the differences between the two. Because of this, we strongly recommend that all persons in our EM 385 training also have completed their OSHA 10 Hour Construction training. For an added peace of mind, we strongly recommend you train multiple employees to ensure that you always have someone available in case of injury, illness, or time off requests.

Projects on Bases

If you have any upcoming projects in VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY or NJ at any of these bases*, be sure to call us today to secure your training dates or SSHO and/or QA/QC needs:

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Quonset Point Air National Guard Station, North Kingstown, RI
NS Newport, Newport RI

Connecticut

Marine Safety Center Marine Base in Groton, CT
Research And Development Center Coast Guard Groton, CT
Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT
Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, CT

New York

Fort Drum Army Base in Jefferson, NY
Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, NY
US Military Academy Army Base in West Point, NY
Watervilet Arsenal Army Base in Watervilet, NY

New Jersey

*This is not a complete list of military bases

To sign up for an EM385 24 Hour Fall Protection Training Class, visit our website. To sign up for the next public class offering at United Alliance Services Corporation, visit our online calendar. For more information, call 774-302-4305.

Man in a hardhat standing inside a warehouse

Assisting Mass Municipal Agencies in Preparing for the 2019 OSHA Requirements

02/13/2019

by Marybeth Cannata with No Comment Blogs Construction Education Environmental General Industry MGL MMA Online Crane Safety Online HAZWOPER Courses Online OSHA Training Onsite Fall Protection Courses Onsite Fire Safety Courses Onsite HAZCOMM And HAZWOPER Courses Onsite OSHA / EPA Asbestos Courses Onsite OSHA Construction Courses Onsite OSHA Disaster Worker Courses Onsite OSHA General Health And Safety Courses Onsite OSHA General Industry Courses Onsite OSHA Healthcare Training Onsite OSHA Maritime Industry Courses Onsite OSHA Respiratory Protection Courses Onsite Security And Loss Prevention OSHA Regulatory Updates Safety Safety Consulting Safety Equipment Safety Training School Schools Uncategorized Workplace Safety

Updated OSHA Compliance with MGL has begun!

Here is a simple one-pager on how United Alliance Services can help get you into compliance!

OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities & Schools

Beginning February 2019, public employees are required to provide OSHA safety training and maintain OSHA compliance with job sites and safety training.

OSHA – UASC Training for MUNICIPALITIES:

Address the OSHA training requirements specific to each department
Training standards help municipalities perform jobs safely reducing worker comp, medical leave times, and injuries on the job.
Choose up to six electives that best suits your team members.
We maintain copies of all training’s, so if your system is compromised, we have a backup.
We’ll notify you when refreshers need to be renewed, so it’s one less thing to fall through the cracks.
We have developed the training programs allowing you to focus on your area of expertise

Click here for OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities!

OSHA – UASC Training for SCHOOLS:

Experienced OSHA safety regulations instructors
Help school employees perform their jobs safely by outlining first-hand, real-life scenarios
You choose the sessions that best suit your team members as you know them best
We maintain backup copies of all training documentation
Notifications when refreshers need to be renewed
We have developed the training programs, which is our area of expertise, to allow you to focus on your area of expertise – running an efficient school system.

Click here for OSHA Safety Training for MA Schools!

Record Keeping

Prior to the new law, the public sector was exempt from maintaining an OSHA 300 log. The MA Department of Labor Standards (DLS) now states that you only need to provide your OSHA 300 log when an inspector or the Bureau of Labor Statistics requests to see it.

The best practice is to maintain an OSHA 300 log.

OSHA 300 Log for MA Public Sector

An OSHA 300 log is used by private sector employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a record of injuries and illnesses that took place and are referred to as a “recordable”.

All of the recordables are documented, but each record also needs a form 301 completed, which details the injury/illness.

A recordable includes any work-related illness and/or injury that results in:

• Fatality
• loss of consciousness, missed work, restricted work, transfer to a lower-risk job
• medical treatment beyond first aid
• diagnosis of a work-related cancer, chronic irreversible disease, fractured or cracked bones/teeth, and punctured eardrums
• any drugs being prescribed or taken at prescription strength

Needle-sticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis have special recording criteria.

Adjusted OSHA Penalties for 2019

02/06/2019

by Marybeth Cannata with No Comment Blogs Construction General Industry Online OSHA Training OSHA Regulatory Updates Safety Safety Consulting Safety Equipment Safety Training Workplace Safety

OSHA has increased the maximum fines

The maximum fines are now $132,598 per violation for willful or repeated violations for a company, and $13,260 per violation for serious, Other-than-Serious, and Posting violations.

Companies can have multiple violations from one OSHA inspection

For repeated violations, it doesn’t matter that the violation happened at another location of a company. It is a repeated violation when one location has been issued the violation and a different branch has the same violation.

Failure to abate Violation

The penalty is increased to $13,260 per day beyond the abatement date. For this reason, it is important to correct OSHA violations and document it back to them with the paperwork that they provide. Then be sure that the corrections are maintained.

For help monitoring job sites, please call United Alliance Services because we conduct documented safety audits of company workplaces and job sites as part of stand-alone auditing services and our annual packages.

For more info on this click here!

UASC & ABC MA 2019 Kick-Off & Induction

01/31/2019

by Marybeth Cannata with No Comment Associated Builders & Contractors Onsite OSHA Construction Courses Onsite OSHA General Health And Safety Courses Onsite OSHA General Industry Courses Safety Safety Consulting Safety Equipment Safety Training Small Business Workplace Safety

United Alliance Services Corporation is a General Sponsor!

Happening now, UASC is attending the 2019 Kickoff Meeting and Installation of Officers

We became a general sponsor this year and are looking forward to what 2019 has to offer both ABC MA & UASC

Experts on assisting with ABC STEP PROGRAM (Safety Training and Evaluation Process)
Engaged on safety programs with Gould Construction Institute.

We are also connected to the ABC RI Chapter

Don Royer is Co-chair on safety and education for ABC RI

Assisting Mass Municipal Agencies in Preparing for the 2019 OSHA Requirements

01/08/2019

Updated OSHA Compliance with MGL has begun!

Here is a simple one-pager on how United Alliance Services can help get you into compliance!

OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities & Schools

Beginning February 2019, public employees are required to provide OSHA safety training and maintain OSHA compliance with job sites and safety training.

OSHA – UASC Training for MUNICIPALITIES:

Address the OSHA training requirements specific to each department
Training standards help municipalities perform jobs safely reducing worker comp, medical leave times, and injuries on the job.
Choose up to six electives that best suits your team members.
We maintain copies of all training’s, so if your system is compromised, we have a backup.
We’ll notify you when refreshers need to be renewed, so it’s one less thing to fall through the cracks.
We have developed the training programs allowing you to focus on your area of expertise

Click here for OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities!

OSHA – UASC Training for SCHOOLS:

Experienced OSHA safety regulations instructors
Help school employees perform their jobs safely by outlining first-hand, real-life scenarios
You choose the sessions that best suit your team members as you know them best
We maintain backup copies of all training documentation
Notifications when refreshers need to be renewed
We have developed the training programs, which is our area of expertise, to allow you to focus on your area of expertise – running an efficient school system.

Click here for OSHA Safety Training for MA Schools!

Record Keeping

The best practice is to maintain an OSHA 300 log.

OSHA 300 Log for MA Public Sector

An OSHA 300 log is used by private sector employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a record of injuries and illnesses that took place and are referred to as a “recordable”.

All of the recordables are documented, but each record also needs a form 301 completed, which details the injury/illness.

A recordable includes any work-related illness and/or injury that results in:

Needle-sticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis have special recording criteria.