[VIDEO] An Interesting Theory on What Caused the FIU Bridge Collapse

Since the FIU bridge collapse last Thursday, there has been a lot of speculation on how exactly this catastrophe happened, based on pieces of information learned over the past few days, as well as a couple grainy videos of the collapse. It’s going to be a long time before investigations into the true causes are determined and all the dust surrounding impending lawsuits clears, but for now, we have one very interesting Youtube video explaining a plausible cause of the failure.

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The Latest on the Florida Bridge Collapse

Last Thursday, every construction professional’s worst nightmare happened.  Lives were lost, both construction workers and civilians, by way of the catastrophic collapse of FIU’s under construction pedestrian bridge.  We shared what we knew as of late Thursday night, but since this is not only a tragedy directly related to construction, but also a huge learning opportunity for the entire industry, I wanted to make sure we continued to follow and update on the story as it develops.

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At Least 6 Killed After Under Construction Walking Bridge Collapses onto Open Street Below

Terrible tragedy struck Florida International University’s (FIU) campus yesterday when a newly installed pedestrian bridge collapsed onto the road below, killing at least 4 and severely injuring many more.

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OSHA Identifies Trenching and Excavation Hazard Reduction as Priority Goal for 2018

Trenches and excavations are dug on the majority of construction projects, mostly for foundations, utilities, among other purposes.  When construction workers have to enter those trenches and excavations, there are a variety of hazards that exist, the biggest hazards being cave-ins. A cubic yard of soil can weigh over 2,000 pounds, nearly the weight of the average car, so without proper protections for that worker, he or she can be killed or severely injured.

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OSHA Sets Enforcement Date for New Beryllium Exposure Limit in Construction

First announced in January 2017, OSHA’s new beryllium exposure limit for construction workers was originally supposed to be in full effect on March 12, 2018.  The administration just announced last Friday that the new enforcement date for the rule will be May 11, 2018.

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Frequently Overlooked Winter Hazards for Construction

The following is a guest post written by Laurence Banville, Esq.

Winter is here and with it comes dangerous situations that construction workers don’t have to worry about during warmer weather. Nearly everyone is aware that construction workers should dress warmly in order to prevent medical conditions like frostbite and hypothermia, but what are some of the frequently overlooked risks associated with winter weather?

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Video Demonstrates the Importance of Wearing a Hard Hat and the Dangers of Falling Objects

When anyone sees a hard hat, they typically immediate associate it with construction.  It’s the ultimate symbol of safety on the job site.  We all know we should wear them, but it’s easy to get annoyed with the minor inconvenience that they cause and forget about the extreme consequences that could result if a falling object catches us when we aren’t wearing one.

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Reminder: Employers Must Post 2017 Injury and Illness Summary by February 1

OSHA gives employees many rights in the workplace and employers many responsibilities.  One of those is the employee’s right to see the company’s OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Summary Log and the employer’s responsibility to post it.

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OSHA Sets Penalty Increase Amount for 2018

When OSHA raised its citation penalty amounts for the first time since 1990 in 2016, it raised them 78% to catch up with inflation over that many years.  It wasn’t just a one time increase, however, as the amended Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 no longer exempts OSHA from its requirements.

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[VIDEO] Crane Collapses While Lifting Concrete Wall

With cranes being on many construction sites, it’s easy for workers to get complacent.  Hundreds or thousands of construction materials can be lifted by cranes throughout the project, but all it takes is one time for a disaster to occur.

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