Following the October 18th release of its “Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs,” OSHA issued similar Recommended Practices for the construction industry on December 1, 2016.
Unlike general industry, OSHA’s construction standards contain brief requirements for an accident prevention program, 29 C.F.R. §1926.20(b). While these requirements remain the same, contractors should keep in mind that the new Recommended Practices are only recommendations, not legal requirements. Contractors can expect OSHA to encourage adoption of the Recommended Practices, but they cannot be cited for not following them.
The Recommended Practices for construction provide a wealth of information and resources for the development and implementation of a health and safety program.
