Fall 2012

In thisissue:LIUNA comments on highway bill passage

Fall 2012 Class Schedule

Apprenticeship Graduates

Backovers subject of OSHA inquiry, LHSFNA comment

Got a female construction worker on your shopping list?

members and millions of other work-ing men and women want to go to work building America – and there is tremendous work to be done. We call on Congress to continue to seek ways to invest in our nation’s basic, critical infrastructure: our transportation systems, energy systems, waterways and public facilities.”

Source: www.LIUNA.org

Washington, D.C. (August 3, 2012) – Following June’s strong job numbers, today’s Bureau of

Labor Statistics employment report shows continued growth in the con-struction industry during July. An ad-ditional 62,000 construction jobs were created in July, dropping the unemploy-ment rate among construction workers from 12.8 percent to 12.3 percent.

“There is no doubt we are emerging from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Today’s jobs report shows signs of progress and gives hope,” LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan said. “Still, 994,000 construction workers are jobless.”

The U.S. economy has seen 29 months of consecutive job growth in the private sector, adding 4.5 million jobs across the country – 1.1 million of which were created in 2012. According to the BLS report, private sector payrolls overall increased by 172,000 in July, although the unemployment rate remained virtu-ally unchanged at around 8.3 percent.

“We are moving forward at a steady pace, but there is still much that could be done to get this country back on track,” O’Sullivan said. “LIUNA

Continued Growth in Construction Industry Offers Hope to Nearly 1 Million Jobless Workers

The rainy season is once again nearly upon us, and when there’s bad weather, soil

erosion is sure to follow. Are you prepared?

NWLETT is offering the initial Department of Ecology Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL) 16-hour class this October.

For those in need of recertifica-tion, five 8-hour refresher classes will be held during the fall quarter. All classes will be held at the Kings-ton training site; specific dates are listed on page 4 in the “Fall 2012 Classes” schedule.

Skill & Pride

A publication of the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund, serving Washington, Northern Idaho, and Utah.

Published quarterly by the

Northwest Laborers- Employers Training

Trust Fund

800.240.9112

E-mail: nwlabor@nwlett.org Website: http://www.nwlett.orgFacebook: www.facebook.com/

NWLaborersTraining

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Editor:Kim Hart

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Chairman:David J. Letinich

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Labor MgmtBob Abbott Don Carrell

Dale Cannon Rod Majors

Alan Clune Doug Peterson

Dave Hawkins Carl Stewart

Don McLeod

The trustees of the fund serve without compensation. They are

appointed by their respective organizations and meet quarterly to

review and set policy.

Skill & Pride

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LEGAL NOTICE TO ALL PARTICIPANTS: The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund, identification number 91-1283259, provides training and retraining for those in the industry and those already in the industry.

The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund admits students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, administration policies or other school-administration policies or other school-administered programs. For information about any existing or anticipated future courses of study sponsored or established by the plan, including any prerequisites for enrolling in such courses and for a description of the procedure to enroll in such courses, please contact: Mike Warren, NWLETTF, 27055 Ohio Avenue, Kingston, Washington 98346.

WE TRAIN PARTICIPANTS OF ANY RACE, COLOR, GENDER, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN.

LIUNA Praises Congress, Commends Member Activists on Highway Bill Passage Washington, D.C. (June 29, 2012) – LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – praised Congress for passing a multi-year Highway Bill which will support millions of jobs fixing deteriorating roads, bridges and transit systems, and help restore certainty to the struggling construction industry.

“For men and women in the construction industry, who have been battling Depression-era levels of unemployment, passage of this bill will be a lifeline,” LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan said. “By insuring multi-year investment, it will help restore the certainty needed to launch long-term projects. And for the nation, this is a step toward fixing our roads, bridges and transit systems that were once the envy of the world.”

Passage of the bill comes after LIUNA members mounted a multi-year effort to overcome partisan bickering in Congress that had blocked what is traditionally bi-partisan legislation. LIUNA members have placed or written thousands of phone calls or letters, rallied around Build America events in more than a dozen cities and spoken out to fellow members and news media about the need for transportation investment.

This spring, LIUNA was on the forefront of the effort, calling on House Speaker John Boehner to get a Highway Bill passed. The union launched intensive radio ads and direct mail in the Speaker’s home state of Ohio. In addition, the “Emergency Bridge Repair Team” truck trav-eled through Boehner’s home state of Ohio, and onward to the U.S. Capitol. The truck carried a giant roll of duct tape to symbolize the approach of elected officials to the serious problem of deteriorating transportation infrastructure. O’Sullivan congratulated LIUNA members on the victory, saying, “every LIUNA member who wrote a letter, made a call, attended an event or talked to a fellow member about the need for a real Highway Bill should be proud.” In addi-tion, O’Sullivan commended Senator Barbara Boxer of California for spearheading the drive to passage.

He noted that while passage of the bill – the single largest piece of job-creating legislation in the country – is an historic milestone, much work remains to be done. America’s bridges, for example, are on average 43 years old – dangerously close to the 50-year average bridge lifes-pan. One in four bridges is deficient or obsolete and a fourth of roadways are in poor condi-tion. Meanwhile, unemployment in the construction industry is 14.2 percent, with more than 1 million jobless.

“Passage of this bill is a step toward putting men and women who desperately need work back on the job doing work that desperately needs to be done,” O’Sullivan said. “This is great prog-ress. It opens the door to the bigger conversation of how our country can face the challenges of investing adequately in critical infrastructure needs for the future. LIUNA will continue to be on the frontlines of raising public awareness and fighting for the investment that America deserves.”

Source: www.LIUNA.org

News from LIUNA

Q&A: Cranes, Rigging, & Personnel Lifting Rule Chapter 296-155 WAC, Part L

BackgroundThe Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has completed adoption of new requirements for inspection, maintenance and operation of cranes used in the con-struction industry. At the same time, L&I updated the current rigging and person-nel-lifting requirements.

Why did L&I adopt these rules?RCW 49.17.400 through 49.17.440 requires L&I to establish by rule a crane certifica-tion program for cranes used in the con-struction industry and establish guidelines that must be met to be considered a quali-fied crane operator.These rules were developed and adopted with the assistance of a group of industry representatives. In addition, the Occupa-tional Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has adopted its final construction crane rule. This L&I rule adoption meets the requirement that Washington State’s safety rules be at least as effective as the federal rule. References were also updat-ed throughout.

When does the new Cranes, Rigging and Personnel Lifting rule become effective?The rule became effective Feb. 1, 2012. However, the documentation requirement for qualified riggers has been extended to February 1, 2013. (See 296-155-53306 (3) (g)

What businesses must comply with this new rule?The Crane, Rigging and Personnel Lifting rule applies to all businesses that own or use cranes and derricks for construction activities. In addition all businesses using rigging gear for construction activities are required to follow applicable sections of the rule.

How will L&I help employers implement these new requirements?L&I has many resources focused on help-ing employers, with special consideration given to helping small businesses comply. Resources include:• Sample accident prevention plan (APP).• Free training courses and train-the

trainer options.• Onsite consultation services to identify

hazards and offer solutions.• Telephone assistance.• Information for crane operators.

Who do I call if I have questions about compliance with the rule?Please call DOSH Technical Services at 360-902-4669.

What can a worker do if the company isn’t implementing the rules once they go into effect?First, inform your employer of the rule. If your employer fails to take action, please contact L&I at 800-423-7233 to report the safety hazard. It is against the law for your employer to retaliate against you in any way for reporting a safety hazard. You can learn more at www.WorkplaceRights.Lni.wa.gov or call 800-423-7233.

More detailed information and answers to more specific/technical questions may be found at the Washington Department of Labor & Industries website at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/Cranes/RiggingQNA.asp.

Source: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/Cranes/Rig-gingQNA.asp

FALL 2012 CLASSES

KingstonApprentice Level II40 hours 9/17/12 – 9/21/1210/22/12 – 10/26/1212/10/12 – 12/14/12

Asbestos Supervisor40 hours 12/17/12 – 12/21/12

Asbestos Worker40 hours 9/10/12 – 9/14/1210/15/12 – 10/19/1210/22/12 – 10/26/1210/29/12 – 11/2/12

Concrete Basic80 hours10/8/12 – 10/19/1210/29/12 – 11/9/1211/26/12 – 12/7/1212/10/12 – 12/21/12

Demolition Deconstruction Worker 80 hours 9/10/12 – 9/21/12

DOE Soil Erosion/CESCL16 hours 10/9/12 – 10/12/12

DOE Soil Erosion/CESCLRECERT8 hours 9/24/12 10/8/1210/15/12 11/5/1212/17/12

Forklift Safety16 hours 12/20/12 – 12/21/12

General Construction80 hours9/10/12 – 9/21/1210/8/12 – 10/19/1211/5/12 – 11/16/12

Grade Checking80 hours10/8/12 – 10/19/12

Hazardous Waste Worker 80 hours 9/24/12 – 10/5/1211/26/12 – 12/7/12

Hoisting & Rigging - Basic 40 hours 9/24/12 – 9/28/1210/22/12 – 10/26/12

Hoisting & Rigging - Certification 40 hours 10/1/12 – 10/5/1210/29/12 – 11/2/1212/3/12 – 12/7/12

Laborers, Our Heritage40 hours10/1/12 – 10/5/1211/12/12 – 11/16/12

Lead Renovator16 hours10/8/12 – 10/9/1210/10/12 – 10/11/12

Mason Tending80 hours10/22/12 – 11/2/1211/26/12 – 12/7/12

OQ.R3 OQ.R4 OQ.R5 12/17 12/18 12/19

OSHA 50224 hours9/11/12 – 9/13/12

OSHA 51040 hours12/10/12 – 12/14/12

Pipe Gravity80 hours11/5/12 – 11/16/12

Pipe Pressure80 hours 9/24/12 – 10/5/1211/26/12 – 12/7/12

Road Excavation & Plan Reading40 hours12/17/12 – 12/21/12

Utah

September - December 2012

Satsop

Pasco

SpokaneNo classes at this time.

Safety and Hazard Awareness For Tunnels (SHAFT)40 hours9/17/12 – 9/21/129/24/12 – 9/28/1210/22/12 – 10/26/1210/29/12 - 11/2/12

Hazardous Waste Worker 80 hours 11/5/12 - 11/16/12

Concrete Flatwork40 hours11/5/12 - 11/9/12

Concrete Specialist Forming40 hours11/12/12 – 11/16/12

General Construction 40 hours9/10/12 – 9/14/12

Laborers, Our Heritage40 hours12/10/12 – 12/14/12

MSHA #4816 hours9/27/12 – 9/28/1211/29/12 – 11/30/12

MSHA REFRESHER8 hours9/29/12 12/1/12

Scaffold Builder80 hours9/24/12 – 10/5/1212/10/12 – 12/21/12 Traffic Control Supervisor RECERT8 hours9/25/12 10/16/1211/6/12 12/18/12

Traffic Control Supervisor 24 hours 9/26/12 – 9/28/1210/17/12 – 10/19/1211/7/12 – 11/9/1212/19/12 – 12/21/12

Transit & Level40 hours 9/10/12 – 9/14/1212/10/12 – 12/14/12

OSHA 1012 hours12/14/12 – 12/15/12

OSHA 3040 hours10/15/12 – 10/19/12

Pipe Laying Gravity40 hours10/29/12 – 11/2/12

UFLAG8 hours12/5/12 12/6/12

UMAIN24 hours10/8/12 – 10/10/12

USOIL16 hours12/3/12 – 12/4/12

UTWZS8 hours10/11/12 12/7/12

For class descriptions, visit us on the web at www.nwlett.org and click on the “Course Descriptions” line. The site has the most current listings for all classes, including refresher and recertification classes held at local union halls.

UTAHL-295 Salt Lake City 801.972.5380

WASHINGTONL-238 Spokane 509.328.6660

L-242 Seattle 206.441.0470

L-252 Aberdeen 360.533.5658

L-252 Olympia 360.357.6460

L-252 Port Angeles 360.457.6929

L-252 Silverdale 360.613.4073

L-252 Tacoma 253.383.1493

L-276 Bellingham 360.733.0900

L-292 Everett 425.259.5077

L-292 Wenatchee 509.662.9762

L-335 Vancouver 360.695.3318

L-348 Richland 509.420.4581

L-440 Seattle 206.329.1540

L-614 Yakima 509.452.4332

L-791 Longview 360.423.5690

L-901 Mt. Vernon 360.336.6159

TO SIGN UP FOR CLASS CALL YOUR LOCAL UNION’S

BUSINESS MANAGER.

Apprenticeship Guidelines

The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Program is proud to announce the latest graduates of the Apprenticeship program. These men and women have completed some 4,000 hours of intense hands-on and on-the-job training and are now considered Journeymen Construction Craft Laborers.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Lance RaganGabriel Watson

Local 238

Local 440Patrick BolandLogan ButschStefanie ClineDawn CotnerMicah Luark

Danielle McLainJustin PoplawskiJason Roberts

Local 242

Michael AnciraCody BakerMark BusterRyan Day

James DaychildDonovan Devens

Dwight Fleming, Jr.Aaron HayesGeorge Kuntz

Mariano Lopez OrtizDavid Lupastean

Raquel Macias MarinJeff Mercer

James Michels, Jr.Joel MorrisonJason Shields

Bryon Stevenson

Local 252-ODerek Parent

Michael PollockCarl Weiks

Local 292 - EChristina Cauthron

Eric FritzChris Hertel

Kiersa HowardClayton McCoy

Justin TroutvineMakeba Wolfe

Gary Wood

David Wolfard

Local 252 - S

Justin BakerTeresa Bye Jared Doll

Local 252 - T

Greg BreretonVictor DiazJullyn Doyle

Kasey FabrizioBrandon Levy

Derrick RichardsonMichael Rode

Jorge L. LopezJorge Serrato-Lopez

Bucky Smith

Local 295

James BrantCraig CravensJesse DacanayBryce Hovey

Kyle RodemanRyan Trump

Local 348

• Report OJT hours weekly.

• Accept any and all jobs offered for dispatch.

• Sign the out-of-work list (OOWL) when not working.

• Attend classes when scheduled.

• Keep your phone number and address current.

• Practice a good work ethic.

• Work safely.

• Don’t do drugs.

Michelle BoersmaPaul Salas

Joseph Willis

Local 276

Local 791Bradley JohnsonDanny Lafever

Benjamin MaxeyJason R. Young

Local 614Kyle Ames

Hoping OSHA will tackle a persistent but highly preventable source of work zone fa-talities, the LHSFNA responded in June to

the agency’s request for information on how best to prevent backover incidents. After a 30-day extension to allow additional comment, OSHA closed its docket on July 27 and will now review responses and decide if it will develop an updat-ed work zone safety standard.

“Backovers are a major problem for our members because they are the boots on the ground in high-way construction,” says LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan. “Amid the noise and traffic of a work zone, it is all too common that workers on foot are killed by backing dump trucks and other machinery.”

More Laborers are killed by equipment inside work zones than by drivers who crash into work zones from outside. Inside the zone, the main culprits are dump trucks because the wide bins behind their cabs create huge blind spots for backing truck drivers.

O’Sullivan points out that two states, Washington and Virginia, have taken action in recent years to address the problem. He also notes that steadily dropping prices make an array of technological solutions financially feasible. “OSHA,” he says, “could make a big difference for highway work-ers if it would update its standard and require effective, uniform rules across the country.”

In the Fund’s comments, Scott Schneider, the LHSFNA’s Director of Occupational Safety and Health, relied on the hierarchy of controls to pri-oritize his recommendations. Under the hierar-chy, elimination of (or substitution for) hazards is the first goal, followed by use of engineering controls, changes in work practices and, finally, use of personal protective equipment. The Fund recommends:

Internal Traffic Control Plans (ITCP)The first goal should be to reduce backing to a minimum. This can be accomplished through in-stituting an ITCP requirement. ITCPs minimize backing risks within a work zone through one-way lanes, pedestrian zones and a system to commu-nicate and enforce these and other traffic pat-terns. Introduced 15 years ago, ITCPs are increas-ingly common in the field.

TechnologyWhere backing cannot be eliminated, new tech-nology can help. Research shows that backup

Backovers Subject of OSHA Inquiry, LHSFNA Comment

video and radar systems alert drivers to pedes-trians behind their vehicles. Meanwhile, the cost of video cameras and monitors has dropped, and wireless technology makes their use even more feasible. Many companies already install such technology on their vehicles and have had good experience with it.

SpottersTechnology is not infallible. Spotters are trained to detect hazardous situations and warn drivers to stop before tragedy strikes. They have a proven track re cord in preventing backovers and should be re-quired where technological remedies are not in use. Spotter and operator training, includ-ing standardized hand signals, are essential to effective coordination and must be required.

Blind Spot Warning SignsBlind spot diagrams have been developed and used by NIOSH to warn drivers and pedestrian workers of backover dangers. They should be posted in the cab, on both sides of a vehicle and on its back.

Backup AlarmsFor decades, backup alarms have been used to prevent backovers. Alone, they are not suffi-cient, but as a supplement to other technology and techniques, they have a role to play. How-ever, they must be louder than ambient noise or, preferably, produce a white noise. Also, they should be supplemented with visual alarms for workers who may be hard of hearing or wearing hearing protection.

High Visibility ClothingOne way to avoid backovers is to make pedestri-an workers more visible. According to the FHWA’s Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, high-way workers must wear high visibility clothing. A minimum of Class II clothing should be required for those on foot, and Class III clothing should be required for night operations and any operations (e.g., rain or fog) where visibility is low.

Vehicle OperationHow vehicles are operated is also a critical com-ponent of backover prevention. Backing speed limits should be enforced, and vehicles must cease operations whenever the camera/radar system is not working, the backup alarm is not working, the spotter is not visible or anyone on the site tells the operator to stop.

Source: Steve Clark, Lifelines Online

Historically, construction may have been known as a “man’s job,” but today, plenty of

women enjoy construction careers.

Now, there’s a place where women workers can find construction clothing and PPE that is crafted to their fit.

And - the store’s founder is a Laborer: Deidre Douglas, a cement and concrete worker and a member of LU #20 in Long Island City, N.Y.

Her business is Woman Up, based in a storefront in Brooklyn with an online presence at http://www.womanupon-line.com.

Launched in 2009, the business helps women in the construction trades and many other industrial settings fill a gaping void: because most trades and industrial workers are men (about 90 percent in construc-tion), work clothes outlets devote little shelf space to women’s needs.

Going on camera to explain her motives and her products, the effer-vescent Douglas is knowledgeable and upbeat.

Recounting her struggles with PPE that didn’t fit to an ENR reporter, she says, “I didn’t want other women who come into the trades to work like this.

“While I was working, that’s what I was dreaming of, to have clothes that fit, having boots that were comfortable, so when I got the opportunity and the finances, I opened the store.”

She also outfitted a mobile truck so she can bring her products to jobsites.

To stock clothing and gear designed for women, she relies on six clothing mak-ers, including Timberland and Matter-

horn. Through other vendors, she stocks chemical protection overalls, high-visibility vests, steel toe boots, gloves, fall protection harnesses, hardhats and other PPE designed to fit women.

She also stocks a variety of cleaning products and lotions to help women clean up after work.

She even makes room for a line of men’s clothing and gear that she dis-plays with her truck, taking orders which are filled through next-day delivery. “If my clients are working, they’re not going to come into the store, so I [have to] bring the equip-ment to them,” she says.

While Douglas has dreams of entre-preneurial success, she’s not ready to give up her day job. She keeps her book current and is happy when the hiring hall calls.

Additional women’s work wear out-lets around the U.S. and Canada are listed in The Directory – Where to Find PPE for Women, a project of the Ontario Women’s Directorate and the Industrial Accident Preven-tion Association.

For more information about gender-specific health and safety issues faced by women in construction, consult the LHSFNA’s Women in Con-struction and OSHA’s Women in the Construction Workforce: Providing Equitable and Safety and Health Pro-tection (links to both can be found at www.lhsfna.org).

Source: Steve Clark, Lifelines Online

For more information on the health and safety issues that affect Laborers - as well as the full version of these articles - please visit the following sites:

Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America:www.lhsfna.org

OSHA:www.osha.gov

Of Interest Got a Female Construction Workeron Your Shopping List?

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