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WORKSAFE Project of the Year Award

New this summer was the establishment of a WORKSAFE 3.0 Task Force, formed to discuss ideas to enhance the WORKSAFE product. One of the initiatives derived from this group was to design a concept for a new recognition award. The award, named "WORKSAFE Project of the Year," will be presented to a WORKSAFE client during the Safety Awards Breakfast at the 2018 MBI Annual Winter Conference on February 28th.
 
Having a WORKSAFE project and displaying the banner is already recognition and makes a statement to the public that safety is of the utmost importance to everyone on the project. To date, over 465 projects have proudly displayed the banner and been a part of the WORKSAFE program. Now there is the opportunity for your project to stand above the rest with a special recognition and honor through the WORKSAFE Project of the Year Award.

Below, please find the summary of the award, criteria and requirements. The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2017, and we encourage you to submit your 2017 WORKSAFE project for the first WORKSAFE Project of the Year! For questions or additional information, please contact Tom Suckow at (515) 657-4384 or tsuckow@mbionline.com.

WORKSAFE Project of the Year Award Description and Information
WORKSAFE Project of the Year Award Entry Form 
BEST PRACTICE
How Are You Documenting Your Safety Measures?

MBI has the opportunity to work with construction companies all over the state of Iowa, with each company having their own unique culture. Although most companies do a great job of ensuring that they are monitoring safety practices in their work spaces, many fall short on ensuring that those practices are documented accordingly. Whether we're talking about construction or any other business industry, all too often when disputes arise, the outcome is based on who has the best documentation. Safety inspections, tool-box talks, and training are all prime examples of this documentation in regards to construction workspace safety requirements.

Fortunately, as the industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, so do resources that can help us ensure that we're properly documenting. Project management software has dominated the technology boom in construction over the past decade, and is offered by a multitude of different companies. Safety inspection software is now following that trend, with new companies popping up every week, aiming to provide job site friendly software to help personnel document their safety walk throughs. Features like auto-generated weekly tool box talks and employee-specific training seem to be the next wave of programs to come, and it won't stop there. The industry is moving towards a technologically driven world, aimed at making your already required processes simpler. If a dispute does occur, the last thing any company wants to be left with is digging through file cabinets of paperwork, which may or may not be detailed enough to provide the necessary information.

As always, MBI is trying to stay on the cutting edge of the industry and ensure that our members remain educated with the latest job site trends. If your company is interested in incorporating some of the technologies, software, or practices mentioned above, please contact one of our safety professionals
IOWA OSHA PERSPECTIVE
Crane Operator Certification Requirement Rule Extended

Late last month, OSHA issued a "notice update" to the proposed rule, which emphasized employers' requirements to ensure crane operator competency. This rule was originally issued in September 2014 and was one of OSHA's most lenient rules to date, at the time allowing employers 3 years to ensure their employees were properly trained and certified. The new notice update extends the enforcement of this rule by an additional 12 months, now requiring employers to have their crane operators certified prior to November 10th, 2018, which will mark the formal enforcement abilities of OSHA with this rule.

Not only will this extension provide employers the opportunity to have additional time to properly train and certify their employees, but it also grants the ability for stakeholders to voice additional concerns that remain over the original proposed rule itself. To date, some employers and stakeholders have been very concerned with their obligation to pay for the training and certification of these employees, while having no ability to recoup those costs should that employee choose to leave their company in the near future. Due to the shortage of qualified labor in the current industry, this could potentially leave employers with costs they're never able to recoup, and work they're not able to complete.

If you are interested, OSHA has provided a comments page for parties to electronically submit their concerns: www.regulations.gov, under the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal tab. For additional questions, please contact one of our safety professionals. 

ProfessionalsSafety Professionals
Brandon Black - (515) 577-5198 or Brandon@IowaCSSI.com 
Troy Porter - (515) 681-5252 or Troy@IowaCSSI.com
Tom Suckow - (515) 250-0773 or Tom@IowaCSSI.com
New WORKSAFE Projects

PROJECT:
University of Iowa - Foundation Building
CONTRACTOR:

Conlon Construction Co. - Dubuque, IA

PROJECT:
Vintage Cooperative of Johnston
CONTRACTOR:

Downing Construction Inc. - Indianola, IA

PROJECT:
JCP - Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Clinic Renovation
CONTRACTOR:

Wolfe Contracting Inc. - Muscatine, IA

PROJECT:
Bridgewood Square
CONTRACTOR:

On-Site Solutions - Clive, IA

PROJECT:
Two Rivers Bank & Trust
CONTRACTOR:

On-Site Solutions - Clive, IA

PROJECT:
Lakes Regional Healthcare Imaging Renovation
CONTRACTOR:

Graham Construction Co. - Des Moines, IA

PROJECT:
Brio pf Johnston
CONTRACTOR:

CBS Construction Services, Inc. - Champlin, MN

PROJECT:
Hawkeye Drive Apartments
CONTRACTOR:

D W Zinser Company - Walford, IA

PROJECT:
Windsor Windows
CONTRACTOR:

Downing Construction Inc. - Indianola, IA


WORKSAFE is a partnership between Master Builders of Iowa and Iowa OSHA, with safety services provided by Construction Safety Specialists, Inc.

For more information on the WORKSAFE program or for safety inquiries, please contact Tom Suckow at 515-657-4384 or Tom@IowaCSSI.com
WORKSAFE | 515-657-4384 | Email | Website