OSHA Forms Partnership with Contractors at Denver Stapleton Redevelopment Site

The U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the M.A. Mortenson Company and Civil Technology have formed a partnership to promote job safety and health in the construction of the Denver Stapleton Redevelopment site.

“STA-SAFE 2” is the second partnership at the site, providing incentives for contractors to establish a “zero injury” culture along with providing a unique vehicle for training local construction workers.

OSHA safety and health partnerships are part of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao’s ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of workers through cooperative initiatives with companies and trade associations.

“By entering into this agreement, the partners have agreed to implement a model safety and health program to ensure their employees’ safety and health,” Herb Gibson, OSHA Denver Area Office director, said.

The STA-SAFE 2 Partnership will be evaluated semi-annually to determine whether the employers’ injury and illness rates are at least 10 percent below the industry average, when compared with Bureau of Labor Statistics published data for Colorado and nationally.

STA-SAFE 2, signed on Aug. 18, 2004, focuses on safe work practices and site-specific hazards. An example is a unique pre-dig authorization procedure that will help protect employees from striking existing electrical lines.

The partnership also will focus on trenching and excavation, moving vehicle “struck-by” hazards, electrical and fall hazards. Participating contractors have agreed to review the root cause of any incidents and “near misses” and design measures to prevent recurrences.

The partnership provides that all supervisors will receive at least 10 to 15 hours of safety and health training, all employees will receive at least two hours of training, and a new-hire substance abuse testing program will be established. Training also will be available in Spanish.

The Stapleton Redevelopment site, projected to take up to 15 years to complete, consists of approximately 4,700 acres of land that is being developed into a network of urban villages, employment centers and open space. The STA-SAFE 2 partnership involves part of the infrastructure development of the site.

Since its Strategic Partnership Program began in 1998, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has formed more than 300 partnerships, impacting more than 13,000 employers and 573,000 employees across the United States.