Understanding OSHA - Avoiding Citations and Preparing for the Unexpected

Why Should You Attend:

It takes a skilled eye to understand the nuances of OSHA’s many faceted rules and regulations. The instructor of this webinar, Paul Gogulski, has developed his opinions from several years in testimony both supporting OSHA and against OSHA, depending upon the circumstances.

By attending this webinar on OSHA, participants will learn:

• How to make a good impression when OSHA makes an unannounced inspection.
• OSHA’s 3rd party citation policy which applies to those besides the employer of injured party.
• A list of dos and don’ts that will protect your jobsite from receiving most common citations.
• How to use the Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) effectively.
• Common risks in scaffolding.
• Protecting yourself from OSHA abuse.
• The special risks when setting trusses.
• How to make tool box meetings more meaningful and relevant.
• Why a clean site is important.
• Why material safety data sheets (MSDS) are important.
• OSHA’s multi-contractor citation policy.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• OSHA Strengths and Weakness
• Scaffolding
• Fall Protection
• Residential Construction
• Trusses
• Chemical Welding
• Job Hazard Analysis
• Safety Planning and Reports

Who Will Benefit:

• Contractors
• Subcontractors
• Attorneys dealing with accidents
• Safety professionals
• Insurance companies’ staff
• Corporate owners
• Compliance officers

Instructor Profile:

Paul Gogulski, is a professional engineer who developed his own consulting services after an extensive career with contractors, owners , developers and public agencies. Specializing in claims, construction litigation and expert testimony for accidents, Mr. Gogulski completed over 200 cases in 28 states, published articles for Engineering News Record, was a featured speaker for the Association of General Contractors and the Industrial Development Research Council. He has provided seminars in New York, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, and has served as extension of staff to general contractors for quality control on projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The technical skills and professional knowledge needed for successful resolution of litigation were developed from over 25 years’ experience in leading teams in the delivery of industrial, commercial, and residential construction projects throughout the United States and overseas. He has developed a critical eye that sees through the endless layers of complexity that sometimes cloud the truth in the design and during the construction process.

Topic Background:

When Congress passed the enabling legislation for OSHA in 1970, the agency adopted the bulk of its standards from existing consensus and federal standards. This achieved Congress’s goal of immediate action, but it saddled the agency with controversy that has yet to overcome. Simply stated, national consensus standards were never meant to be law; they were created as non-binding suggestions that are not coordinated with each other, and many were drafted without regard to the precision given to legislation. To address ambiguities and contradictions, the agency has chosen to rely on informal enforcement guidelines and letters of interpretations (“opinion letters”). Also, OSHA simply does not enforce some of their adopted standards. For example, no employer has been cited for the use of “closed front” toilet seats (29CFR1910.141(C) (3)(iii)). This is particularly true in the area of residential construction where fall protection is ignored due to the industry’s persuasion of the inconvenience and lack of a suitable 5000 lb anchor.

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