OSHA REVISES POLICIES ON FALL PROTECTION DURING STEEL ERECTION: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Oct. 1 announced revisions to the two enforcement policies under the Steel Erection Standard. Under the revised policies, steel studs that bind concrete to the steel, known as shear connectors, must be installed at the worksite. Previously, employers were allowed to weld the shear connectors on the ground before attaching them to the building. The other updated policy requires that employers install a floor or net beneath workers within two stories or 30 feet, which ever is less.
The new enforcement policies are in effect now and ABC encourages members to review their safety practices related to steel erection as well as all other OSHA standards to make sure they are in compliance.
Contractors interested in additional safety tools, including compliance information, training opportunities and ABC’s Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP), can access the resources online at www.abc.org/safety.
To read the directive, click hereor give Chris or Josh a call at 477-4451.
FIND NEW BUSINESS IN A SLOW ECONOMY: Increase sales and revenue through ABC’s online business development training series, developed specifically for the construction industry. ABC members can sharpen their business development skills and gain more work in the face of an uncertain economy and stiffer competition.
The series, hosted by Doug Jones, President of PowerBD, is designed for company owners, executives and senior managers, business development staff, project managers and superintendents. Jones is an award-winning sales instructor and business development expert.
“The class I just took with Doug was tremendous,” said John Coffield, contract manager at Denier Electric Company, Inc., a member of ABC’s Ohio Valley Chapter. “This business development subject and course is a great benefit of my ABC membership and lessons learned can immediately be used at work.” During the training sessions, Jones will teach participants the key steps in building relationships with new and existing clients, and refining business development skills. “Doug’s approach to understanding, evaluating and improving business development processes was eye-opening for our members,” said Pat Dunwoody, Education and Marketing Director, ABC of Georgia.
The business development series is presented in five self-contained online lessons that can be viewed at any time or place. ABC members who participate in this series receive a 20 percent discount off the non-member price.
For more information and to register, visit www.abc.org/BD or contact Mark Leibman at ABC at leibman@abc.org.
DHS OFFICIALLY RESCINDS NO-MATCH REQUIREMENT: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Oct. 7 published a final rule that rescinds the “no-match” regulation which required a notice be sent to employers from DHS or the Social Security Administration when an employee’s name did not match the Social Security number provided.
DHS first issued its final rule implementing the no-match regulation in August 2007, but a coalition of business groups, labor organizations and immigrant rights groups challenged the rule in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. As a result, an injunction was issued and SSA suspended the distribution of employer no-match letters until the lawsuit was resolved. DHS July 8 announced its intention to rescind the rule, which was still blocked by the court and had not gone into effect.
OSHA TO BEGIN PILOT PROGRAM FOR RECORDKEEPING ON CONSTRUCTION SITES: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is launching a pilot program to monitor recordkeeping on construction and mobile worksites. The pilot program is being launched in conjunction with a national emphasis program (NEP) that is currently focusing on non-mobile worksites. OSHA will begin monitoring construction and other mobile job sites once the pilot program is complete.
The current NEP on recordkeeping directs OSHA inspectors to analyze all injury and illness records between 2007 and 2008 for the jobsite being monitored. Inspectors will then reconstruct the OSHA 300 forms from that information and compare them to the forms that were actually filed. The program was launched Sept. 30 and will expire in one year. ABC will monitor the progression of the pilot program for the construction industry and keep members updated.
WORKER COMPENSATION UPDATE: On September 9, a federal judge in California ordered a construction company president to serve one year and one day in federal prison and to pay restitution of over $300,000 for filing false tax returns. The construction company based in California began paying employees from two separate bank accounts in 2001. Payments made from the first account were reported to the IRS but payments from the second account were not properly reported or were not reported at all. The construction company devised this plan to avoid making payments to the state worker compensation fund. However, the underreporting to the IRS resulted in a loss to the federal government of over $300,000. In addition, the construction company also created a Nevada corporation, created a bank account and then transferred funds to a hidden bank account to pay unreported wages to employees. Ultimately, the construction company president pled guilty to three counts of filing false federal tax returns. This sentencing is a reminder to all construction company employers to carefully monitor company payroll systems to ensure that all state and federal withholding and employer match payments are made and properly reported to both state and federal agencies. Failure to do so might result in a vacation to Kansas where the first name of the resort starts with the word “Fort.” By Bill Harding, Chapter Attorney
FALL 2009 TAX SEMINAR SCHEDULE: Do you find sales and use tax confusing? Would you like someone to explain sales and use tax to you in plain and simple language? The Nebraska Department of Revenue is conducting several educational seminars in our area. Below are just a few of the locations:
October 19 – Lincoln, NE
Southeast community College
8:30 – Noon – Sales and Use Tax
1:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Microenterprise Tax Credit and Construction Contractors
Register: Amy Chelsey (402) 437-2834
The Nebraska Department of Revenue offers these seminars as a free service; however, the facility may charge a fee. These fees are the responsibility of the attendee. For more information go to www.revenue.ne.gov
Training Classes
Management & Safety Class Schedule
OSHA 10 Hour Class
OSHA requires a competent person on all job sites. This course ensures that your people have the necessary training to comply with OSHA standards CFR 1926.32(f) for a competent person. Training includes OSHA Construction Standards CFR 29 1926, Scaffolds, Ladders and Stairways, Housekeeping, Personal Tools, Electrical Hazards, Fall Protection, Materials Handling, Hazardous Communications and much more!
**CFR 192 OSHA Regulations Book for the Construction Industry with new steel erection standards will be available for $25.00** each for class participants.
$135.00 each attendee – Member Price/$240.00 each attendee – Non-Member Price
¨ October 13, 2009 - 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – OMAHA
¨ October 14, 2009 – 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – LINCOLN