Staying Safe
The OSHA rules that actually apply to you, and what to do when something goes wrong.
OSHA is not paperwork for its own sake. Four hazards, falls, struck-by, caught-in and electrocution, cause most construction deaths, and OSHA writes citations against all of them. You do not need to memorize the code. You need the handful of numbers that keep your crew alive and you off a citation, and you need to know the clock if someone gets hurt.
The hazards that kill
Falls are the number one killer in construction. Protection is required at 6 feet, on scaffolds at 10, and around holes at any height.
Dust, air and PPE
Silica has a hard OSHA limit, and Table 1 lists the controls that keep you under it without air monitoring. And in almost every case, your employer pays for required PPE, not you.
When something goes wrong
A fatality must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours. An in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye must be reported within 24. Knowing the clock matters the moment it happens.
Your rights on an unsafe site
You can refuse work that puts you in real danger, and it is illegal for an employer to retaliate against you for raising a safety complaint.