SIA, OSHA develop regional alliance

Stemming from its national alliance, the Scaffold Industry Association (SIA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a new regional alliance at the recent SIA Committee Week in Houston, TX.

OSHA's Region 6 will now work with the SIA to develop educational training programs related to scaffold and fall hazards.

At the Committee Week meeting, local OSHA representatives and SIA leaders signed an agreement to enhance safety for construction workers in Louisiana and Texas by using applicable American National Safety Institute (ANSI) standards.

The alliance says this new development will establish communication methods for providing information to employers and employees in the construction industry.

"We welcome this opportunity to join with the SIA toward emphasizing employer awareness of hazardous working conditions in the construction industry," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas.

"It is hopeful that this cooperative effort will help prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities."

Present at the signing were SIA president Bill Breault, SIA south central region president Chris Moody, SIA south central chapter vice president Paula Manning, David Doucet, Mark Hernandez and Mark Briggs, all with OSHA, and Eric Schmidt with the SIA.

SIA president Bill Breault said he hoped this alliance would be a starting point for more regional alliances to come.

"We are really excited about this opportunity for the members in our region to work hands on with OSHA," Moody said.