Enforcement of New Construction Worker Safety Codes Begins in Philadelphia
The City of Philadelphia has issued new code requirements for construction worker safety training. The new rules went into effect on October 1, 2015, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) began strict enforcement on April 1, 2016.
Under the new regulations, all contractors and employees (including subcontractors) performing construction or demolition work in the City of Philadelphia for which permits have been issued are now required to complete OSHA 10 safety training, or an approved equivalent. This requirement applies to all trades, as well as state-registered home improvement contractors. Workers are required to carry written proof establishing that they have completed an OSHA 10 training course while on the job site, and their employers must also maintain on-site proof of completion for each worker. This information must be furnished to L&I upon request. The OSHA 10 training is only required to be completed once and does not expire.
Additionally, all contractors licensed under Section 9-1004 of the Philadelphia Code must employ at least one supervisory employee who has completed OSHA 30 safety training, or an approved equivalent, within the past 5 years. Construction or demolition of major buildings requires continuous oversight by a site safety manager who has completed an OSHA 30 course. The designated site safety manager must carry an identification card or certificate of completion issued by the provider of the OSHA 30 training course.
The identification of an employee with OSHA 30 training and written proof of completion were required for new contractor license applications made on or after October 1, 2015, and will be required to be submitted with applications for the renewal of contractor licenses which expired on or after March 31, 2016. Licensed plumbing, electrical, fire suppression, and warm-air contractors are exempt from this requirement.
According to L&I, failure to comply with these new regulations will result in the issuance of a violation notice and will subject the contractor to a fine. Repeated or egregious violations may result in the suspension or revocation of the contractor’s license. Given the occurrence of several widely publicized building collapses related to construction activities in Philadelphia, and increasing L&I budgets as a result, it is expected that inspections will be more rigorous than after past code changes.
