Construction Worker Deaths on the Strip: In fatalities, union to meet with OSHA

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/apr/05/fatalities-union-meet-osha/

Policy represents change for ironworkers local

Ironworkers arrive at the local 433 union hall Friday for a meeting on safety in the wake of three members’ deaths in Strip construction projects.

By Alexandra Berzon, Michael Mishak

Sat, Apr 5, 2008 (2 a.m.)

With tensions over construction worker deaths along the Strip surfacing, about 200 ironworkers filled their union hall Friday night to discuss how to improve workplace safety.

By meeting’s end, there was general agreement among union stewards that they would now participate in conferences between state safety inspectors and contractors when safety violations are discussed in the wake of workplace fatalities.

Such meetings — when contractors can challenge violations and get them reduced or removed — are open to union representatives, but in the nine Strip construction deaths over the past 16 months, unions have not attended a single one, a Sun investigation found.

Much of the discussion during the 90-minute closed meeting, according to some who attended, hammered on a theme that the ironworkers take more personal responsibility for one another’s safety.

There was reportedly little talk about whether the union should more aggressively go after contractors and the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration to improve work site safety.

And the lack of that focus upset the sister of one ironworker who died when he fell through a hole in temporary decking at CityCenter that state safety inspectors said should not have existed.

FULL story at link.