Page 127 - Forensic Structural Engineering Handbook

3.12 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES

Register. Public comments are invited from all groups directly or indirectly affected by the
proposed rules. The period of public comments could be from 2 to 6 months. The comments
are then studied and evaluated by OSHA, which may then choose to modify or alter some
of the proposed rules. Then the notice of proposed rule making is again published in the
Federal Register, inviting public, industry, labor, and academia to comment. The period of
written comments is generally limited to 2 to 4 months. Following this period, a public hear-
ing is generally held, sometimes at a number of locations, presided over by an administra-
tive law judge. Businesses, labor unions, and experts clarify their points of view either in
favor of or in opposition to the proposed rules. After the public hearing, OSHA reevaluates
all the comments, reexamines the issues, and weighs all the suggestions and recommenda-
tions. Then the task of the final rule making begins. The final rule is then developed and
adopted following a series of internal reviews by the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget, Department of Labor’s Solicitors Office, and the Secretary of Labor’s Office. The
final rule is then published in the Federal Register: giving its effective date.
In addition to the permanent standards discussed above, OSHA has the authority to pro-
mulgate temporary emergency regulations to address the immediate needs of certain indus-
tries where life-threatening hazards exist. These temporary standards remain in effect until
permanent standards are adopted.
Recently, OSHA has embarked on the negotiated rule-making process whereby repre-
sentatives of the industry, employers, labor unions, contractors, academia, and OSHA sit
together and discuss the potential hazards of a particular industry. Through a series of meet-
ings, a consensus document is developed with the approval of all groups having an interest
in the industry. Recent examples are the new steel erection standard and the proposed crane
and derrick standard which were developed through the negotiated rule-making process.
OSHA encourages design professionals to incorporate safety in design to facilitate safe con-
struction, as far as possible. Prevention through design (PtD) is a concept which is gaining
ground in the United States. Multinational construction companies and other U.S. government
agencies, for example, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Energy
are adopting PtD in their designs. It has been in practice to varying degrees in United Kingdom
and Germany. PtD has a potential of reducing injuries and fatalities at construction sites by
incorporating features during the design phase that will enhance constructability. PtD will
result in fewer delays in construction due to injuries, and savings in workers compensation pre-
miums. References 4 and 5 are valuable sources for prevention through design.
Following are the particular areas of interest for the designers:
• Provide inserts for fall protection using horizontal and vertical lifelines during construc-
tion which could resist 5000 lb or twice the maximum fall arresting force.
• Follow OSHA steel erection standard to provide four anchor bolts for columns to
enhance flexural capacity at the column base.
• Ensure that structure remains stable during all phases of construction.
• Increase parapet wall height to act as railings.
• Provide shop assembly of the structural elements instead of field assembly as far as prac-
ticable.
• Locate construction activities away from power lines.
• Avoid overhead steel connections or welding.
• Specify nontoxic paints.
• Provide appropriate interstitial floor in the attics for heating, ventilation, and air condi-
tioning (HVAC) installer.
• Locate electrical conduits away from field drilling for hangers.