Author: Nazia Shah
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled a series of informal public hearings on the proposed rules identified below. Informal public hearings will be held virtually beginning Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., and will continue on subsequent weekdays. To testify, provide documentary evidence, or question other witnesses at any of the hearings, individuals must file a Notice of Intention to Appear (NOITA) using this form: https://www.osha.gov/form/deregulatory-rulemaking-hearings. There is no need to submit a NOITA if you only intend to watch the hearings. Instructions for viewing the hearings will be posted separately in the coming months. For more…
Hosted by the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), with support from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the goal of the annual Trench Safety Stand Down (TSSD) is to reach out to the many workers who work in and around trenches and excavations to provide them with information about current excavation requirements and safety procedures for working in trenches. To access all the resources you need to plan your event, visit the NUCA TSSD webpage. Below is a roundup of AGC and other resources related to trenching and excavation safety. Opportunities for Engagement Contact Nazia Shah for more information.
OSHA’s revised heat National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards was issued on April 10, 2026, and replaced the previous enforcement policy originally issued on April 8, 2022. While the agency describes the latest version as revised, it remains largely unchanged from the 2022 version. The current NEP will be in effect for five (5) years from the date of publication and, unlike the 2022 NEP, OSHA regions are not expected to reach any inspection targets. Many of the revisions are related to formatting and rearranging sections. For instance, the criteria that a Compliance Safety and Health Officer…
AGC of America is now accepting speaking proposals for its Winter 2027 Construction Safety & Health Conference tentatively taking place January 20-22, 2027, in San Diego, CA. This event is designed for emerging to senior-level management professionals who work in any of the commercial construction markets. All educational sessions should be targeted towards these attendees and should involve topics that reflect current and emerging issues in construction safety and health. We invite you to share your knowledge and help us shape the Winter 2027 experience. For more information and to submit a proposal, please refer to the event guidelines. Proposals should be submitted no later than August 14,…
As we enter the 2026 hurricane season, we want to highlight several important resources from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to support your efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from hurricanes and related weather events. Early preparation is essential to ensuring that employers and workers have the right equipment, understand emergency procedures, and know how to stay safe during severe weather events. OSHA’s Emergency Preparedness and Response webpages offer guidance on planning and training for emergencies, as well as information on hazards that may arise during such events. These resources are designed for workers and employers…
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued notification of no inflation adjustment to U.S. Department of Labor civil monetary penalties for 2026, including those for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In 2015, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to advance the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and to maintain their deterrent effect. Under the Act, agencies are required to publish “catch-up” rules that adjust the level of civil monetary penalties and make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. For 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor is…
The National AGC Safety Awards (NASA) program has been an ongoing effort since 1991, offering member companies an opportunity to evaluate their safety records. NASA compares an AGC member’s safety performance with that of other AGC members, based on company size and construction type. In the most recent award cycle, for the calendar year 2025, more than 1,500 members submitted their safety data across 63 chapters. In addition to recognizing member achievements, the AGC Chapter Safety Awards highlight the outstanding efforts of chapters based on a weighted average of member participation and overall incident rates. Congratulations to this year’s AGC Chapter Safety Award winners! Less than 125…
Join us on June 3, 2-3 p.m. Eastern for the next virtual quarterly town hall. This session will feature an update on the status of OSHA’s proposed federal heat standard, an overview of OSHA’s revised Heat NEP, recent enforcement trends, and emerging state initiatives. It will also include a discussion on heat safety programs from Kwest Group and Helix Electric. Speakers Learn More and Register The purpose of AGC’s Safety & Health Town Halls is to communicate key safety and health issues and challenges, as well as discuss enforcement, regulatory, and outreach activities at the national and local levels. Looking Ahead…
Construction safety leadership isn’t only about preventing incidents, it’s also about controlling the exposures that impact worker health. AGC’s Health Hazards in Construction (HHC) is a four‑day, in‑person course designed to build practical industrial hygiene (IH) skills for construction. You’ll learn how to identify, evaluate, and control workplace health hazards, including exposure to chemicals, noise, dust, heat stress, and more—so you can better manage and coordinate IH services. Key Takeaways Course Details HHC is one of four courses in AGC’s Construction Safety Management Certificate (CSMC), a credential that goes beyond basic compliance and signals safety leadership.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) met March 31 and April 1, 2026, to review several proposed OSHA rulemaking actions that could affect construction employers. During the two-day virtual meeting, OSHA staff presented a series of deregulatory proposals aimed at reducing regulatory burden while maintaining worker protections, and ACCSH members discussed and voted on recommendations to provide to the Agency. Among the most significant proposals for the construction industry is OSHA’s plan to remove the requirement for medical evaluations before employees use filtering facepiece respirators (such as N95s) and loose-fitting powered…