Again, ANSI Thwarts Efforts to Block Safety Standard for Construction Industry

Last week (7/17/08), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Appeals Board Panel dismissed the latest appeal brought by the Construction Industry Employer Coalition, a coalition of five trade associations of U.S. construction interests, to withdraw the adoption of the approved voluntary consensus standard “reduction of Musculoskeletal Problems in Construction” (ANSI/ASSE A10.40-2007), which aims to reduce musculoskeletal problems/disorders (MSDs) in the construction industry. This was the last appeal allowable under the ANSI appeals process.

In late 2006, the ANSI/ASSE A10 Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) on Construction and Demolition Operations approved the standard. Following the approval of the standard by the Committee, the Coalition filed an appeal challenging the standard’s adoption, and a hearing was held on May 1, 2007 to hear the formal complaints.

On May 25, 2007, the appeals panel found unanimously that the appeal complaints were without merit and that the Secretariat, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), complied with the ANSI due process requirements in developing the standard. ANSI’s Board of Standards Review (BSR) approved the standard on July 23, 2007 after extensive review of the procedures and the record.

During Fall 2007, the Coalition filed a request with ANSI to retract the approval of the standard temporarily, but the BSR decided not to rescind the approval of A10.40 as a consensus standard while an appeal was pending on October 16, 2007. The Coalition appealed the BSR decision on November 9, 2007. The ANSI BSR held the hearing for the appeal on February 7, 2008. The BSR determined after the appeal hearing on March 14, 2008 that its original action to approve the A10.40 as an American National Standard stands. The Coalition appealed again on May 5, 2008, their last appeal under ANSI procedures.

According to the ANSI Appeals Board Panel, the appeals statement and record filed by the Coalition did not establish a prima facie case against the BSR’s earlier decision to uphold the approval of the standard. Therefore, another appeals hearing will not be held.

The ANSI BSR denied the previous appeal on the grounds that insufficient evidence was provided by the Coalition in support of its appeal to demonstrate that the ASC 10 Committee failed to obtain a consensus of materially affected interests with respect to the A10.40 Standard, that the Committee was unbalanced or dominated by one interest group, that the Committee failed adequately to respond to comments or that any procedural requirements were violated or overlooked.

"National consensus standards, such as A10.40, reflect the insights of the final users and the opinions of professionals who work at all levels of public and private sectors in technology development, safety and health, manufacturing, training, financial analysis, personnel and academia," said A10 Committee Chair Richard King, CSP, CRSP. "This balanced perspective enables standards to be crafted in a manner that benefits and protects standard users."

Some of the potential solutions in the standard aimed at reducing incidence of MSDs include risk elimination, substitution, use of engineering controls, administrative changes, training, use of protective equipment and assessment of individuals’ physical capabilities.

The standard also notes that construction workers and supervisors should be trained to recognize risk factors and ways to reduce the risk of MSDs through proper work techniques. Employee participation and injury management program are also discussed in the standard. A10.40 also includes a risk assessment guide, a construction MSD problem checklist, a return-to-work checklist, a list of resources, key terms and definitions and a list of non-occupational risk factors associated with work-related MSDs such as age, strength and gender.

For more information on how to reduce the risk of MSDs in construction visit the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health for its booklet titled Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Construction Workers. Click this link for ASSE’s position statement on ergonomics.

AHRI Awarded Prestigious ANSI Accreditation

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) announced it has been awarded accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards developing organization.

"ANSI accreditation adds value to our standards development process by confirming that our procedures meet ANSI's essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus, and due process," said AHRI President Stephen Yurek. "In order to maintain accreditation, AHRI is required to consistently adhere to a rigorous set of requirements and procedures."

Many of AHRI's standards outline technical procedures for uniformly measuring the performance of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and commercial refrigeration (HVACR) equipment. Through the use of these standards and voluntary participation in the industry's performance certification programs, consumers can be assured manufacturers' performance claims are verified and rated uniformly to enable fair comparisons.

"The rigor of ANSI accreditation makes it widely recognized as a valid measurement of a standards program's credibility and competency by federal and state governments and governments outside the United States," said Yurek. "It also enhances the integrity of AHRI's industry certification programs, and improves consumer confidence in the performance of heating, cooling and commercial refrigeration equipment and components both domestically and abroad."

ANSI Offers New Voluntary Safety Standard

To prevent injuries and illness among construction workers exposed to hazards associated with the installation and extraction of piles during construction and demolition operations, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced the approval of the new voluntary consensus standard “Safety Requirements for Pile Installation and Extraction Operations” (ANSI/ASSE A10.19-2008).

According to the standard, a pile refers to a concrete, steel, or wood column which is driven or otherwise introduced into the soil, usually to carry a vertical load or to provide lateral support. The ANSI/ASSE A10.19-2008 standard is one of a series of voluntary consensus standards that focus on construction and demolition operations. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the standard on March 24, 2008.

“Preventing injuries and illnesses among construction and demolition workers is the goal of the A10 standard committee,” said A10 Committee Chair Richard F. King, CSP, CRSP. “Voluntary national consensus standards, such as the A10.19, offer a balanced perspective based on the insights of the final users and the opinions of professionals who work at all levels of public and private sectors in technology development, safety and health, manufacturing, training, financial analysis, personnel, and academia.

“The value of workplace safety to workers in the construction industry and their families can not be overstated,” said A10.19 Subcommittee Chair Philip Colleran, CSP. “The new A10.19 consensus standard establishes the necessary safety requirements to prevent injuries that are associated with pile installation and extraction hazards, helping construction and demolition workers to return home safely every day.”

According to the 2006 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary (CFOI), construction accounted for 1,226 fatal work injuries, the most of any industry sector. In addition the CFOI indicated that the two occupational groups, construction and extraction occupations and transportation and material moving occupations, together made up almost half of all fatal work injuries in 2006. Also, construction and extraction worker fatalities rose 6% in 2006.

The A10.19-2008 standard applies to employment and places of employment where workers may be exposed to pile installation and extraction operation hazards during construction and demolition operations. The piles referred to in the standard include piles made of hot and cold rolled steel, concrete, wood and composite materials. This standard does not apply to structural steel erection covered in ANSI/ASSE A10.13 or ANSI/ASSE A10.16 voluntary consensus standards.

ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 standards serve as guides to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.

The A10.19-2008 standard will be available soon in both print and electronic format. For more information on A10.19 or other ANSI/ASSE construction and demolition related safety standards, contact ASSE Customer Service at 847-699-2929.

AHRI Awarded ANSI Accreditation

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has been awarded accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards developing organization.

"ANSI accreditation adds value to our standards development process by confirming that our procedures meet ANSI's essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus and due process," said AHRI President Stephen Yurek. "In order to maintain accreditation, AHRI is required to consistently adhere to a rigorous set of requirements and procedures."

Many of AHRI's standards outline technical procedures for uniformly measuring the performance of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and commercial refrigeration (HVACR) equipment. Through the use of these standards and voluntary participation in the industry's performance certification programs, consumers can be assured manufacturers' performance claims are verified and rated uniformly to enable fair comparisons.

"The rigor of ANSI accreditation makes it widely recognized as a valid measurement of a standards program's credibility and competency by federal and state governments and governments outside the United States," said Yurek. "It also enhances the integrity of AHRI's industry certification programs, and improves consumer confidence in the performance of heating, cooling and commercial refrigeration equipment and components both domestically and abroad."

About AHRI
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment. AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products.