Harris County’s new worksite safety policy, aimed at establishing better standards for construction projects, will make it easier to terminate county contractors who have been dinged for non-compliance.
The policy establishes uniform safety, monitoring and inspection standards for projects, and was designed to reduce worksite injuries, according to county documents. The policy was drafted by using feedback from labor and industry stakeholders.
In a three-to-one vote on Thursday, Harris County commissioners approved the safety policy that establishes monitoring and inspection standards on construction sites and for county construction projects.
The policy applies to prime contractors and subcontractors, who are now fully required to apply with the contractual provisions of the policy — which could include termination against non-compliers. The policy doesn’t apply to certain contracts, like interlocal government agreements, emergency contracts and contracts for purchases of good and services.
Policy documents establish certain safety standards like providing workers with personal protective equipment, providing a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours worked and longer breaks when the temperatures are higher.
When worksite temperatures are higher than 90 degrees, workers will be provided 15-minute rest breaks every two hours, “to allow workers to drink water and cool off and prevent heat illnesses such as heat strokes that could have fatal consequences.”
The new policy also assures that contractors are developing plans to mitigate heat hazards and emergency response plans for situations where workers are experiencing heat illness.
Commissioners who approved the policy spoke about a rise of heat-related illnesses on construction sites in recent years. Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Lesley Briones championed the new policy in a press conference on Wednesday.
“Harris County is first, i.e. last, in terms of severe heat related injuries and severe injuries on construction sites,” Briones said. “So Harris County commissioners court is taking action, because we want to be on the front lines of delivering protection, safety and opportunity for working families.”
Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the lone Republican on the county’s elected court, voted against the safety policy. He said the policy was rushed and didn't involve enough community input.
"I think we need to ask ourselves what is the timeline?” he said. “Why did we wake up a month ago and said we’re going to get this done in a month? Well, if we started two years ago and worked on it, ok. That would be it. We didn’t do that."
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