CONSAD Research Corporation

Occupational Safety and Health

RULEMAKING SUPPORT AND AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A PROPOSED STANDARD FOR CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY (LOCKOUT/TAGOUT) IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) anticipates promulgating a standard for the control of hazardous energy sources (lockout/tagout) during the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in the construction industry. This standard would be similar to the standard that exists for general industry.

Under a previous task order CONSAD collected the information needed to form an adequate base to determine the industry profile, technological feasibility, safety benefits, compliance costs, and economic impacts for all affected industry sectors that must comply with the proposed standard. The purpose of this study was to analyze and synthesize these data in order to develop an industry profile and an accident database for OSHA's proposed standard for the lockout/tagout of hazardous energy sources.

More specifically, CONSAD developed industry profile information describing the types of hazardous energy sources (HES) found on construction projects, as well as characterizing the type, frequency, and duration of work performed on these HES. An accident analysis was also performed describing the numbers of fatalities and injuries associated with the servicing, maintenance, and repair of machinery and equipment during construction activities. These results have been incorporated into an Interim Report submitted to OSHA by CONSAD.

Once OSHA's proposed lockout/tagout standard becomes more well-defined, CONSAD is expected to complete its economic analysis of the proposed standard. This will include an assessment of technological feasibility, a safety benefits analysis, the estimation of compliance costs, and an economic impact analysis, including the impacts on small business.