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Show Tuesday, August 9, 1994 Sun Advocate, Price, Utah 9 A Federal government revises construction protection rule United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich ' " ,f m announced revised construction standards for protection from falls on Aug. 4. According to the labor secretary, construction falls constitute the leading cause of worker fatalities in an industry rated among the nations most hazardous. If today follows the pattern for a normal workday in the U.S. construction industry, three workers will be absent because they are dead, Reich commented. About 16,000 others will not show up because they will have been injured on the job. This sad saga must not continue, and I believe that this new standard promulgated by the Occupa- 4 tional Safety and Health Mowing the lawn Five-year-o- ld steer a Administration Austin Moss helps his dad, Mike, riding lawn mower while cutting the 9rass at a Price residence last Friday, Compound reduces soil erosion Adding small amounts of polyacrylamide, an organic compound, to irrigation water dramatically reduces erosion on gypsum-ric- h soils in southern Utah. Many of these soils are very susceptible to concentrated flow erosion, such as tunneling, piping and gulleying, pointed out Utah State Uni- versity soil scientist Janis Boettinger. According to Boettinger, development in the Utahs southern region has exacerbated problems. Fields subside, sinkholes appear and pavement and foundations crack as soil collapses. When gypsum in these soils dissolves, the remaining particles are like a house of cards, ready to collapse, which they often do, Boettinger said. Erosion is especially severe in silty soils, which contain a finely dispersed, easily dissolved form of gypsum. 1 h with Sandy soils contain larger amounts of gypsum, but in a form that dissolves more irrigating polyacrylamide-enriche- slowly. linkages set. This promises to be a very significant method of managing soils in southern Utah, Boettinger said. It should be easy for farmers and homeowners to meter the compound into water. Polyacrylamide has no deleterious effects. Its much like adding additional organic matter to the Problems can often be prevented by avoiding overirrigation and by diverting drainage water from pavement and roofs to drain. Boettinger and Darrell Norton, with the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory at Purdue University, found that adding small amounts of polyacrylamide (about 10 parts per million) to irrigation water reduced soil erosion by magnitude. No erosion was detected when the soil was allowed to dry before the next irrigation. Polyacrylamide is a large organic molecule. The compound works by creating linkages with soil particles. When the calcium and salt in the soils dissolve, the polyacrylamide ions attach to the clay particles, thereby stabilizing the soil structure. Letting the soil dry after (OSIIA) will significantly reduce these d water apparently lets these numbers. Joseph Dear, OSHAs administrator, said the existing rules are unclear, do not cover all construction activities, set varying heights and are difficult to enforce. The new rule requires that tion industrys five million workers make up slightly more than 5 percent of the total U.S. work force, the industry accounts for 17 percent of all the fatalities 21 perabout with annually, cent of these fatalities a consequence of falls. Dear said full compliance with the new standard is expected to save 79 lives and prevent 56,400 injuries a year, which are 22 more lives saved and 15,600 more injuries prevented each year when compared with estimates for the fall protection rules currently in place. In 1991, there were 158 fatalities and 115,000 injuries to construction workers due to falls. OSHA currently is committed to work on two other construction standards that contain requirements for fall job-relat- protection steel erection and scaffolds. While the total cost to the industry for compliance with the new standard is estimated at $70 million a year ($30 million for the existing rule and $40 million for the additional whenever construction provisions), OSHA estimates employees are exposed to a fall that savings from workers of six feet or more, employers compensation claims could be must take some action to pro- several hundred million doltect workers from falling. The lars from lost workday injury rule applies to all construction cases. activities unless another conThe new rule: struction standard specificalSets a uniform threshold ly requires fall protection, height of six feet for providing such as for steel erection of consistent protection. Fall buildings and for scaffolds, protection can generally be pointed out Dear. provided through the use of OSHAs administrator said guardrail systems, safety net that although the construc systems or personal fall arrest Boettinger said. Reapplication may be systems. Under certain conditions, employers who can demonstrate that it is not feasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, must develop and implement a protection plan which specifies alternative fall protection measures. Prohibits the use of body belts as part of a personal fall arrest system as of Jan. 1, 1998. In addition, only locking- - type snaphooks will be permitted for use in personal fall arrest systems and positioning systems as of the same date. Gives employeis the flexibility to choose fiom various options to provide fall protection. For example, during roofroofs ing work on sides above with unprotected six feet, guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest system, or a combination of a warning line system and these systems, or a warning line and safety monitoring system will be allowed. In some cases, the use of a safety monitoring system alone is permitted. Contains sample fall protection plans which can be used by precast concrete and residential construction conlow-slope- d tractors when they can demonstrate that conventional fall protection systems are infeasible or create a greater hazard. The sample plans outline the elements that must be addressed in any fall protection plan and can be modified for conditions. The final rule is scheduled to become effective on Feb. 6, site-specif- ic soil, necessary when organisms Helper Jr. High School micro- degrade the Registration Schedule compound. Norton said research at the USDAs is Agricultural KimService lab Research in berly, Idaho, indicates that it costs about 5 cents per acre to apply 10 parts per million of polyacrylamide to soil via surge irrigation. At Kimberly, six applications per year reduced water and wind erosion. as follows: 7th grade on Tuesday, Aug. 16 8th grade on Wednesday, Aug. 17 9th grade on Thursday, Aug. 18 Hours each day are 8:00 am thru 2:00 pm. Parents should accompany students on registration day. school year are as Fees, due on registration day for the Rental (7, 8, Locker follows: Studentbody Fees (7, 8, 9) $18.00; 9) $2.00; Book Rental (8 & 9) $25.00; Shop Fee (8 & 9) $5.00; Home Ec. Fee (9th) $15.00; and Advanced Science (9th) $5.00. Other fees may be assessed during the school year for extracurricular activities. 94-9- 5 AARP supports reforming health provide long-ter- council. But it provides nothing for the medicines they often must have to make their doctors recommendations effective. That is why we believe some prescription drug coverage is an essential part of health care reform. Older Americans use significantly more prescription drugs than other age groups to maintain their health. Yet according to Midgley, while the need for prescription I coverage, prescriptions m Nearly half of Americas elderly had no prescription drug coverage in 1991, according to a recent public policy report by the American Association of Retired Persons. Medicare is a great help to older citizens in paying doctor and hospital bills, pointed out Grant Midgley, a Salt Lake City resident and member of AARPs national legislative care to drugs increases with age, income and health coverage for the drugs usually declines. A recent survey conducted by AARP indicated that as many as 10 percent of the order people surveyed said they had cut back on food and heating fuel to pay for their medications, stressed Midgley. It is a medical fact that pharmaceuticals can improve health and avoid costly hospi- care coverage for everyone, is equitable in financing and has If strong cost containment you have any questions, please contact the school at AARP is the nations ADULT DAYCARE members in Utah. Ken Creer, Spiingville, serves as State Director. , tal stays. It makes sense and in the long run it will be IS NOW OPEN to cover prescripcheaper tion drugs now. Midgley also pointed out that while AARP has not Licensed endorsed any health care reform bill before the United and Approved States Congress, the organization has stated its support for reform that offers com- with an prehensive quality health, prescription and long-ter- In-Hou- m se by a Trained Staff man school EXCIIANOli i -- NL2-ji Please call Roger or I 458-833- ) i t 36 W. Maln,Prlci637-9- STUDENTS of a Open your heart and home and be part stua to host history. Unique opportunity dent from the former Soviet Union. Students also a ailahle from Germany, France, Macedonia Belgium, Penmaik, Thailand, & Bulgaria. Students are fully insured and have their own spending money. S ('AMt b a nn 964-213- 9 4 mmKmmmmmmmsasmBBmammmss. Weekend Respite Care Entertainment Fri. & Sat., Aug. 12 & 13 "JUSTUS Members, take advantage ol our shuttle! and we will pick you Call us at 637-944up. We appreciate your business. , Come in and try our 6 profit urganlatlon. Sfiedat I i I . lead- ing organization for persons age 50 and older. There are approximately 150,600 AARP Host Families For i 1 measures. Pharmacy and Supervision V 472-544- V Hot Meals Socialization Entertainment Activities 7 a.m. to 6 p.m FOR BUSINESS IN CARBON COUNTY APPLICATIONS are now being taken for Daycare and for Residential Living Apartments. Drop by HOLIDAY MANOR 1305 S. Carbon Ave., Price or call 637-411- 1 for further information |