OSHA launches random safety inspections

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it will be conducting random, weekend inspections for fall safety and trench hazards using 10 growing counties near Denver as a starting point.

OSHA said in a statement Monday that a surge in construction has led to more workers exposed to falls and trenching and excavation hazards, and that over the last two years, six workers have suffered fatal falls and nearly a dozen have been victims of excavation collapses and trenching incidents, leading to the deaths of three more workers.

The “Weekend Work” initiative will cover Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, El Paso, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Larimer and Weld counties and will continue into the fall.