Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is seeking an ordinance that would help the city crack down on unsafe job sites, according to press reports. The move follows the death of two workers in Boston’s South End on October 21 when a broken pipe flooded the trench they were working in.
The Boston Business Journal covered Walsh’s move here (see: “Mayor Walsh proposes ordinance to improve construction-worker safety,” by Catherine Carlock). “The proposed ordinance would update the city of Boston Municipal Code to allow city officials the right to deny, revoke or suspend a work permit based on a company’s work safety history,” the Business Journal reported. “Those applying for work permits would be required to inform officials of any violations with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The city is currently not notified of any resolved or outstanding OSHA violations.”
Cable news network necn has a report here (see: “Boston’s Mayor Pushes for More Oversight of Private Contractors Following Trench Collapse,” by Ally Donnelly). “An OSHA spokesman told necn that the agency does not weigh in on the permitting process and is generally not authorized to shut down a job site unless they see an imminent danger – even then they would need to get a court order,” the network reported. “As for the trench collapse, OSHA is investigating as is the Suffolk County District Attorney.”
