Attorney General Issues Advisory on Public Construction Safety Act

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

August 14, 2008

Home Contact:
Harry Pierre
(617) 727-2543


BOSTON – Today, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office issued an Advisory on Chapter 306 of the Acts of 2004, An Act Relative to the Health and Safety on Public Construction Projects. The Act requires employers on public construction sites in Massachusetts to ensure that their employees have training in construction safety and the advisory provides guidance with respect to the Attorney General’s interpretation and enforcement of the law.

“This Act attempts lower the costs on public construction sites by minimizing accidents,” said Attorney General Coakley. “It is important that employers and employees who are subject to the statute understand what the law means and what our office’s role is in enforcing that law.”

The law requires employees who work on public construction sites in Massachusetts to have completed a 10 hour course in construction safety approved by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) and requires employers to certify that employees will do this. The advisory provides guidance on which employees must have the OHSA training, how employees can demonstrate they have taken the training, the documents employers need to submit to comply with the law, and the manner in which the Attorney General’s Office will enforce the Act. The advisory was issued after extensive meetings and discussion with stakeholders in the construction industry and with unions. The advisory can be found on the Attorney General’s website.

The Attorney General’s Office is responsible for enforcing the payment of wages laws, various public construction laws, and misclassification of employees in the Commonwealth. Workers who believe their rights have been violated are strongly urged to call the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465.