Mechanical Insulators Labor Management and Cooperative Trust (LMCT) Executive Director Pete Ielmini appeared on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed worker safety on the jobsite and how the insulation industry has advanced in recent years.
Ielmini told AWF host Ed “Flash” Ferenc building trades unions have paved the way for making the construction industry a safer place to work.
With the Federal government creation and passing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, workers and industries were able to take safety into their own hands with public standards. The new set of safety standards protect employees on-the-job to this day. This historic legislation also established a new government agency called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA.
Ielmini then explained how OSHA is working to hold employers accountable for keeping their employees safe at work.
According to Ielmini, the largest safety concern for the mechanical insulation industry and Mechanical Insulators remains the materials they use. Potential exposure to certain carcinogens on jobsites and breathing in materials continues to poise the biggest risk to the workforce.
While the banning of asbestos has made it safer to be an Insulator, journeymen and apprentices still worry about inhaling materials such as fiberglass and mineral wool.
Mechanical Insulators LMCT contractors provide the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their employees wear and the best workforce is trained to follow all the safety rules and regulations in order to protect themselves and everyone else on the jobsite.
You can listen to the full interview here: