OR-OSHA Safety Program (Division 2/3)

Section 1 · Program Statement and Objectives

Cascade Ridge Construction LLC is committed to providing every employee with a safe and healthy workplace. No construction project is worth an injury — and injuries are not an inevitable cost of doing business. Through planning, training, and daily attention to hazards, we work to prevent injuries before they happen.

Objectives

• Maintain full compliance with the Oregon Safe Employment Act (ORS Chapter 654) and OR-OSHA regulations (OAR Chapter 437, Division 1, 2, and 3).
• Identify and eliminate or control hazards on every jobsite before work begins.
• Train every employee on the hazards they may encounter and the controls we have in place.
• Provide the personal protective equipment (PPE) required for each task at no cost to the employee (OAR 437-002-0134).
• Investigate every incident, near-miss, and injury to learn from it and prevent recurrence.
• Maintain Oregon's required OSHA 300/300A/301 recordkeeping (OAR 437-001-0700).
• Create a workplace where every employee knows they can raise a safety concern without fear of retaliation (ORS 654.062).

Scope of this program

This program applies to all Cascade Ridge Construction LLC operations in the state of Oregon, including all jobsites (residential remodels, new construction, and light commercial), all employees regardless of position, and all subcontractors working under our direction. Subcontractors are additionally bound by the safety obligations in their subcontractor agreement — including the SB 426-related wage and safety coordination provisions (see separate document).

Section 2 · Responsibilities Matrix

Safety works only when everyone knows their role. The following responsibility matrix assigns specific duties at each level of the organization, consistent with OAR 437-001-0760.

Section 3 · Hazard Identification and Assessment

We cannot control a hazard we have not identified. This program requires hazard assessment at three levels: before the project begins, every day at the jobsite, and before any non-routine or high-risk task.

3.1 Pre-project hazard assessment

Before work begins on any project, the site superintendent completes a written pre-project hazard assessment that identifies:

• The scope of work and its hazards (trenching, fall exposure, demolition, electrical work, confined spaces, etc.)
• Site-specific conditions (proximity to overhead power lines, uneven terrain, traffic exposure, weather considerations, presence of asbestos or lead in older structures)
• Expected seasonal conditions — heat exposure projections for summer months, wet-weather surface hazards in winter
• Other contractors and trades present and their schedules
• Access and egress routes for workers and emergency services
• Location of the nearest emergency services (hospital, urgent care, fire/EMS)

3.2 Daily jobsite inspection

At the start of every workday, before work begins, the foreman or site superintendent walks the site and completes the daily jobsite inspection checklist covering:

• Fall hazards and fall protection systems (OAR 437-003 — 10-foot trigger height for general construction)
• Excavation protection (shoring, benching, sloping, or protective system per OAR 437-003 Subdivision P)
• Electrical hazards (GFCI protection, cords and equipment condition, overhead line proximity)
• Scaffolding (proper erection, complete guardrails, access, weight limits)
• PPE availability and condition
• Housekeeping, egress, and fire protection
• Hazardous materials (HazCom) and their proper storage and labeling
• Heat illness prevention under OAR 437-002-0156 when ambient is at or above 80°F: shade availability, water (1 qt/hr/employee minimum), acclimatization schedule for new or returning employees, high-heat procedures (including buddy system and effective communication) when ≥90°F
• First aid supplies, emergency contact information, and evacuation plan posting

3.3 Task-specific hazard assessment (JHA)

Before any non-routine, high-risk task (fall protection above 10 feet, excavation over 4 feet deep, hot work, confined space entry, lifting operations, demolition, etc.), the foreman conducts a Job Hazard Analysis with the crew. The JHA identifies each step, the hazard at that step, and the control in place. A blank JHA form is included as Appendix C.

Section 4 · Priority Hazard Categories & Controls

Based on OR-OSHA enforcement data and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, five hazard categories cause the majority of construction injuries and fatalities in Oregon. Each is addressed specifically in this program.

4.1 Falls from elevation (OAR 437-003 Subdivision M)

Falls are the leading cause of construction fatalities. Oregon's general trigger height for fall protection in construction is 10 feet. At or above 10 feet (and at lower heights in specific situations like steel erection or work near dangerous equipment), fall protection must be in place before the exposure begins.

• Guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems are the three acceptable protection categories.
• Fall arrest harnesses must be inspected before each use; any damaged harness is tagged out and removed from service immediately.
• Anchor points must support at least 5,000 pounds per attached worker.
• Every crew member working at height receives documented fall protection training before their first aerial assignment.

4.2 Heat illness prevention (OAR 437-002-0156) — a cornerstone Oregon rule

Oregon has one of the most protective heat-illness rules in the country, adopted after 2021's heat dome. This rule triggers when the ambient temperature reaches 80°F and escalates at 90°F. Required controls:

• Drinking water: Cool (≤77°F) drinking water, 32 oz per hour per employee, available without charge and within short walking distance.
• Shade: Sufficient shade to accommodate employees on rest breaks and meal periods, located as close as practicable to the work area. Shade must be available at or above 80°F.
• Acclimatization: New employees and those returning from an absence of more than a week must be acclimatized over 14 days, starting at no more than 20% of a normal work pace on day one.
• High-heat procedures (≥90°F): Mandatory 10-minute cool-down rest break every two hours; effective observation and mandatory buddy system; regular communication with each employee working alone; pre-shift meeting covering heat-illness topics.
• Training: Every employee and every supervisor must be trained on heat illness risk factors, signs and symptoms, and emergency response, before working in conditions at or above 80°F.
• Emergency response: Written plan posted at each jobsite, including the jobsite address/GPS for emergency services and the protocol for cooling a symptomatic employee while waiting for medical response.

4.3 Struck-by hazards

Being struck by moving equipment, falling tools, or swinging loads is the second leading cause of construction fatalities. Controls include hard hats on every jobsite at all times (no exceptions), tool tethers at heights, clearly marked lift zones, spotters for backing vehicles, and high-visibility apparel in traffic zones (OAR 437-003-0300).

4.4 Caught-in/between hazards and excavation

Trench cave-ins and equipment entanglement kill construction workers every year in Oregon. Excavations deeper than 5 feet require a protective system (shoring, benching, or sloping) per OAR 437-003 Subdivision P unless made in stable rock. Daily inspection of the excavation by a competent person is required, and no employee works in an unprotected excavation.

4.5 Electrocution

Overhead power lines, damaged cords, and improper lockout-tagout cause electrocution fatalities. Controls include maintaining at least 10 feet of clearance from overhead lines (more for higher voltages), GFCI protection on all 120V circuits, daily cord inspection, and a written lockout-tagout procedure for energy-isolation work (OAR 437-002-0140, adopting 29 CFR 1910.147).