Under a new "National Training Partnership" with the Ironworkers International Union, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will help revise existing steel erection training materials developed by the industry and urge its compliance officers to undertake the training, says OSHA deputy administrator Jordan Barab.

In remarks before the North American Iron Worker/IMPACT Labor-Management Conference, Barab said he found the existing materials "excellent," but added that some revisions should also be made.

Steve Rank, director of IMPACT's Western region, told BNA March 8 that most of those revisions will consist of minor adjustments for the sake of clarification. Rank also said the revisions are necessary in part because OSHA, under the Bush administration, refused the Steel Erection Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee's request to revisit and possibly update the training materials at a date five years after the steel erection standard was revised.

The revised standard was promulgated in January 2001 (29 C.F.R. Subpart R; 31 OSHR 63, 1/25/01).

OSHA inspectors underwent the ironworkers' training shortly after the standard was promulgated. During that round of training, OSHA and the ironworkers clashed over OSHA's insistence that the training reflect its own interpretations of the standard, as expressed mostly in a series of 2002 compliance directives, which Rank says "substantially reduced the safety provisions" in the rule. "We didn't want compliance officers being trained on OSHA's interpretation of the standard," Rank told BNA. "We wanted them to be trained on the standard. It's in black and white."

In October 2009, OSHA rescinded two of its 2002 enforcement policies, concerning tripping hazards and the installation of nets or floors (39 OSHR 856, 10/8/09).

The focus of the new "National Training Partnership" is to provide specialized training to OSHA Compliance Officers throughout the country utilizing a series of 8 steel erection training modules developed by IMPACT and the Ironworkers National Training Fund. Barab commented on a comprehensive evaluation of the Iron Workers training materials stating "our Directorate of Construction Staff have reviewed the Ironworkers steel erection training course and find the format of using DVD's, PowerPoint presentations, hands-on activities, and workbooks with examinations to be excellent for training."

William Brown, IMPACT Management Co-Chair, said Barab's announcement signals a "unique opportunity for us to work closely with OSHA compliance personnel to illustrate our comprehensive training materials and the quality of our training facilities throughout the country. It is important for us to work together to achieve consistent interpretation and enforcement of the OSHA Subpart R—Steel Erection standards."

"I appreciate the opportunity for our International Association and IMPACT to work with the new OSHA Administration to improve safety performance and compliance with the OSHA standard. I have committed the use of our training facilities to make this "National Training Partnership" a success. Our training facilities are evaluated to maintain the highest standards required by the Ironworker Apprenticeship Certification Program," said Joseph Hunt, General President of the Iron Workers International Union.