January 11, 2008 11:26 AM CST

OSHA Makes Employers Pay for Protective Equipment

By Masonry

Employers will be required to pay the cost of personal protective equipment for their workers under a final rule issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The agency estimates the rule will result in 21,000 fewer on-the-job injuries every year.

OSHA Administrator Edwin Foulke Jr. says workers are less likely to purchase the right equipment or buy it at all if they have to pay for it. Employers now pay about 95 percent of the cost of personal protective equipment, he says. Making them pick up the remaining 5 percent of the tab will cost employers a total of $85 million, OSHA estimates.

The rule applies only to personal protective equipment that is needed to comply with OSHA standards. Employers are not required to pay for ordinary safety-toed footwear, logging boots, ordinary prescription safety eyewear, ordinary clothing or weather-related gear. The rule, which was first proposed in 1999, goes into effect in five months.

For more information please visit www.osha.gov.

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Masonry, the official publication of the Mason Contractors Association of America, covers every aspect of the mason contractor profession - equipment and techniques, building codes and standards, business planning, promoting your business, legal issues and more. Read or subscribe to Masonry magazine at www.masonrymagazine.com.