U.S. Department of Labor, Maine Department of Labor and Maine School of Masonry Partner to Promote Worker Safety

AUGUSTA, ME – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently signed a two-year alliance with the Maine Department of Labor, Workplace Safety and Health Division (SafetyWorks!), and the Maine School of Masonry to promote worker safety in the masonry industry.

The new alliance will develop information on how to recognize and prevent workplace hazards in the masonry trades, including reducing and preventing exposure to silica hazards, and communicating such information to employers, workers and students. Alliance partners will also educate workers on their rights and employers’ responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The OSHA Alliance Program fosters collaborative relationships with groups committed to worker safety and health. Alliance partners help OSHA reach targeted audiences, such as employers and workers in high-hazard industries, giving them better access to workplace safety and health tools and information.

The Maine Department of Labor, Workplace Safety and Health Division (SafetyWorks!) promotes a healthful, safe, and fair workplace through consultation services, training resources, worksite inspections and regulatory enforcement. For more information, visit https://www.maine.gov/labor/workplace_safety/index.html or  https://safetyworksmaine.gov/.

Formed in 2005, the Maine School of Masonry is a private, non-profit masonry school in Avon, Maine. The school teaches students the fundamentals of laying brick and stonework.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.