U.S. Department of Labor Concludes Successful Strategic Partnership With Langlas & Associates Inc. at Billings High School Project

BILLINGS, MT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the conclusion of a two-year strategic partnership agreement with Langlas & Associates Inc., the general contractor that completed construction of a new high school in Billings, Montana.

The agreement focused on preventing worker exposures to falls, being struck-by objects, caught-in or caught-between objects, and electrocution. The partnership produced useful best practices to address hazards such as fall protection, near miss, traffic control, coronavirus infection, and housekeeping programs. Specifically, the near miss program identified and addressed more than 60 worksite hazards by allowing and encouraging workers to have a greater voice in the project’s emphasis on safety and health.  

The partnership involved approximately 100 subcontractors who contributed to completing a 250,000 square feet building project. During construction, work crews implemented processes that protected everyone onsite amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“This partnership serves as a model for how multiple employers can work together to ensure the safety and health of workers,” said OSHA Billings Area Office Director Art Hazen.

Through the Strategic Partnership Program, OSHA works with employers, employees, professional and trade associations, labor organizations and other interested stakeholders to establish specific goals, strategies and performance measures to improve worker safety and health.

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 https://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.