Federal officials reviewing Nevada OSHA oversight (12 deaths in 18 months)

[Omaha Steve]

Jordan Barab was the director of safety at AFSCME in D.C. for several years. I'm a proud AFSCME member.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12966871?nclick_check=1

The Associated Press
Posted: 07/31/2009 12:21:12 PM PDT

LAS VEGAS—A federal official says a U.S. Labor Department task force is investigating workplace oversight by Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Acting assistant secretary of labor Jordan Barab said federal OSHA officials are looking at accident investigations and workplace safety.

State OSHA officials say they are cooperating.

The task force plans to issue a report in about a month.

Nevada workplace safety has drawn attention since a string of 12 worker deaths during an 18-month period of rapid Las Vegas Strip resort construction.

In June 2008, federal OSHA inspectors took the unusual step of joining Nevada inspectors in looking at safety practices at large Strip construction sites, including CityCenter, Cosmopolitan and Planet Hollywood.

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Information from: Las Vegas Sun, http://www.lasvegassun.com