News & Events

We just received the following notice from the Department of Labor & Industry.

IMPORTANT NOTICE – CHANGE IN FEES FOR CERTIFICATION, ACCREDITATION AND LICENSING

The Pennsylvania Legislature, under House Bill 118, recently approved fee changes for the Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety. All Certification, Accreditation and Licensing fees where we certify, accredit or license Asbestos & Lead Individuals, Asbestos & Lead Companies and Asbestos & Lead Training Providers are affected. The change is effective as soon as the Governor signs the bill, which is anticipated to occur this week, and we will provide you with a copy of the new fee schedule. All applications are currently being revised and will be available on the Department’s website shortly. The new fee schedule will also be posted on the Department’s website: www.dli.pa.gov.


OSHA recently issued a new Confined Spaces in Construction regulation. The effective date is August 3, 2015. This new standard requires the Controlling Contractor, rather than the host employer, to be the point of contact and pass on information about permit spaces to other employers on the construction job site. Any employer who will send his employees into permit spaces will have to ensure they have a competent person who will evaluate the hazards posed by such entry and appropriately control and isolate the hazard. An entry permit will now be required by the entry employer as well as continuous atmospheric and engulfment monitoring whenever possible. Contact PTA, Inc. for more information about this new standard or schedule training for your employees.


EPA has posted a prepublication version of its decision to extend renovator certifications for one year from the date of initial certification. For renovators certified on or before March 31, 2010 do not need to recertify until March 31, 2016. For those renovators initially certified between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, EPA grants an extension of one year from the date of initial certification. This change does not become official until published in the federal register which should be on or around April 22, 2015.


We’ve added a new training class to our arsenal: 24-Hour Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA).

Where our 8-Hour ICRA class focuses on conducting smaller-scale and shorter duration construction and maintenance projects within healthcare facilities, and is applicable to a wide variety of facility and trade professionals, our new 24-Hour ICRA training course is far more comprehensive and specifically geared to those individuals responsible for building the systems necessary to control potentially high levels of construction dusts generated on larger projects in healthcare facilities.

A major focus beyond core requirements is for every student to understand by classroom and practical training how construction risk is assessed and how that risk is mitigated through the use of industry standard tools such as the Matrix Tool as well as Best Management Practices. Successful participants are provided with a photo-ID wallet card as proof of training.