MCAA Fights OSHA Scaffolding Interpretation

Words: Dan KesterBy now, most of you have probably read or heard about the interpretation issued earlier this summer by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on scaffolding. Citations were issued in two areas of the country for failure to remove materials from scaffolding at the end of the work shift and OSHA inspectors claimed that as a result their ability to do a complete inspection was impeded.

MCAA has met with OSHA about this and is encouraged that its Directorate of Construction expressed an interest in resolving this issue in a masonry?specific manner. But MCAA?s Director of Government Affairs, Marian Marshall, is also working very closely with Congressman Charlie Norwood of Georgia to ensure that this matter is addressed expeditiously and satisfactorily for our contractors.

We will keep you apprised of our progress.

The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry
July 2025

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency. In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one time

Outreach Outlook: Momentum in Motion
July 2025

As we move into the heart of summer, the masonry industry continues to thrive—fueled by innovation, partnership, and a growing commitment to excellence in education and workforce advancement. June has been a remarkable month, marked by events that not onl

Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon