The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is taking new steps to combat the rise in construction fatalities by bringing additional inspectors to conduct proactive inspections of construction sites.

OSHA has funded a consultation service to assist employers in finding out about potential hazards at their worksites, improving their occupational safety and health management systems, and even qualifying for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections.

New standards were effective in March and more are scheduled in August & November 2008 and even more in 2009. Companies are being encouraged to update training, certification and safety programs to avoid inspections, citations and most importantly accidents. Over 100 employees have died in construction-related accidents since January.