The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Methuen Obayashi Joint Venture to enhance worker safety and health protections during construction of the Cemetery Brook Drain Tunnel Project in Manchester, New Hampshire.
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The large-scale infrastructure project is designed to modernize Manchester’s aging drainage system through the construction of a gravity-fed stormwater conveyance tunnel. Once completed, the tunnel is expected to significantly reduce sewer overflows, improve stormwater management, and strengthen long-term environmental resilience in the region.
Under the partnership, OSHA and the Methuen Obayashi Joint Venture will collaborate to reduce workplace hazards commonly associated with complex underground and civil construction projects. Key areas of focus include minimizing worker exposure to hazardous gases, pressurized environments, confined spaces, and struck-by incidents, as well as ensuring the proper use of shoring and protective systems during excavation activities.
In addition to hazard prevention, the initiative will support contractors in developing and implementing comprehensive safety and health management systems. The partnership also places a strong emphasis on training subcontractors to recognize and mitigate risks when working in and around active construction zones.
OSHA officials noted that the collaboration will prioritize leadership engagement, accountability measures, worker participation, and robust hazard identification and mitigation protocols. These efforts are intended to create a proactive safety culture throughout the project’s duration, helping to prevent injuries and ensure compliance with federal safety standards.
The partnership is part of OSHA’s broader Strategic Partnership Program, which brings together employers, workers, trade associations, labor organizations, and other stakeholders to establish measurable goals and strategies that improve workplace safety and health outcomes. The program is commonly used on large or technically complex construction projects where coordinated safety planning is critical.
Construction of the Cemetery Brook Drain Tunnel Project represents a significant public infrastructure investment for Manchester, and officials said the partnership will play a key role in ensuring that the project is completed safely while protecting workers across all phases of construction.
Originally reported by U.S. Department of Labor.
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