Federal safety regulators to monitor Hard Rock Casino Rockford construction
Construction crews who are already building the steel shell of the Hard Rock Casino Rockford will have greater safety protections and extra-close monitoring from the Occupational Health & Safety Administration under a voluntary agreement officials inked on Tuesday.
Four organizations are part of the safety agreement that took about six months to negotiate, said Ringland-Johnson Construction President Brent Johnson, whose company serves as general contractor for the casino project.
More: Behind the scenes: How Rockford became the next new home for a Hard Rock Casino
The agreement was signed by representatives of Ringland-Johnson, OSHA, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and Illinois OSHA. It calls for monthly OSHA site visits, identifying work hazards and equipping workers with the latest safety gear. All construction workers will have at least 10 hours of site-specific safety training and supervisors will have at least 30 hours.
"We want this project to be at the forefront and superior in every way possible," Johnson said. "Protecting the workforce is the ultimate goal. So, everyone who comes onto the site, which will be 1,200 workers, we want them to go home the way they came to work each day."
Construction officials are aiming to complete the casino, Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Live venue in fall 2024. No opening date has been announced.
Jeff Kolkey can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Hard Rock Casino Rockford construction to be monitored by OSHA
