 Tarah Kile has been named MIOSHA deputy director, bringing more than 20 years of workplace safety, training and leadership experience to the position.
Kile joined MIOSHA in 2017 as a construction safety consultant and was promoted to compliance safety supervisor in 2019. In 2022, she became director of MIOSHA’s Consultation Education and Training Division, where she oversaw outreach services for Michigan employers and workers.
As deputy director, Kile helps oversee MIOSHA operations and supports the agency’s continued efforts to protect the safety and health of Michigan workers.
Before joining MIOSHA, Kile managed safety programs for industrial and residential contractors and held program management and education roles with the Great Lakes Safety Training Center. Her experience includes construction safety, regulatory compliance, employee training, program development and organizational leadership.
 Tarah Kile speaks with employers during a MIOSHA workplace safety event.
Kile succeeds Dawn Jack, who departed the agency in July. Jack, an attorney, joined MIOSHA in 2009 as appeals director and became deputy director in November 2023. She provided legal and operational leadership across the agency’s enforcement, consultation and administrative functions.
 Kile speaks at a 2023 MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Awards ceremony.
 MIOSHA staff joined mental health and construction professionals at a Construction Suicide Prevention Week event in Grand Rapids on Sept. 9, 2025.
Construction Suicide Prevention Week will be observed Sept. 14–18, 2026, bringing the industry together to raise awareness, reduce stigma and connect workers with support. This year’s theme, “Building on Progress,” encourages employers and workers to continue strengthening workplace mental health efforts.
The urgency is clear. Nationally, nearly 6,000 construction workers died by suicide in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2023, 186 Michigan men whose usual industry was construction died by suicide, demonstrating the continued need for targeted prevention and support within this predominantly male industry.
Since 2023, MIOSHA has helped host and participate in Construction Suicide Prevention Week events across Michigan, bringing these conversations directly to construction workers and active jobsites. Events have been held in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Marshall, Wayland and Kalamazoo in partnership with construction companies and industry organizations. MIOSHA continued that statewide outreach in 2025 by joining employers and trade groups to share resources and connect workers with support.
Employers do not need to be mental health professionals to make a difference. They can prepare by:
- Planning a toolbox talk or safety stand-down
- Sharing employee assistance and crisis-support resources
- Training supervisors to recognize concerning changes in behavior
- Encouraging workers to check in with one another
- Including mental health in the company’s overall safety program
Construction workers may face demanding schedules, seasonal employment, time away from family, workplace injuries and chronic pain. Creating an environment where workers feel comfortable asking for help can strengthen both employee well-being and workplace safety.
The Construction Suicide Prevention Week website offers free planning materials, toolbox talks and other resources in English and Spanish. Employers can also register their participation and receive a campaign certificate and electronic badge.
Mental health support should continue beyond one week. By encouraging open conversations and making resources easy to find, employers can help build workplaces where seeking support is recognized as a sign of strength.
Resources
Learn more about workplace mental health at Michigan.gov/HealthyWorkHealthyMind.
 Join MIOSHA, ASSP Greater Detriot Chapter and Kelly Services for Coffee with MIOSHA in Troy on Aug. 27.
MIOSHA, American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Greater Detroit Chapter and Kelly Services invite employers and employees to join us for an informal networking event focused on workplace safety and health.
Coffee with MIOSHA events are designed for safety professionals, offering a unique opportunity to:
- Network with MIOSHA administrative, enforcement and consultation staff.
- Ask questions and discuss workplace safety challenges.
- Learn about MIOSHA’s programs and services to enhance safety and health.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, Aug. 27
Time: 9–11 a.m.
Location
Kelly Services
999 W Big Beaver Rd.
Troy, MI 48084
Register
Register for Coffee with MIOSHA to attend.
Questions? Contact Karly St. Aubin at Karlysis1727@gmail.com.
By Brian Paul, MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Manager
MIOSHA Administrative Standard Part 11, Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Rule 408.22139(2), requires employers to report work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye within 24 hours. Under Rule 408.22139(3), employers may report an incident in person, by telephone or electronically through the MIOSHA recordkeeping website.
Employers have reported numerous falls, amputations, struck-by incidents and cases of heat stress to MIOSHA. From Jan. 1 through July 13, 2026, the MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division investigated approximately 40 employer-reported referrals to determine whether employers were complying with applicable MIOSHA rules at the time of the incidents.
Recent referrals investigated by the division include:
- A worker fell 15 feet from a ladder while reaching for material on a roof, resulting in multiple broken bones.
- A worker’s left index finger was amputated at the first knuckle while operating a circular saw.
- A worker performing roofing activities exited an extensible boom lift without fall protection. The worker slipped, struck a lower roof and fell approximately 30 feet to the ground, sustaining multiple serious injuries.
- A worker’s left hand slipped while using a fence-post driver and became caught between the driver and a ground rod, breaking and shattering the worker’s left index finger.
- A worker sitting on the tailgate of a moving pickup truck fell from the vehicle and sustained skull and vertebrae fractures.
- A worker installing a skylight slipped on a roof and fell through the skylight opening, sustaining multiple injuries.
- A concrete saw kicked back while a worker was cutting concrete pipe, causing the blade to strike the worker’s face.
- An excavator was moving a 27-inch concrete pipe into position when a worker’s foot became pinched between two sections of pipe.
- A concrete pump hose struck a worker in the face while concrete was being poured, resulting in multiple facial fractures.
- A worker riding on a lift was not facing the direction of travel and was struck by an overhead obstruction. The impact caused the worker to lose balance and fall from the lift.
- A portion of a cement bag contacted a mixer paddle and wrapped around a worker’s right hand, pulling the hand into the bucket and causing a partial amputation of the right index finger.
- A worker grouting precast concrete panels was found lying on the ground after experiencing heat stress.
- A worker installing a septic system was completely buried when a 9-foot-deep excavation collapsed.
- A worker checking drainage pitch in a 12-foot-deep excavation was buried up to the knees when the excavation caved in beneath a trench box.
- A ladder placed on a tarp slipped while a worker was accessing a roof, causing the worker to fall.
Employers can help prevent these incidents by developing and implementing an Accident Prevention Program, sometimes called a safety program, and coordinating it with all employees. The program must be available at the job site, either electronically or in hard copy.
Employers should also conduct toolbox talks and job safety analyses, preplan work activities and ensure job sites and tools are inspected before each shift. Employees must receive any training required by applicable MIOSHA construction standards. Examples include Part 2, Masonry Wall Bracing; Part 11, Fixed and Portable Ladders; and Part 45, Fall Protection.
Resources
Variances from MIOSHA standards must be made available to the public in accordance with Part 12, Variances (R408.22201 to 408.22251). MIOSHA variances are published online at:
Michigan.gov/mioshavariances.
July 28, 2026 — MIOSHA Urges Heightened Focus on Workplace Safety
There have been 24 work-related fatalities reported to MIOSHA in 2026. The information below shares preliminary details about those fatalities, which are believed to be covered by the MIOSH Act. The description reflects information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incidents and are not the result of any official MIOSHA investigation.
Preliminary summaries of all fatalities are available at Michigan.gov/mioshafatalities.
Preliminary Summary of Recent Incidents
A 57-year-old laborer was working on the second floor of a building, discarding decommissioned equipment through a roll-up door into a trash bin located on the ground below. The victim fell approximately 25 feet into the bin.
A 34-year-old owner was operating a pickup truck loaded with dirt. While standing on the driver's side and raising the dump bed, the victim was struck in the head when the lifting mechanism failed, causing the dump bed to fall.
A 61-year-old owner/tree trimmer was topping a residential tree. As the top section of the tree fell, it caused the lower trunk section of the tree to fall. The victim was secured to the lower trunk and fell approximately 35 feet when the trunk collapsed.
A 38-year-old automotive technician was helping with a vehicle stuck in a wooded area. While attempting to recover the vehicle, a strap was secured around a dead tree that caused the tree to fall, striking the victim.
A 30-year-old laborer was working in a trench approximately 10 feet deep tying down an industrial storage tank while in a bent-down position. The trench collapsed, trapping the victim.
Quick Links
Agency/Division Instructions/Memorandums
Air Contaminants Initiative
Asbestos Program
CET Request for Consultative Assistance Services (RCA)
CET Training Calendar
Construction Safety and Health Division (CSHD)
Contact MIOSHA (phone and email)
DVD/video Library Service
Employee Safety Health and Discrimination Complaint Forms
Fall Prevention Campaign (Stop Falls. Save Lives)
General Industry Safety and Health Division (GISHD)
Hazard Communication/GHS
Laboratory and Equipment Services
Michigan Alliances
Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MSHARP)
Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP)
MIOSHA FOIA Request
MIOSHA News
MIOSHA Publications
MIOSHA Recordkeeping
MIOSHA Standards
MIOSHA Take a Stand Week
MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI)
MIOSHA Updates
MIOSHA Variances
Radiation Safety Section
Residential Construction
Strategic Plan and Initiatives
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