Asbestos - Tool Box Talks

Overview
Asbestos was once a very widely used, mineral-based building material. Asbestos is found in building materials such as shingles, floor tiles, cement pipes, roofing felts, insulation, ceiling tiles, fire-resistant drywall, and acoustical products.

How can it hurt me?
Asbestos enters the body when you breathe in the fibers, or when fibers are inhaled while smoking. Asbestos can also be ingested by eating food in areas containing asbestos fibers. Once asbestos has embedded itself into your body, it cannot be removed. Symptoms of asbestos exposure include the following:
-Acute (short term): Shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, or irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.
-Chronic (long term): Breathing difficulty, dry cough, broadening and thickening of the ends of the fingers, bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes, asbestosis, lung cancer and/or mesothelioma.
-Smoking is known to make asbestos-related symptoms worse.

What must I do?
You are required to:
-follow company rules when working in asbestos exposure areas.
-use any personal protective equipment which the company offers.
-follow all rules regarding hygiene before taking breaks or after your work shift.
-follow all company rules on where to change clothes before and after work.
-know what to do with PPE following completion of the job or work shift.
-understand how to clean, test, use, and maintain your PPE.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

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Scaffolding Safety

The following information is being provided to serve as a guideline for the use of job-made scaffolding. (This information is not intended to serve as a full description of related O.S.H.A. Standards.)

HEIGHTS:
1. All platforms over 10 feet must be railed with a standard guardrail system on all exposed sides.
2. Standard guardrail dimensions = 42" toprail, 22" midrail, vertical support each 8' horizontal. (Must be able to support 200lbs. of force in any direction.

SUPPORTS:
1. All supports must be fully self-supported or secured to the structure. (Lean-to or leaning types are not acceptable.)
2. Supports must be secured to the planks that they are supporting. Vertical sheer blocks should be installed under all supports for additional strength.
3. Only ladders designed for scaffolding support shall be used for this purpose ie: ladder jacks. (Stepladders are not suitable for this use.)
4. All supports require adequate vertical and horizontal bracing to prevent twisting or other failure.
5. Mud sills should be used under supports. (Recommended size = 2"x12"x12" )

PLANKING:
1. Wood planks must be 2x material minimum and supported each 8' horizontally minimum. Planks must be free of knots or splits.
2. All planking must be 12" minimum width. Use double wide planking when possible.
3. Ends of all planking must be secured to the supports or overlap 6-12".
4. All planking must be secured from movement in any direction.

This information is provided by Assurance Agency.
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Stairway Safety for Construction

Stairways, like ladders, are a source of accidents at construction sites. They are also a source for numerous OSHA citations.

 In September 2003, the following stairway violations were in the top 75 OSHA rules to receive citations:
- Stairways with four or more risers or rising more than 30", whichever is less, must have at least one handrail and one stairrail system along each unprotected side or edge.
- A stairway or ladder must be provided at all employee access points where there is a break in elevation of 19" or more, and no ramp, runway, sloped embankment, or personnel hoist is provided.
- Your employer must provide a training program, as necessary, for stairway use. The program must enable you to recognize hazards related to stairways, and must train you in the procedures to be followed to minimize these hazards.
- Unprotected sides and edges of stairway landings must be provided with guardrails.

OSHA has many rules that address design, stairrails, handrails, and maintenance. The following examples (of the many rules for stairways) point out some of these areas.

General
- Temporary stairways must have landings of not less than 30" in the direction of travel, and extend at least 22" wide at every 12' or less of vertical rise.
- Where doors or gates open directly on a stairway, a platform must be provided. The door swing must leave 20" of effective width.
- Proper housekeeping procedures eliminate stairway slip, trip, and fall hazards. Keep stairs free from debris and clutter.

Good lighting will help avoid stairway hazards. Like any other walking/working surface, it is difficult to avoid what you cannot see.

Stairrails and handrails
- Stairrails must not be less than 36 inches high from the tread to the top of the stairrail.
- Handrails must be between 30 and 37 inches high measured from the tread surface.
- Handrails must provide an adequate handhold to avoid falling. If the handrails are not permanent, there must be at least a three inch clearance between the handrail and wall.

Temporary stairs have their own issues
- Treads for temporary service must be made of wood or other solid material, and must be installed the full width and depth of the stair.

This information provided by: Assurance Agency

Training Personnel

Poor worker knowledge, due to lack of training or ineffective training, is a major cause of work zone accidents. For this reason, OSHA requires personnel to be trained before they can work in the work zone.
Work zone orientation

All personnel, regardless of occupation, must be oriented to each work zone’s hazards and how to avoid them.

This includes personnel visiting the worksite.

For construction workers, NOISH suggests more in-depth training on topics such as:
+ Recognizing, eliminating, or avoiding hazards involving equipment;
+ Knowing the locations and sizes of blind spots around equipment;
+ Knowing the hazards and protective measures associated with working at night; and
+ Understanding communication methods and alarms.

Equipment operator training:
OSHA regulations require equipment operators to be fully trained on the machines they will operate. Training should include instruction on:
+ How to avoid rollovers;
+ Information on the clearances that must be maintained between vehicles, and hazards such as unstable surfaces, trenches, excavations, and overhead utility lines; and
+ Instruction on the location, size, and configurations of blind spots and what can be done to minimize their potential for contributing to accidents.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Respond Safely to Emergency Releases

Who Is Covered?

The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard, 29 CFR 1910.120, training requirements covers individuals who respond to emergencies. For example, first responders, hazardous materials technicians, hazardous materials specialists, fire department or law enforcement personnel are all individuals who may respond to emergency response situations. In addition, there may be employees at your facility who are responsible for responding to emergencies.

Recognizing a Hazardous Substance Release:

Listed below are some examples of hazardous substance release situations which could occur at your facility:
- A hazardous substance release requires evacuation of employees in the area.
- The response comes from outside the immediate release area.
- The release poses, or has the potential to pose, conditions that are immediately dangerous to life and health.
- The release poses a serious threat of fire or explosion.
- The release requires immediate attention because of imminent danger.
- There is uncertainty that the personnel in the work area can handle the severity of the hazard with the personal protective equipment (PPE) provided.
- The situation is unclear, or data is lacking on important factors.

Emergency responders must be able to recognize a hazardous substance release. In addition, they should demonstrate a competency in:
- Analyzing an incident to determine the hazardous substances that may be present.
- Having hands-on experience with relevant sources of information that addresses hazardous substance releases.
- Developing procedures for implementing continuing response actions consistent with the local emergency response plan, the organization’s standard operating procedures, and the Department of Transportation’s Emergency Response guide.
- Understanding the potential hazards of a hazardous release site, including fires and explosions, confined space hazards, electrical hazards, powered equipment hazards, motor vehicle hazards, and walking/working surface hazards.

Hazards Involved
Emergency responders may encounter, and possibly be exposed to, several health and safety hazards including:
- Chemical exposure.
- Fire and explosion.
- Oxygen deficient atmospheres.
- Ionizing radiation.
- Biological hazards.
- Safety hazards.
- Electrical hazards.
- Heat stress.
- Cold exposure.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

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How to market and stage your home for sale and make it profitable for you.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - 6 - 8 p.m. OHi Showroom
106 Garlisch Drive, Elk Grove Village

This program will benefit home builders and home sellers.

Steven Weirich; a licensed agent with @properties, author and founder of the weekly podcast Arlington-Prospect Advice Givers and designer Theresa Lobraco, owner of Amazing Changes,specializing in staging, painting, re-modeling, interior design and home and office organization. This duo will share their secrets to success in marketing and staging your homes for sale. This presentation is ideal for home builders and real estate agent.

Member $40 / Non Member $50
Buffet dinner, beer, wine and soft drinks included.
Download the Flyer
Register and Pay Online
There is a $2 surcharge for online credit cards.

HR & Payroll Issues for Small Business

November 10, 2016, 8 am to 10 am
Moy Insurance Agency
2340 S. River Road, Room L-11, DesPlaines

RHBA/RCEC is pleased to have Jason Eisenhut, Vice President of Human Resources and Dylan Friedman, Account Executive with Employco USA present this free program.

Download the Flyer for more information.

To register email cathyk@rcecusa.org or call 630-512-0552