Concrete and Masonry Construction

 

There have been a number of tragic accidents over the years involving concrete and masonry construction including one that happened during the time OSHA was preparing the current set of rules. In that accident a building in Bridgeport, Connecticut, collapsed, taking the lives of 28 workers. The collapse caused the highest death toll from a workplace accident in the United States since 51 employees were killed in 1978 during construction of a cooling tower at Willow Island, West Virginia. The Bridgeport building that collapsed was being erected using the lift-slab method of construction. OSHA's investigation of the collapse revealed that there had been a failure to comply with the OSHA regulations.

The OSHA regulations require your employer to train you in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to your work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury. That would include the hazards of concrete and masonry construction.

OSHA's standard for concrete and masonry construction is located in 29 CFR 1926, Subpart Q — Concrete and masonry construction. The Subpart addresses requirements construction employers must comply with to protect employees from accidents and injuries resulting from the:
• Premature removal of formwork.
• Failure to brace masonry walls
• Failure to support precast panel.
• Inadvertent operation of equipment.
• Failure to guard reinforcing steel.

The regulation is divided into seven major groups. They are:

Scope, application and definitions— Prescribes performance oriented requirements to help protect all construction employees from hazards associated with concrete and masonry construction operations at construction, demolition, alteration, or repair jobsites.

General requirements— Discusses general work practice requirements related to construction loads, reinforcing steel, concrete buckets, working under loads, and personal protective equipment.

Requirements for equipment and tools—Addresses the hazards associated with equipment and tools used in concrete and masonry construction.

Requirements for cast-in-place concrete—Discusses formwork in general, shoring and reshoring, vertical slip forms, reinforcing steel, and removal of formwork.

Requirements for precast concrete— Directs employers to ensure precast concrete wall units, structural framing, and tilt-up wall panels be adequately supported to prevent overturning and to prevent collapse until permanent connections are completed.

Lift-slab operations—Contains specific requirements for lift-slab construction operations.

Masonry construction—Requires employers to establish a limited access zone whenever a masonry wall is being constructed.

OSHA believes that if the concrete and masonry construction regulations are complied with, deaths and injuries that have plagued companies will be reduced.

This information is provided by Assurance Agency https:www.assuranceagency.com

 

Confined Spaces

 

Confined spaces are made up of two types: non permit-required and permit-required. Certain criteria must be met for a confined space to be classified as permit-required or non permit-required. If employees are potentially exposed to confined spaces, the employer must develop confined space procedures and program.

What is a Confined Space?
A space that:
• Is large enough and so configured that an employee can fully enter it

• Has limited or restricted means for entry and exit

• Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy

What are examples of confined spaces?
• Sewers

• Pits, tanks, or boilers

• Mechanical rooms

• HVAC units

• Crawl spaces or attics
 
• Utility rooms/closets, etc.

What is a Permit-Required Confined Space?
A confined space with:
• Hazardous or potentially hazardous atmosphere (too much oxygen, too little oxygen, toxic gas presence, flammable environment, or volatile organic compounds present)
 
• Engulfment hazard (being swallowed by grain in a silo, asphyxiated by pressure and/or inhaling solid particles)

• Physical Hazard (mechanical, electrical, radiation, explosives, chemicals, inwardly converging surfaces)

• Other serious safety or health hazards
    
How do you eliminate hazards?
• Physical hazards: Lockout/tagout

• Atmospheric: Ventilation – use of a blower, fans, etc. (Ventilation must be continuous)
    
What must you do prior to entry?
• Eliminate/isolate physical hazards

• Test and monitor the air using portable gas meters or other suitable equipment
 
• Provide a plan for rescue (non-entry rescue, unless employees are trained in entry rescue)

• Plan and train entrants and attendants (employees stationed outside of the confined space to monitor conditions, status of the entrants, and be able to execute the emergency response/rescue plan)

This information is provided by Assurance Agency https:www.assuranceagency.com

Cranes

 

Cranes are one of the most versatile, powerful and important pieces of equipment commonly found on construction sites. They can be used to accomplish a lot of heavy lifting tasks, saving the amount of time and energy spent on a project. However, they can also be one the most dangerous pieces of equipment on site. They can lift heavy loads over large areas of a project, require workers to perform work at great heights and pose the risk of electrocution.

Workers whose jobs involve working with and around cranes need to understand the hazards of moving parts and rigging of loads. Hazards relating to this type of equipment can include:

  
• Striking injuries from moving equipment, raising or dropped loads

 
• Crushing injuries from equipment overturning, breaking or rigging failures 

• Falls from performing work at heights 

• Electrocution from contact with overhead power lines

There are many different types of cranes which play an important role in lifting heavy loads. No matter which piece of equipment is being used, below are some general safety rules regarding the maintenance and operation of cranes.

Equipment Maintenance 

• Both the employer and the supplier have a responsibility to ensure that every hoist, crane and lifting device, including all rigging, used or supplied for use at a place of employment is designed, installed, maintained and operated to perform safely any task for which the equipment is used. 

• Inspections must be completed, and any defects properly repaired before the equipment is used.

 
• Structural components of the equipment must be working properly. If the equipment is not in good condition, worn out or over stressed, or if a cable or sling is overloaded, the load may drop. Power lines must be located and barricades or signs should be posted to ensure minimum distance is maintained (20 feet for power lines up
to 350kv).

Equipment Operations

 
• Crane operators of most cranes above 2,000 lb. capacity will need to be either certified by an accredited crane operator testing organization, or qualified through an audited employer program. 

• Operators must ensure all safety system indicators are functioning properly and enabled at all times.

• Inspection and logbooks must be completed daily.

 
• Equipment must not be overloaded. Operators must refer to a crane’s load chart to understand the capacities of the crane they are operating.

  
• Avoid lifting loads above workers or the public. Workers can be hit by a load, dropped or suspended, if working under or near a load. It is very important workers pay attention around crane operations, obey all warning signs and stay out of way of moving parts.


Rigging and Signaling

 
• Any workers rigging loads for a crane must be qualified. A qualified rigger is defined as a "qualified person" who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve/resolve problems relating to rigging.

 
• Any workers signaling cranes also must be qualified by a "qualified evaluator". Qualification can be either through a third-party qualified evaluator (such as an accredited certification body) or through an employer’s qualified evaluator. All signal persons must be qualified and tested through a written or oral test and a practical test, and the qualification must be documented.

This information is provided by Assurance Agency https:www.assuranceagency.com

Construction Motor Vehicles

 

Spotter Signals

While working in construction, employees must always be aware of their surroundings. There are many hazards that could potentially lead to injury or death. Many fatalities occur from being “struck by” or “run over” by motor vehicles or heavy equipment on a project due to limited visibility and congestion. This is why “struck by” is one of OSHA’s Focus Four Hazards. Depending on the type of project, there may be several types of motor vehicles present including:

• Cranes
• Loaders
• Scrapers
• Graders
• Excavators
• Skid steers
• Dozers
• Forklifts
• Pavers
• Aerials lifts

When all of these motor vehicles are running, it can be difficult to always know when and where they are coming from or going to.  Employees must always keep their heads on a swivel instead of relying on the sounds of the motor, exhaust or backup and travel alarms. This can be frustrating and stressful. Safely working in an area where motor vehicles are present is a shared responsibility between the equipment operator and workers on the site. To prevent incidents that can lead to severe injury or death, everyone must: 

·        Avoid equipment blind spots where an operator may not see you

·        Keep in constant communication with the operator/worker and make eye contact

·        Ensure backup and travel alarms are operable and do not disconnect them for any reason

·        Respond to backup and travel alarms

·        Use a spotter to warn others of nearby hazards

·        Use a predefined set of signals when spotting, see photo below

·        Always have an escape route

·        Always wear proper high-visibility clothing with reflective material on the outermost layer

·        Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle and never access pinch / crushing points such as the swing radius

·        Never walk or work underneath a suspended load

·        Always stay alert

 

This information is provided by Assurance Agency https:www.assuranceagency.com

·