OSHA Violations

 

Stairways and ladders are a major source of injuries and fatalities for construction workers. OSHA estimates that there are 24,882 injuries and as many as 36 fatalities each year due to falls from stairways and ladders. Nearly half of these injuries are serious enough to require time off the job.

The OSHA rules specify when stairways and ladders must be provided. The rules do not apply to ladders that are specifically manufactured for getting to and from scaffold working platforms, but do apply to job-made and manufactured portable ladders intended for general purpose use and which are then used for scaffold ladders.

#1 Ladder use—When portable ladders are used to get to an upper surface, the ladder side rails must extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface. If this is not possible because of the ladder’s length, it must be secured at the top to a rigid support and a grasping device, such as a grabrail, must be provided to assist in getting on and off the ladder.

The extension must never be so short that ladder deflection under a load will cause it to slip off its support.

#2 Stairrails and handrails—Stairways having 4 or more risers or rising more than 30 inches, whichever is less, must be equipped with: (1) at least one handrail, and (2) one stairrail system along each unprotected side or edge.

When the top edge of a stairrail system also serves as a handrail, the top edge must not be more than 37 inches nor less than 36 inches from the upper surface of the stairrail to the surface of the tread, in line with the face of the riser at the forward edge of the tread.

#3 Ladders must only be used for the purpose for which they were designed—§1926.1053(b)(4)

#4 Access points—A stairway or ladder must be provided at all employee points of access where there is a break in elevation of 19 inches or more and no ramp, runway, sloped embankment, or personnel hoist is provided.

#5 Training—As necessary, your employer must provide a training program for employees that use ladders and stairways. The program must enable you to recognize hazards related to ladders and stairways and must train you in the procedures to be followed to minimize those hazards.

You must be trained by your company’s competent person.

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

Confined space Handout

 

The OSHA definition of a confined or enclosed space for construction activities is a space that:
• Has limited means of getting out, and
• Is subject to the accumulation of toxic or flammable gases or has an oxygen deficient atmosphere.
Normally excavations are not considered confined spaces because they are usually subject to natural ventilation. Sometimes, however, excavations qualify as confined spaces if natural ventilation does not occur.

Hazardous atmospheres
Sometimes, you do find hazardous atmospheres in excavations. If so, a competent person must test excavations where oxygen deficiency (atmospheres containing less than 19.5 percent oxygen), or a hazardous atmosphere exists or there is a chance it could exist. If that is the case, the air in the excavation must be tested before you enter any excavation more than four feet deep.

Also, adequate precaution must be taken to prevent your exposure to air containing a concentration of a flammable gas greater than 20 percent of its lower flammable limit.
Excavations that could raise a red flag as “could reasonably be expected to exist” are excava¬tions in landfill areas, areas where hazardous substances are stored nearby, hazardous waste cleanup sites, and underground storage tank digs.

Engineering controls
If hazardous conditions exist, controls such as proper respiratory protection or ventilation must be provided.
 

Ventilation is probably the best and most effective method of controlling a hazardous atmo¬sphere. In numerous places throughout the OSHA regulations it says you must engineer or administrate out hazardous atmospheres before resorting to respiratory protection.
 

When controls, such as ventilation, are used to reduce atmospheric contaminants to accept¬able levels, the atmosphere must be tested as necessary to ensure it remains safe.

Rescue operations
Where adverse atmospheric conditions may exist or develop in an excavation, the employer must provide and ensure that emergency rescue equipment (e.g., breathing apparatus, a safety harness and line, basket stretcher, etc.) is readily available. This equipment must be attended when used.

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

Compressed Gases

 

Overview
Compressed gases are extremely useful in our lives. At the same time, if not handled, stored and used properly, compressed gases can be hazardous.

Compressed gases can be hazardous because they may be:

• Stored under high pressure: When a high-pressure cylinder accidentally ruptures or when a valve assembly breaks off, rocketing can occur. A compressed gas cylinder has enough stored energy to blast through a concrete wall.

• Flammable: Flammable gases catch fire easily and burn quickly. Adding flammability to a compression hazard can create an extremely dangerous situation.

• Asphyxiant (inert): Inert gases can displace oxygen needed for breathing, leading to suffocation of exposed employees.

• Oxidizing: Oxidizing gases can explode violently when they come into contact with organic and combustible materials. Containers of oxidizing gases must be kept free of oils, greases, and other hydrocarbon-based materials.

• Corrosive: Corrosive gases attack exposed tissues and other materials. Special PPE and a self-contained breathing apparatus is required when handling these gases. Know the location of eyewashes and emergency showers.

• Toxic: Poisonous gases which should only be handled by specially trained workers. Appropriate PPE is always required when handling toxic gases.

• Cryogenic: Extremely cold gases or liquids which can cause frostbite or burned skin if they come into contact with exposed skin. These gases can also displace oxygen causing an asphyxiation hazard.

What must my employer do?
Your employer will:

• review the appropriate procedures for handling pressurized gases, and work practices in your workplace.

• demonstrate the appropriate use of PPE for the gases used in your workplace.

• show and explain the meanings of any hazardous warning signs used at the workplace.

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

Hazards of Asbestos

 

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Overview
Asbestos is a fiber or filament that is used in clothing, automotive parts, and building materials. It may have a fluffy appearance. When mixed, it can be found in forms such as Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite.

Where can asbestos be found?
Asbestos is found in installed products such as shingles, floor tiles, cement pipe and sheet, roofing felts, insulation, ceiling tiles, fire-resistant drywall, and acoustical products. Very few asbestos-containing products are currently being installed. Consequently, most worker exposures occur during the removal of asbestos and the renovation and maintenance of buildings and structures containing asbestos.

Asbestos Symptoms
Should exposure occur, asbestos symptoms may not surface for many years. Acute exposure can cause shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, or irritation of the skin and mucous membranes. Chronic exposure can cause breathing difficulty, dry cough, broadening and thickening of the ends of the fingers, and bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes.

How can it hurt me?
Asbestos fibers enter the body by the inhalation or ingestion of airborne particles that become embedded in the tissues of the respiratory or digestive systems. The long-term effects associated with asbestos include:
• Asbestosis (an emphysema-like condition).
• Lung cancer.
• Mesothelioma (a cancerous tumor that spreads rapidly in the cells of membranes covering the lungs and body organs).
• Gastrointestinal cancer.
• The symptoms of these diseases generally do not appear for 20 or more years after initial exposure.

How can I protect myself?
There are several methods of controlling exposure to asbestos.

Personal protective equipment - Only respirators that have been approved by NIOSH can be worn.
Protective clothing, such as full bodysuits, gloves, and footwear, must be worn when asbestos fiber concentrations exceed the permissible exposure limit. Contaminated clothing shall be placed and stored in closed containers that prevent dispersion of the asbestos outside the container.

Signs - Listed below is the wording for an asbestos warning:
DANGER
ASBESTOS
CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
RESPIRATORS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE REQUIRED IN THIS AREA

Are state and local government employees protected?
EPA has recently amended the Asbestos Worker Protection Rule and the Asbestos-in-Schools Rule to protect state and local government employees from the health risks of exposure to asbestos. State and local government employees who are performing construction work, custodial work, and automotive brake and clutch repair work are now protected to the same extent as private-sector employees. The Asbestos-in Schools Rule amendments provide coverage for employees of local public education agencies who perform operations, maintenance, and repair activities.

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

Risk Management Update

 

 

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When a severe incident occurred onsite, they turned to their RMA partnership for guidance.
Read the entire Case Study

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More Information https://rcecusa.org/rma.html

Air Contaminants

 

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29 CFR 1910.1000 Air contaminants protects employees from occupational exposure to air contaminants. The regulation applies to all workers who may be subjected to workplace air contaminants.

§1910.1000 lists various substances along with permissible exposure limits (PELs) for an eight-hour period. Your employer has a responsibility to notify you of potential hazards in the workplace, including air contaminants.

What must my employer do?

Your employer:

• Is responsible for controlling sources of air contamination by using engineering controls, or, if necessary, by using personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Must let you know what air contaminants are in the workplace and how you can protect yourself from them.
• Will discuss any necessary PPE with you and demonstrate proper use, cleaning, and storage of the equipment.

Must periodically test the air in the facility for the presence of air contaminants.  You, or your representative, have a right to see the results of those tests.

If your employer chooses to use PPE in addition to engineering and work practice controls, the PPE must be provided free of charge

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