July 2020 – Indiana Constructors Inc

Utility Knife Safety

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-16 by Jim Wood

Hand lacerations are the most common hand injury in the workplace (63%). They are the Number 2 leading cause of work-related injury and are the most preventable. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports:

There are 110,000 lost-time hand injuries annually.
Hand injuries send more than one million workers to the emergency room each year.
70% of workers who experienced hand injuries were not wearing gloves.

Common Causes of Hand Lacerations When Using a Utility Knife

Pulling the knife towards you instead of away from your body.
Using a dull blade. Dull blades require more pressure, increasing the potential for injury.
Cutting more than the knife can handle.
Incorrectly storing the knife with the blade extended.
Not wearing hand protection.
Not inspecting the knife before use.

Correct Use

Wear a cut-resistant glove for hand protection.
Draw the knife away from your body.
Ensure the knife is the correct tool for the task.
Inspect the blade to make sure it’s not damaged or dull.
Properly store and retract the blade.
Make your cut on a solid surface. Never hold an object in your lap or against any part of your body.

Some hand lacerations can be minor and only need first aid. Other hand lacerations can be severe, requiring medical attention and potentially causing nerve damage that limits hand dexterity for life

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Hard Hat Inspection & Maintenance

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-10 by Jim Wood

Hard hat manufacturers recommend that hard hats be replaced every five years, regardless of appearance, as performance decreases after that period. You should replace the suspension inside the hard hat every year.

Routinely inspect the Hard Hat Shell for:

Cracks.
Nicks.
Dents.
Gouges.
Damage caused by impact, penetration or abrasions.
Stiffness.
Brittleness.
Fading or chalky appearance.

Replace Your Hard Hat More Frequently if It’s Regularly Exposed to:

Sunlight.
Ultraviolet rays (welding).
Chemicals.
Temperature extremes.
Forcible blows.

Modification Dos & Don’ts

Limit the use of stickers. They can hide cracks or other damage to the hard hat.
Don’t modify the shell or suspension.
Don’t drill ventilation holes in the shell.
Never use a suspension that’s not intended for use in your hard hat shell.
Don’t carry or wear anything inside of your hard hat between the suspension and the shell.
Hard hats must have the reverse orientation (worn backwards) arrow on the inside of the hard hat to be worn backwards. The reverse orientation performance mark specifies the hard hat meets the reverse donning standards stated in ANSIZ89.1 or CSAZ94.1
If the shell is damaged, replace the hard hat immediately!

The hard hat is one of the oldest, most widely used and most important pieces of personal protective equipment on the job. Take care of it. Don’t misuse it. It may save your life.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

First Aid Basics

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-16 by Jim Wood

Contractors are required to have at least one person on the worksite with first aid training. However, it is a good idea for everyone to have some basic knowledge of first aid.

All jobsites must have a readily accessible first aid kit that meets ANSI standards (ANSI Z308.1-2015). Keep in mind that ANSI standards are minimum. You may need to supplement your kits with additional supplies and equipment based on your access to emergency medical services or to handle severe injuries, injuries to multiple patients or CPR on more than one person.

To ensure the safety of everyone on your jobsite:

Maintain your first aid kits in a place that is accessible to everyone. All contractors should know the location of the kits. Never lock them up.
Inventory your first aid kits regularly to ensure emergency supplies are ready. Designate someone to be responsible for maintaining and restocking the kits.
Make sure all contractors know who the first aid responders are on their jobsite and how to contact them. There should be a first aid responder for each shift, including holidays.
Make sure the first aid responder is easy to identify. Usually a sticker on the safety helmet will suffice.
Provide at least one accessible phone that dials out to 911.
Keep enough PPE on hand.

Keep a bloodborne pathogen protection kit with your first aid kit. This kit should include nitrile exam gloves, eye protection, an apron and CPR shield/mask.

First Aid Response

Immediately contact your on-site first aid responder.
If necessary, have someone call 911.
Remove the hazard from the victim if it is safe to do so. Do not move the victim unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e., patient is in immediate danger).
Remain with the victim and give reassurance. Unless you absolutely need to signal or call for help, stay with the person at all times.
Once you’ve established that the victim is breathing and has a pulse, look for bleeding. Your first priority should be to stop any bleeding. Use direct pressure on a wound before trying any other method to manage the bleeding.
Make the person as comfortable as possible, but do not move the injured person’s head or prop it up on a pillow.
Do not give the victim food or drinks. It is appropriate to moisten their lips if they need it.
Do not allow the person to smoke.

These are just a few things each person should know about first aid. While most of us won’t be the designated first aid responder, there may be instances where you will need to step in until the first responder arrives.

Download the printable PDF and Recording Form here.

Work Zone Safety – Night Construction Work

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-16 by Jim Wood

Reduced visibility during night construction can increase the amount time it takes for a motorist to see and respond to work activity taking place on or near the roadway. Other factors that can affect a driver’s ability to respond effectively to night construction work activity include age, experience, mental condition, physical condition, weather and familiarity with the roadway.

Reduced visibility during night construction work can also affect an equipment operator’s ability to see and respond effectively to the activity taking place around them. It is important to follow the worker safety plan for night construction work activity which should include the following:

High-Visibility Safety Apparel

ANSI Class 3 shirt or vest, as the outermost clothing. Replace these when faded, worn, dirty or defaced.
ANSI high-visibility gaiters or bands around the ankles.
Hard hat with reflective tape or work light attachment.

ANSI Class 3 apparel and high visibility gaiters place the reflective material on the arms and legs in a design that conveys biological motion (body movement). Road workers wearing biomotion clothing are recognized at significantly longer distances than the standard vest alone.

Temporary Work Area Lighting

Light the work area and approaches to provide visibility for motorists to safely travel through the work zone.
Illuminate work activity areas where workers are present to make them visible.
Control glare so as not to interfere with the visibility of the work zone by drivers and workers.

Vehicle Lighting

Ensure all lighting and supplemental lighting on construction vehicles and equipment is in good working order.

Activity Within the Construction Site

Night construction activity can also create limited visibility for equipment operators and other construction vehicles.

Ensure back up alarms are working correctly.
Be aware than equipment blind spots/zones can increase during night work.
Use spotters when backing equipment to prevent run overs or back overs.
Don’t walk behind or between operating or moving equipment and vehicles.
Be aware of the greater chance for trips and falls while walking on the construction site.
Follow the temporary traffic control plan and the worker safety plan for night construction work activity.
Know the details of the project’s emergency action plan.

Download the printable PDF and recording form here.

Noise Exposure & Hearing Protection

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-10 by Jim Wood

In the United States, hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition after high blood pressure and arthritis. Short-term exposure to loud noise can cause a temporary change in a person’s hearing (ears may feel stuffed up) or a ringing in your ears (tinnitus). These short-term problems may go away within a few minutes or hours after leaving the noise. But repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent ringing in the ears or hearing loss. For the construction industry, OSHA tells us our noise exposure cannot exceed an average of 90 decibels (dba) over an eight-hour period (OSHA 1926.52).

Common Causes of Noise in Construction

Heavy equipment like milling machines and pavers.
Excavators and dozers.
Concrete saws.
Chipping hammers.
Air hammers.
Hydraulic hammers.

Signs of Noise Overexposure

A person must raise their voice to be heard by another person three feet away – noise is about 85 decibels (dBA).
A person must shout to be heard by another person three feet away – noise is about 95 decibels (dBA).
A person hears ringing or humming in their ears at the end of the workday.
A person notices temporary hearing loss at any point when leaving work.

Choosing the Correct Hearing Protection

Hearing protection is labeled with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). When worn correctly, the NRR tell us the amount of noise or sound reduction we can expect when wearing hearing protection. Due to changing factors such as size, worn correctly, etc., OSHA suggests reducing the NRR by 50% for a true noise reduction in the field. If you combine two types of hearing protection together, ear plugs with earmuffs, you only add an NRR of five to the higher NRR form of hearing protection.

Types of Hearing Protection

Earplugs – when worn correctly can give you the highest NRR.
Earmuffs – form air‐tight seal over the ear, NRR up to 30 dB; less effective when using eyewear.
Canal Caps – lower NRR; use pressure from a headband to hold the earplugs in place.

Important Facts to Remember

Repeated exposure to high levels of noise over long periods of time will reduce your ability to hear.
You may not notice a loss of hearing until a substantial loss has occurred.
Hearing loss is typically gradual but is irreversible.

Download a printable PDF and recording sheet here.

Roadway & Asphalt Paving Safety

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-16 by Jim Wood

Potential hazards during roadway construction and asphalt paving include:

Getting struck by heavy equipment and vehicles.
Radiant heat from hot mix asphalt.
Strains and sprains.

Struck By

Struck-by accidents account for 11% of construction fatalities.¹ Vehicle and equipment traffic including dump trucks, paving equipment, rollers and other heavy equipment, creates a struck-by hazard for contractors working within the project.

The size and height of equipment create blind spots for the operator that can extend greater than 10 feet outside the perimeter of the vehicle or equipment.²

Before an employee goes to a location in the hazard area that is out of view of the operator, the employee must ensure that the operator is aware of/informed they are going to that area.³
Never walk in front, along the side or behind moving vehicles or equipment.
Maintain a three-foot perimeter around all operating vehicles and equipment.
No work activity should take place within the swing radius of excavation equipment.

Hot Mix Asphalt Temperatures

The temperature of regular hot mix asphalt will average between 275 – 300F. The radiant heat of the hot mix asphalt combined with excessive summer temperatures can increase the possibility of heat-related illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Hydrate early, and hydrate often. For every pound of lost body weight, you should consume16 ounces of water or electrolyte beverage. Tell your supervisor or foreman immediately if you begin to feel dizzy, fatigued or nauseated; experience muscle cramps; or if you develop a headache.

Strains & Sprains

Stepping on and off vehicles and equipment creates the possibility for an injury.

Maintain three points of contact when getting on or off equipment.
Be aware of the surface you are stepping on to.

Lifting materials and equipment

Put yourself in a good position.
Keep the object close to your waist (center of mass). The farther your shoulders are past your waist, the greater the chance of injury.
Don’t act foolishly. Know your limits. Ask for help when you need it.

^1. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018
^2. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/highwayworkzones/bad/imagelookup.html
^3. 1926.1424(a)(3)(i)

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Replacement of ANSI High-Visibility Vests & Clothing

Posted on 2020-07-012025-04-16 by Jim Wood

High-visibility safety apparel is personal protective safety clothing that is meant to make you more visible (conspicuous) during both daytime and nighttime use. High-visibility clothing is important because it gives the motorist a visual indication there is a person on or near their travel path, where under normal driving conditions people would not be on or near the roadway.

High-visibility vests and clothing must meet the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) 107-2004.

All workers within the right-of-way of a federal-aid highway who are exposed either to traffic, or to construction equipment within the work area, shall wear high-visibility safety apparel.

Workers Affected by This Requirement Include:

Highway construction and maintenance crews.
Flaggers.
Inspectors.
Engineering personnel.
Survey crews.
Utility crews.
Responders.

When Should High-Visibility Safety Apparel Be Replaced?

Your high-visibility safety vest and clothing should be replaced when it becomes faded, torn, dirty, soiled, worn or defaced, or if it is not visible at 1,000 feet, day or night. The typical useful service life of high-visibility safety clothing depends on the type of work a person does while wearing the clothing. High-visibility clothing that is worn daily has a typical service life of approximately six months.

Reasons that may cause your vest to wear out more quickly, depending on the amount of use, include:

Job task that are dirtier or more demanding and could be more likely to lead to soiling or tears.
Hotter climates.
Repeated exposure to ultra-violet rays.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Month: July 2020

Utility Knife Safety

Hard Hat Inspection & Maintenance

First Aid Basics

Work Zone Safety – Night Construction Work

Noise Exposure & Hearing Protection

Roadway & Asphalt Paving Safety

Replacement of ANSI High-Visibility Vests & Clothing

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Indiana Constructors, Inc.