Author: Jim Wood

FOCUS FOUR HAZARDS

Posted on by Jim Wood

According to OSHA, of the 4,779 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2018, 1,008 or 21.1% were in construction — that is, one in five worker deaths were in construction. The leading causes of private sector worker deaths in the construction industry were falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” were responsible for more than half (58.6%) the construction worker deaths in 2018.

Fall fatalities – 33.5%
Struck-by object fatalities – 11.1%
Electrocution fatalities – 8.5%
Caught-in/between fatalities – 5.5%

FALL PREVENTION

  • Correctly install and use personal fall arrest equipment.
  • Install and maintain guard rails and perimeter protection.
  • Cover and secure floor openings and label floor opening covers.
  • Inspect and use ladders and scaffolds correctly.

STRUCK-BY PREVENTION

  • Do not place yourself between moving equipment and fixed objects.
  • Wear and maintain high-visibility clothes.
  • Use tag lines when moving suspended loads.
  • Inspect and use powered equipment correctly.
  • Use proper rigging techniques.

CAUGHT-IN/CAUGHT BETWEEN PREVENTION

  • Properly slope or implement trench protection for excavations five feet or deeper.
  • Ensure guards are in place and in good condition on powered tools and equipment.

ELECTROCUTION PREVENTION

  • Locate and identify utilities before starting work.
  • Look for overhead power lines when operating any equipment.
  • Maintain minimum approach distance from power lines.
  • Use GFCI on all portable electric tools.
  • Be alert to electrical hazards when working with ladders, scaffolds or other platforms.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Posted on by Jim Wood

According to OSHA, trenching is a leading jobsite hazard, which causes an average of 54 fatalities each year. The following are OSHA’s common trenching and excavation safety standards to help protect yourself and your crew during excavation work activity.

  • Locate and daylight/pothole buried utilities prior to excavation.
  • Trench excavations that are five feet deep or greater are required to have sloping, benching, shielding (trench box) or shoring unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock.
  • A competent person* may determine that a protective system isn’t required for trench excavations less than five feet deep.
  • A competent person must inspect the excavation and classify the soil type. The classification is based on the results of at least one visual and one manual analysis.
  • SOILS TYPES
    • Solid Rock
    • Type A Slope ¾ to 1 (53º)
    • Type B Slope 1 to 1 (45º)
    • Type C Slope 1 ½ to 1 (34º)
  • The atmosphere must be tested before entry in trench excavations four feet in depth or greater before entry if the potential for oxygen deficiency or a hazardous atmosphere exists or could reasonably be expected to exist.
  • A ladder or other means of egress must be accessible within 25 feet of the worker’s activity for excavations four feet in depth or greater.
  • Excavated materials and equipment must be kept a minimum of two feet from the edge of excavations.
  • Excavated material must be sloped to prevent the material from re-entering the excavation.
  • A competent person must inspect excavations, protective systems and the area around the excavation daily prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift. They should document the inspections.
  • Employees are not to work in excavations where there is accumulated water or where water is accumulating. A pump(s) must be in place to remove accumulating water.

*A competent person is an individual who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards or working conditions that are hazardous, unsanitary or dangerous to workers, soil types and protective systems required, and who is authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate these hazards and conditions.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

REGULAR EQUIPMENT INSPECTIONS

Posted on by Jim Wood

In World War II, aviation was still in its infancy. From 1939 to 1945, 21,583 aircrew members lost their lives due to non-combat accidents in the continental U.S., and another 20,633 died in aircraft non-combat accidents overseas.

Today, aircraft and air travel are safer due, in part, to technology, training and daily pre-flight inspections.

EQUIPMENT INSPECTIONS

  • Every day, equipment users or operators should focus on making sure their equipment is operable and safe before each use.
  • Every operator’s manual and owner’s manual from power tools, ladders and fall protection to powered/motorized equipment routinely includes specific instructions on how to inspect the equipment.
  • In the event of a failure resulting in an accident, the first document inspectors request and review is the equipment inspection form. Following any type of incident, they ask, “Did the user or operator inspect the equipment prior to use?”

WHY DO WE PERFORM INSPECTIONS? AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.

  • OSHA standards mandate frequent and regular inspections.
  • Pre-shift inspections give you the opportunity to observe and report maintenance and safety concerns for any piece of equipment.
  • Other contractors may use or damage the equipment without your knowledge.
  • Inspections can prevent failure that leaves the operator or occupants immobile or stranded.
  • Inspections can prevent failure during a critical period while the equipment is in use.
  • Inspections can prevent failure resulting in a serious injury.
  • Inspections can prevent failure causing a work delay.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

CONSTRUCTION & ENERGIZED ELECTRICAL UTILITIES

Posted on by Jim Wood

OSHA has included electrocutions as part of the Focus Four Hazards for construction because of the persistence and significance of this hazard. The Focus Four Hazards represent the causes of nearly 60% of all construction fatalities each year.

Electrocution caused by contact with energized power lines is a significant cause of fatalities in construction. Some examples of equipment that could contact power lines are cranes, pile drivers, guardrail drilling rigs, backhoes, excavators, front-end loaders, trenching machines, dump trucks and concrete pumping trucks.

Keep in mind on every construction project:

  • Survey the site, identify overhead power lines and post DANGER signs and visible barriers at all potentially dangerous locations.
  • Maintain at least 10 feet of clearance between equipment and power lines energized with less than 50,000 volts. For power lines carrying more energy, increase the distance by one foot for every 30,000 volts.
  • If you must operate equipment close to the power line, use a spotter to identify when you’re nearing the minimum approach distance limit.
  • Before beginning paving or any other road work activity, survey the area for any power lines that cross over the roadway, post DANGER signage notifying dump truck drivers to lower their beds before traveling under overhead power lines and bridges.
  • If you must work close to a power line, consider calling the responsible utility to have the line protected during the operation.
  • Before beginning ANY work activity in which you will penetrate the ground, call Indiana Underground Plant Protection Services (Indiana 811) at 811 or 800-382-5544 at least two full working days before you begin the work activity and have them locate the underground utilities. Do not begin work until this has been done.
  • Once the locate service has marked the location of the buried utility, pothole/daylight to positively identify and expose the buried utility.
  • Maintain a clearance of not less than two feet around the diameter of the buried utility with all mechanized equipment.
  • Protect all underground utility markers from damage and replace them as needed.
  • Situate jobsite unloading and storage areas in open areas away from overhead power lines.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

DETECTING A STROKE

Posted on by Jim Wood

A construction project can be hectic place with a high level of activity. Contractors and equipment move about, with everyone focused on the task at hand. In this environment, it’s easy to miss the signs and symptoms of a serious health situation, like a stroke. Early detection is critical to saving a life.

A stroke happens quickly. If a victim is treated within the first three hours of its onset, some effects of a stroke can be reversed.

The following are the most common symptoms of stroke. However, individuals may experience symptoms differently or at different times. Don’t ignore any of the symptoms, even if they go away.

  • Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body.
  • Sudden confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding.
  • Sudden problems with vision such as dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
  • Sudden dizziness or problems with balance or coordination.
  • Sudden problems with movement or walking.
  • Sudden severe headaches with no other known cause.

The first three letters in the word stroke can help you determine if a person is having a stroke. Ask the individual to:

  • S – Smile.
  • T – Talk – Get them to speak a simple sentence, coherently, such as “It is sunny out today.”
  • R – Raise both arms.

Another method for remembering what symptoms to look for is the acronym FAST. The letters remind you to look for:

  • F – Facial weakness – Can the person smile? Are their mouth or eyes drooping?
  • A – Arm weakness – Can the person raise both arms and hold them parallel?
  • S – Speech problems – Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
  • T – Time is critical – Contact your supervisor immediately and consider calling 911.

Also, if you ask the person to stick out their tongue and, when they do, it is crooked or goes to one side or the other, there is a great likelihood that this person is having a stroke.

No matter the method you use to detect the signs and symptoms of a stroke, remember to seek immediate medical attention. Even if you are not sure, it is always best to err on the side of safety.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

CONCRETE PUMPING SAFETY

Posted on by Jim Wood

Hose blowouts and hose whipping are serious hazards that can cause injuries while workers are pumping concrete.

Air trapped in a delivery line can cause hose blowouts and/or hose whipping. When the air is released, the end of the hose can whip and cause injury to workers in the area. Air in the delivery system itself is not the hazard. But when that air becomes compressed due to a blockage, it stores energy. The risk of a hose blowout or hose whipping happens when that energy discharges.

To minimize the risk during concrete pumping work, ALL personnel should be cautious and maintain a reasonable distance from the discharge hose when:

  • Restarting equipment after moving.
  • Priming the equipment.
  • There is air in the delivery line.
  • There is a blockage.

Establish a controlled-access zone around the pumping area to eliminate the potential of the hose striking a worker in case it gets away from the operator.

If you encounter a blockage, move the boom away from the pour to a safe location and re-establish flow before moving the boom back to the pour.

Additional safety measures include:

  • Ensure the pump operator has inspected the delivery pipe, and it isn’t cracked or worn.
  • Maintain visual contact with the operator or signal person.
  • Use a single-ended hose on the discharge.
  • Use guide/tag lines to guide the hose while pumping. Do not hug the hose.
  • Do not place yourself between the hose and a fixed object.
  • Maintain a 20-foot minimum approach distance from all overhead, energized, uninsulated powerlines with voltages of 0.1kV to 350kV.
  • For voltages exceeding 350kV, the minimum approach distance is 50 feet.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.