Tag: protection

Dehydration

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published 05/23/2017

Peak construction season usually means working on hot summer days with soaring temperatures. There are several problems that can occur while working on a construction site in such conditions, however the most common is dehydration.

Dehydration occurs when your body does not have enough fluid. It can be caused by losing too much fluid, not drinking enough fluids, or both. In hot weather, your body expels a lot of water through perspiration as it tries to keep from overheating. The hotter the weather, the more you perspire and the more fluids you need to replace.

A widely held misconception is that everyone needs 64 ounces (eight cups) of fluid each day. While these quantities are appropriate for most people, they don’t take into account a person’s body size or activity level. Though no single formula fits everyone, some nutritionists contend that a more accurate way to determine your fluid requirement is to divide your body weight in half. This is how many ounces of fluid you need daily to meet your basic needs. So a 150-pound person would need to drink at least 75 ounces (just over nine cups) of fluid daily, while a 200-pound individual requires at least 100 ounces (about 12.5 cups).

Levels of dehydration can range from mild to severe based upon how much of the body’s fluid is lost and not replenished. Dehydration can escalate and become a life-threatening illness. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the signs and symptoms of dehydration. These signs and symptoms generally include:

  • Dry or sticky mouth
  • Low or no urine output (concentrated urine appears dark yellow)
  • Light-headedness or dizziness
  • Dry skin
  • Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Nausea
  • Increased heart rate and breathing

To treat dehydration, re-hydrate the body by drinking plenty of fluids. Stay away from caffeinated drinks. Also, recognize the fact that if you are dehydrated, you have lost sugar, salts and minerals, as well as water. Re-hydration solutions such as sports drinks can be very helpful in this instance.

As with all on-the-job illnesses, prevention is key. During hot and humid weather, don’t neglect your fluid consumption. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink fluids. Once you start to feel thirsty, dehydration could have already begun. Light-weight, light-colored, breathable clothing can also make a difference. Every effort you make to stay cool on hot summer days will go a long way toward staying safe on a construction site.

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Load Binder Safety

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published 04/25/2017

Load binders play an important role in construction, but we don’t give them much thought until we need one. There are several types of load binders. Generally, they have hooks attached to chains on either side of a sturdy metal lever and are used to tie down and secure equipment and materials for transport and delivery. Load binders can be very dangerous. Accidents can occur quickly and often result in serious injury.

Here are some safety tips to follow when using load binders:

  1. Inspect a load binder prior to use. Look for excessive wear, bending, cracks or damage. If in doubt, don’t use it.
  2. Keep your head and body out of the path of the load binder’s handle because it can suddenly spring back and causing serious injury.
  3. Wear a hard hat, gloves and eye protection whenever you are tightening or loosening a load binder.
  4. Never tighten or loosen a load binder while standing on the load being secured or loosened.
  5. When tightening or loosening a load binder, make sure that you have firm footing and are not standing on ice, snow, loose rocks, oily surfaces, etc.
  6. After you have secured the load with a load binder, make sure the lever handle is in the locked position and tie the handle in place with wire or chain when done.
  7. Use an open hand (do not grip the binder handle) when releasing a load binder. Keep your body out of the way and push the lever open.
  8. Be especially careful when you are releasing the tension, as the handle can snap back quickly. As equipment and material are transported, they can shift causing an increase in tension on the load binder. This extra tension will be suddenly released as you loosen the load binder, which will cause the lever handle to jump.
  9. Do not use a pipe to help you apply extra leverage to a load binder handle, unless the manufacturer has approved or supplied that pipe as a handle extender. These pipes can fail suddenly, or slide off suddenly, causing injury to yourself or nearby co-workers.

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Attitude & Behavior – Major Causes of Accidents

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published April 18, 2017

There are potential hazards on any construction site. In many cases, whether or not we get hurt depends on how we approach these dangers and deal with them. To a certain extent, safety is instinctive. For example, we seem to be born with a fear of falling. In other instances, safety is not instinctive. It has to be learned and practiced. Why do some people ignore the dangers they’ve been warned about, while others take heed? The differences are EXPERIENCE and ATTITUDE.

In almost any operation, accidents caused by unsafe environmental conditions or mechanical failures tend to be easiest to control, at least potentially. However, human behavior – identified as a leading cause of accidents – is harder to manage. Everyone should be aware of the human factors that can contribute to an accident.

Ignorance. This condition may stem from lack of experience, the inability to recognize a hazard or lack of job training. Don’t guess or take chances. Ask questions, and be sure you understand your job and its dangers.

Daring. This type of worker believes he can beat the odds. Maybe he can, for a while. It’s like playing Russian roulette. Will you find the bullet on the first trigger pull or on the sixth? Some jobs are so full of danger they can be likened to having more than one bullet in the cylinder. In other words, in some conditions your odds of being hurt are greater. There are enough dangers in construction without taking extra chances.

Poor Work Habits. These sometimes come with familiarity, or they may begin on the first day of the job. Don’t become complacent just because you’ve been taking shortcuts and have been getting away with it. Set an example for the younger, less experienced worker.

Haste. We are all familiar with the adage, “Haste makes waste.” It’s true. An accident is always costlier than the value of the time saved. Not only can it result in medical bills, but there may also be damage to equipment, loss of production and other “hidden costs.” Work at a steady, efficient pace and work smart.

Physical Failure or Fatigue. Exhaustion can limit your concentration, coordination, eyesight and judgment. Pace yourself and get enough sleep when you have work to do. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Tests have shown the effects of these substances can last for days, even if you seem to feel fine.

Work smart and work safe. If you maintain a positive attitude toward safety, you’ll live longer and be better off in many ways.

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Foot Protection

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published 01/10/2017

In construction, we typically spend more than 10 hours a day on our feet. We walk on uneven surfaces, through mud, water, ice and snow, and expose our feet to all kinds of hazards. A work boot that doesn’t fit properly or doesn’t provide the protection you need can cause you long-term problems.

Foot protection means guarding your toes, ankles and feet from injury. Each foot has 26 bones for support and 38 joints for movement, along with blood vessels, ligaments, muscles and nerves. Protective footwear is designed to protect your feet from physical hazards such as falling objects, stepping on sharp objects, heat, cold, wet and slippery surfaces or exposure to corrosive chemicals.

Here are some tips for selecting the proper work boot:

  • Select a work boot that will protect you against the hazards you’ll be exposed to. Make sure the boot is puncture resistant and provides ankle support to protect against ankle sprains from slips and falls.
  • If you’ll be working around heavy objects that could possibly crush your foot, select boots with steel or non-metallic protective toe caps. Work boots can also protect your feet against weld spatter, electric shock, water, cold, etc.
  • Make sure your boots meet the ANSI Z41“American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear (which should be noted on the boot tongue, sole or upper part of the boot). OSHA requires that work boots meet this standard.
  • Make sure the work boot fits properly.
    • Work boots should feel comfortable from the first moment you wear them.
    • Measure both feet when being fitted. Often you will find your left and right foot aren’t the same size, so select a size that fits the larger foot.
    • It’s important to try the boots on in the afternoon after you’ve been walking for a while, because your feet swell as the day wears on.
    • When trying on boots, make sure you are wearing the same kind of socks you typically wear to work.
  • When putting your boots on, lace them up fully and snugly for proper fit and support.

Don’t shortchange your foot protection. Buy work boots that will provide your feet with the protection you need and will be comfortable to wear all day.

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Bloodborne Pathogens

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published 02/28/2017

Bloodborne pathogens are infectious materials in blood that can cause disease in humans including: hepatitis B and C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Workers exposed to these pathogens risk serious illness or death.

Pathogens may be acquired through a single exposure. Medical experts agree that exposure occurs by contact with any body fluid that is contaminated with blood or blood components, including saliva and a variety of other body fluids. Some people are concerned that normal physical contact can transmit exposure, but experts deny this. The risk of exposure to a bloodborne pathogen is highest when body fluid contaminated with blood is ingested, inhaled or absorbed by another person. The occupational risk is for specific work assignments that may expose individuals to unknown body fluids. Since you can’t determine by sight if fluids are contaminated with blood, you must assume that pathogens may be present and take precautions.

Construction industry employers should consider developing and documenting the following:

  • For each construction jobsite and/or operation:
    • Identify the processes or procedures where exposure to bloodborne pathogens could occur. (For example: injuries could occur during a paving operation, a grading operation, an excavating operation, etc.)
    • Develop a strategy to: (1) control, minimize or eliminate those injury hazards; and (2) reduce the risk of employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens when accidents and injuries occur.
  • Strategies used by many contractors include:
  • Designate and train a person to be the “first responder” in handling emergency situations on the jobsite;
  • Train employees on how to respond to accidents and injuries;
  • Provide ready access to personal protective equipment on the jobsite including: gloves, eye protection such as goggles or glasses with side shields, resuscitation mouth pieces and first aid kits;
  • Routinely inspect, maintain and re-stock personal protective equipment and document your actions;
  • Routine and regular jobsite housekeeping;
  • Administer the hepatitis B vaccine to employees with the potential for exposure;
  • Arrange for a physician’s post-exposure evaluation (follow-up medical care) to any employee exposed to bloodborne pathogens;
  • Designate an area or areas on the jobsite for employees to eat and take breaks away from the hazard areas;
  • Provide antibacterial cleansers, soap, and where possible, hand washing areas on the jobsite; and
  • Provide red plastic bags (labeled “biohazard”) to store contaminated clothing and bandages should an accident occur.

The potential exists every day for exposure to a bloodborne pathogen on a construction jobsite. Plan for the possibility and protect yourself and your co-workers.

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Vehicle Battery Safety

Posted on by admin_ici
Originally published 12/14/2016

Whether on the construction site or at home, it’s important to know how to safely handle batteries. Batteries can be dangerous and injuries have occurred while working with them. Each year, a significant number of motorists suffer serious eye injuries or even blindness because of improperly jump starting a dead vehicle battery.  

Automotive lead-acid batteries contain sulfuric acid in the electrolyte. The acid inside the battery is highly corrosive and can burn your skin if it leaks out. This is especially probable when batteries contain liquid acid and have removable caps on top. Sealed-top batteries should contain the liquid as long as the battery remains in an upright position. Never store a battery on its side or upside down. Acid may also leak if the battery case is cracked or damaged, so handle with care.

Cold weather can affect batteries, especially on equipment that is stored outside and hasn’t been started for a while. Whether in the yard of a field office or on a construction site, it is quite typical to grab a set of jumper cables and attempt to jump start a vehicle. However, there are hazards associated with jump starting that need to be taken into consideration.

  • DO NOT lean directly over the battery while making jumper connections (in case of explosion).
  • DO NOT smoke around a battery, or use anything that produces an open flame or spark. When a battery charges, it gives off hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is flammable and can explode if a spark occurs near the battery.
  • DO NOT attempt to jump start or recharge a frozen battery. Remove the battery from the vehicle, bring it into a warm room and let it thaw before charging or testing.
  • ALWAYS wear safety glasses and gloves when jump starting a battery.
  • NEVER touch a metal object (such as a wrench) between the positive and negative battery posts to see if the battery will spark. It will, and could produce a current similar to a welding arc that may damage the tool, the battery and/or cause the battery to explode.

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