Tag: Safety

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.

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.

VEHICLE & EQUIPMENT BACKING SAFETY

Posted on by Jim Wood

Vehicle backing accidents happen too often but are completely preventable. Vehicle or equipment backing accidents can lead to costly damage, serious personal injury or fatality.

STEPS TO AVOID BACKING ACCIDENTS

  • Make sure your path is clear and that any person in the area is aware of your intention to back up before moving your vehicle or equipment.
  • Don’t assume everyone can hear the back-up alarm and will move clear of your path when you are backing up.
  • Park defensively. Choose parking places that allow you to exit easily, like pull-through spaces.
  • Position the vehicle or equipment to exit the parking area in a forward direction. Doing so gives the driver a full forward view of approaching pedestrian or vehicle traffic that they might not otherwise see when backing.
  • Know your vehicle’s blind spots. Mirrors provide limited visibility. A medium-sized truck can have blind spots that extend up to 16 feet in front and 160 feet behind the vehicle.
  • Physically turn your body and look around at your travel path and the surrounding area when backing.
  • Do a quick walk-around before getting into the vehicle or equipment. Inspect the area behind the vehicle or equipment looking for obstructions or space limitations.
  • Know the clearances around the equipment or vehicle. Check for obstructions, low-hanging wires, utility poles or other possible obstacles.
  • Use a spotter when backing to the vehicle’s blind side, which is the right side. The right side of a vehicle typically has larger blind spots.
  • Drivers sometimes must spot for themselves. You need to return to the vehicle and start backing within a few seconds after finishing the walk-around. This will allow very little time for people, cars or other obstacles to change the back-up conditions. Backing without a spotter should only take place after the driver has learned as much as possible about the area they are backing into.
  • As a pedestrian in a work zone, always assume the driver or operator does not see you. Make eye contact before proceeding around a vehicle or piece of equipment.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

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

STRUCK-BY HAZARDS

Posted on by Jim Wood

Struck-by injuries are produced by forceful contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. In comparison, a caught-in or between incident occurs when an injury is a result of the crushing force between two objects. For example, if a person’s hand is pulled into a conveyor and suffers an injury due to being pulled in and caught between the rollers.

Sources of struck-by accidents include:

  • Equipment or vehicles moving in the work zone.
  • Falling tools, equipment or materials.
  • Operating tools or equipment.
  • Moving or lifting unsecured loads.

Vehicle and equipment traffic operating within the project including dump trucks, paving equipment, rollers, and other heavy equipment create a struck-by hazard for contractors working within the project. The equipment’s large size and height creates blind spots for the operator that can extend greater than 10 feet outside the perimeter of the vehicle or equipment.

Important safety measures include:

  • Don’t walk in front, along the side or behind vehicles or equipment when they are moving.
  • Maintain a three-foot perimeter around all equipment. Equipment could move suddenly.
  • Don’t allow work activity to overlap. No work activity should take place within the swing radius of excavation equipment.
  • When one piece of equipment is lifting or putting materials or tools in place, do not place your hands on, or manually guide, the load. Use a tag line.
  • Secure tools, equipment and material to prevent them from falling from heights.
  • Inspect saws, grinders and other tools before use to make sure the guards are in place, the blades aren’t chipped or cracked and are in overall good condition.
  • When you are using saws, grinders and other powered hand tools, always wear safety glasses and a face shield.
  • Coordinate work activity to minimize the possibility for people to be near overhead work activity or moving equipment.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

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

STRAINS & SPRAINS

Posted on by Jim Wood

Construction is a physically demanding job, and the physical demands can place stress on the body. The physical stresses can result in sprains and strains to the muscles and ligaments. Sprains and strains account for about a third of injuries in construction.

STRAIN vs. SPRAIN

A strain is an injury to either a muscle or a tendon, the tissue that connects muscles to bones. Back injuries are the most frequent strains. Depending on the severity of the injury, a strain may be a simple overstretch of the muscle or tendon, or it can result in a partial or complete tear.

A sprain is an injury to a ligament, the tough, fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones. Sprain injuries involve a stretching or a tearing of the ligament.

MINIMIZING THE CHANCES OF STRAINS AND SPRAINS

  • When you are lifting, maintain a good position. A good position means keeping the item being moved or lifted close to the center of your body (waist and midsection). The farther the item being lift is from the center of the body (above the head and neck or below the knees), the greater the risk of a strain.
  • Don’t be foolish. Know your limit. Get help from another person or a piece of equipment.
  • Avoid twisting. Always turn your whole body when you’re changing direction while carrying a heavy object.

RECOVERY

You have to allow your body to recover from the stress you place on it.

  • Rest – a person needs seven to eight hours of sleep a day for sufficient recovery.
  • Nutrition – your body needs a proper supply of protein to allow for recovery. Poor nutrition can slow down your recovery, and some foods can create additional inflammation.
  • Notice warning signs – pain is your body’s indicator, if you ignore pain, it’s more likely an injury will become worse.
  • Do not self-diagnose – some self-treatment methods like Rest-Ice-Compress-Elevate (RICE) are outdated. See the correct person within your company to direct you to proper medical care.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

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