Tag: workers

Sign and Barricade Use

Posted on by admin_ici

Collisions with construction equipment and other vehicles, pedestrians falling into open excavation work, driving into open excavation work, driving into work areas and losing control of a vehicle because of minor road repairs and soft shoulders are the major causes of accidents in highway construction or maintenance. You can minimize the likelihood of such accidents by using barricades and other warning devices.

In some instances, signs will be sufficient deterrents. Signs should conform in shape, size and color to recommended specifications. Use them freely to designate approaches to the site. Use secondary approach warnings, such as one-lane traffic and speed limit signs, where appropriate.

Other instances call for the use of barricades. An open trench can be a hazard not only to the workers on the site, but also to the public. The OSHA standard states, “Each employee at the edge of an excavation six feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, or barricades when the excavations are not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barriers.”

There are two types of barricades – the horse type and the fence type. Use the fence barricade around heavy equipment and as a roadblock. Use the horse type for all other purposes. Barricades should be properly striped for visibility – six inches wide and inclined at an angel of 45 degrees from the horizontal.

Below are some barricade basics to help ensure a safe excavation site:

  • Install warning systems prior to excavation.
  • Install barricades, guardrails or fences around excavations adjacent to walkways, roads, paths or other traffic areas.
  • Install standard guardrails on walkways or bridges used by the general public to cross excavations.
  • Install barricades or other means of protection from underground utilities left in place during excavation.
  • Install a barricade or fence on any excavation left unattended to protect against accidental pedestrian entry.
  • You can use posts and warning tape as a barricade if the excavation is in a remote location where visitation by residents is unlikely.
  • Use a physical barrier such as a fence to isolate an excavation in a highly traveled area.
  • Install barricades around the site to help control vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
  • Install a warning system such as a barricade, hand or mechanical signal or stop logs when operating mobile equipment adjacent to the edge of an excavation.

These are just a few precautions you can take to protect workers and the public around excavations. Each situation will be different; therefore, a competent person must assess the hazards associated with the specific excavation to determine the most appropriate plan of action.

Download the recording form here.

Poisonous plants

Posted on by admin_ici

Poisonous plants are common on or near construction sites. Most people develop a skin rash and skin irritations lasting up to three weeks when they contact poison ivy or poison oak. The reaction is caused by urushiol (“oo-roo-shee-ohl”) oil found in the sap. The oil is in the stems, leaves and berries of these plants and can be transmitted by brushing against the plant, or from secondary contact with animals or clothing.

Poison ivy

Found throughout the United States, except in the Southwest, Alaska and Hawaii, poison ivy has three shiny green leaves, a red stem and typically grows in the form of a vine, often along riverbanks, roadsides and woodlands. Old vines are very hairy; in late summer and fall the vines will have green-to-white berries. Poison ivy is most dangerous in the spring and summer, when they have plenty of sap and a high content of urushiol. However, cases have been reported in people who used the twigs of the plant for firewood or the vines for Christmas wreaths. Even dead plants can cause a reaction, because the oil remains active for several years after the plant dies.

Poison oak

Poison oak grows as a low shrub in the eastern part of the U.S. (from New Jersey to Texas), and as 6-foot-tall clumps or vines up to 30 feet long along the Pacific coast. It has oak-like leaves, usually in clusters of three and clusters of yellow berries.

Treatment if you’re exposed:

  • First, cleanse the exposed skin with generous amounts of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. (Note: alcohol removes your skin’s natural protection along with the urushiol, so avoid any additional contact because skin washed with alcohol will allow the urushiol to penetrate twice as fast.)
  • Second, wash the affected area with water.
  • Third, take a regular shower with soap and warm water. Do not use soap before this point because soap tends to pick up some of the urushiol from the skin’s surface and move it around.
  • Clean clothes, shoes, tools and anything else that may have been in contact with the urushiol with alcohol and water, then wash with soap and water. Be sure to protect your hands during this process.
  • To help reduce the itchiness, apply lotions with an anti-inflammatory and cooling effects (talc, calamine). Oral antihistamines can also relieve itching.

Poison ivy blisters don’t contain urushiol, so any oozing fluid is not contagious and will not spread the rash further. A rash will only occur where urushiol has touched the skin. However, the rash may seem to spread if it appears over time instead of all at once, because the urushiol is absorbed at different rates in different parts of the body, is trapped under the fingernails, or because of repeated exposure to contaminated objects.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people who have had severe reactions in the past to any of these plants, contact a dermatologist as soon as possible after a new exposure.

Download the recording form here.

Danger – Eye Protection Required

Posted on by admin_ici

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 20,000 workplace eye injuries happen each year. These injuries range from simple eye strain to severe trauma that can cause permanent damage, partial vision loss or blindness. Many of these injuries could have been prevented if the worker had used proper protective eyewear and followed appropriate safety measures.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has identified five major dangers to your eyes. They include:

  • Impact – flying objects and particles;
  • Heat – anything that gives off dangerous heat;
  • Chemicals – flashes, fumes and vapors;
  • Dust – otherwise harmless particulates that can damage sensitive eyes; and
  • Optical radiation – everything from simple glare to intense light.

There are three things you can do to help prevent eye injury:

  1. Know the eye hazards at your worksite.
  2. When possible, eliminate the hazards before starting work. Use machine guarding, work screens or other engineering controls.
  3. Use the proper eye protection. Anyone working in or passing through areas that pose eye hazards should wear protective eyewear.

Ensure your safety glasses fit properly. According to OSHA Standard 1926.102, your safety glasses should meet the following requirements:

  • Provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed.
  • Be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions.
  • Fit snugly and not unduly interfere with your movements.
  • Be durable and capable of being disinfected.
  • Be easily cleaned.

Clean your safety glasses daily, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Store them in a case when they are not being worn. Replace glasses that are scratched, pitted, broken, bent or ill-fitting.

Use only safety glasses that are manufactured to meet the American National Standards Institute’s Z87.1 Eye and Face Protection Standard.

Download the recording form here.

Simulation makes puts fall protection training in your hands

Posted on by Andria Hine

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. In 2014, over 300 construction workers died as a result of a fall at work. These deaths were preventable with the proper use of fall prevention and fall protection.

The Master Builders’ Association worked with Simcoach Games to bring fall protection training to the modern day and created an app to train anyone with a Smartphone or tablet. “Harness Hero” is an innovative approach to saving lives in the construction industry and allows you a safe way to practice setting up fall arrest systems.

Learn more and download the simulation today.

New fall prevention infographics raise awareness

Posted on by Andria Hine

OSHA, the National Institute for Safety and Health and Center for Protection of Workers Rights created a series of infographics to aid the National Campaign to Prevent Construction Falls. These images identify risks, provide steps to prevent falls and link to a ladder safety app that can help your crew make better decisions when working at heights. Download them here.

INSafe offers fall prevention training

Posted on by admin_ici

May 2-6 is National Safety Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction, as coordinated by OSHA. The Indiana Department of Labor’s INSafe division will offer fall prevention training in north, central and south Indiana – free of charge. The events will include a full training session, educational materials and resources for attendees, and participants will also receive certificates of participation following completed training.

Find out more about INSafe’s involvement, registration and additional resources are available on the agency’s website.