 No matter how low or high you are off the ground, a tumble from a ladder can have serious consequences.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) reports that more than 500,000 people in the United States are treated for ladder injuries every year. What’s more, about 300 fatalities occur each year from ladder-related injuries. Ladder safety is something that should be taken seriously. OSHA Standard 1910.23(b)(9) states that the employer must ensure that ladders are inspected before initial use each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to identify any visible defects that could cause employee injury. Not to be taken for granted, if ladders are used regularly by employees, it’s a good idea to include ladder safety in daily safety meetings. And even if your workers only use them occasionally, then at least an annual safety meeting on ladder safety is a must. Best Practices
True or False: An employer is not required to have a training program for each employee using ladders? FALSE – Per OSHA 1926.1060(a), the employer shall provide a training program for each employee using ladders and stairways, as necessary. The program shall enable each employee to recognize hazards related to ladders and stairways, and shall train each employee in the procedures to be followed to minimize these hazards. Ladder safety training is often overlooked. Why? It’s simple. Anyone can climb a ladder. Right? Remember when you climb a ladder you are placing yourself at height. Height is a hazard and a hazard should be controlled or eliminated. References: OSHA Standard 1910.23(b)(9) American Ladder Institute National Ladder Safety Month Ladders: From Research to Smart, Safe Practices This Safety Flash was contributed by Kevin Muldoon, Project Manager at Mazzella/FHS Engineered Lifelines & Fall Protection, in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to admin@seaa.net  Millions of U.S. construction workers are exposed to extreme heat in their workplace, especially when working outdoors. Of those millions, thousands of workers get sick from heat exposure each year, and some cases are fatal. The General Duty Clause (Section 5[a][1] of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970), requires employers to provide a place of employment that is “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.”
Heat-related illness can take on five forms. 1) Heat rash is caused by clogged skin pores that hold in sweat. This prevents the body from cooling down and causing skin rash. 2) Next are heat cramps, which are painful muscle spasms caused by dehydration. 3) The third form is heat syncope, a condition causing an employee to become light-headed and sometimes faint. It is caused by dehydration resulting in decreased blood flow to the brain. 4) Even more severe is heat exhaustion, which sets in when the body loses too much water creating an electrolyte imbalance. Signs include weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, heavy sweating, and clammy skin. 5) Finally, heatstroke is an extremely serious condition and can lead to brain damage or even death if not treated promptly and properly. Signs of a heatstroke include a rapid pulse, hot, dry skin, mental confusion, and temporary vision/hearing impairments. The first line of defense in all forms of heat related illness is to immediately get the employee out of the heat so they can cool down and hydrate. All employees should learn how to recognize a victim of heat-related illness. Evaluate the symptoms, then follow the recommended first aid actions.
Hazardous heat exposure can be prevented by employers. Supervisors should watch for warning signs of heat-related illness in their crews and should never push employees beyond their limits. Many companies offer first aid training to educate, prevent, and treat heat-related illnesses. Some preventative strategies include establishing a shaded break area, providing ice, water/sports drinks, and issuing protective clothing/cooling towels. Companies can also limit employee heat exposure through well planned work and rest schedules. Although most healthy employees will be able to acclimate to heat over a period of time, some staff may be heat intolerant. Employees can take their own preventative measures to combat heat. Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and staying away from alcohol and caffeine is essential. Remember to eat lighter meals while working because the more calories you consume, the more body heat you produce. Wear protective lightweight clothing and use sunblock on exposed skin. Employees should know their limits and notify a supervisor immediately if having heat illness symptoms. Occupations requiring heat exposure do not have to be dangerous. If everyone works together to take preemptive measures and watch for warning signs, heat-related illnesses can be prevented. Resources: Nation Safety Council, 2016, Heat-related Illness Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Heat American Red Cross Heat Wave Safety OSHA’s Final Rule for Safety Standards for Steel Erection was published in 2001, and paragraph (e), Multiple Lift Rigging Procedure, outlines OSHA’s standard for lifting multiple pieces of steel at one time. Multiple Lift Rigging (Christmas-Treeing), is allowed only for steel erectors and should only be done when the outlined criteria are met. Recently, I have seen erection companies perform multiple lifts with items not approved under OSHA’s final rule. For example, bundles of decking, pallets of CMU blocks and portable toilets are not permitted for multiple lift rigging because it unnecessarily exposes employees to overhead loads. Multiple lifts should only be performed if the following criteria are met:
It is important to understand the Steel Erection Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committees (SENRAC) original argument captured in the Federal Register persuaded OSHA to allow steel erection employees to work under the load by using multiple lift rigging. This is because multiple lift rigging, when done properly, is a safe and effective method for decreasing the number of total crane swings and employee exposure on the steel while connecting. To be in compliance with OSHA, steel erectors may “tree” steel beams, bar joists, and girders. Other benefits of multiple lift rigging are:
Best Practices:
Resources:
OSHA’s Final Rule for Safety Standards for Steel Erection OSHA’s Safety and Health Regulations for Construction Subpart R This Safety Flash was contributed by Bryan McClure, Senior Safety Consultant, Trivent Safety Consulting in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to admin@seaa.net Pop Quiz: What’s the total sling capacity of two ½” EIPS/IWRC wire rope slings that are used in a double wrap choke at 45 degrees? The answer may surprise you.
Failure to properly account for sling tension is the most common rigging mistake I’ve seen construction professionals make over the years. Sling tension occurs when the slings are rigged at an angle; this directly affects capacity. The same misunderstanding of sling angle on capacity often happens when basket hitches are rigged to a single attachment point, whether the sling is vertical or at an angle from the center gravity. Many riggers simply believe that the lifting capacity is doubled because of the assigned multiplier of 2.00. Keep reading to find solutions to these scenarios and to learn about handy references every rigger should have.  In April 2019, the final piece of the OSHA Cranes & Derricks Standard 29CFR 1926.1400 came into effect. This requires employers to conduct evaluations of crane operators to ensure that they are certified and qualified. If an employer is not conducting evaluations of their crane operators, they are not in compliance with OSHA.
Once the operator has been successfully evaluated for the necessary skills and knowledge for the size and configuration of the crane they plan to operate, they may operate similar equipment. In order to do so, it must be determined that it does not require considerably different skills, knowledge, or ability to recognize and avert risk. Operators must demonstrate their skills and knowledge, which includes understanding of crane configuration, counterweight setup, use of safety devices and operational aids, and other items. The OSHA Crane & Derricks standard 29CFR 1926.1400 took almost 10 years to fully come into effect. Rigger & Signal persons had to be qualified by November 2010 and crane operators had to be certified by November 2017. The final piece, the requirement to evaluate operators, is now also in force. Best Practices
Resources: OSHA Enforcement Memo Free Operator Evaluation Form Operator Qualification final rule https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1427 This Safety Flash was contributed by Bryan McClure, Senior Safety Consultant, Trivent Safety Consulting in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies, and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to executivedirector@seaa.net  Bar joists are popular for steel construction, because they are economical and strong. However, working with bar joists come with many hazards until they are completely installed and under deck.
Historically, building collapses and accidents occurred during bar joist installation. OSHA Subpart R 1926.750 specifically addresses procedures to prevent structural collapse and/or injury. Unfortunately, there are still erectors that do not understand these rules and procedures. The hazards start with unloading and continue through each step of construction, including hoisting, laying out, placing, connecting, welding, burning, guying, bracing, bolting, and rigging bar joists. Training employees on how to properly install bar joists and their potential safety hazards is crucial to prevent injuries and structural collapse. Give your employees the proper training to understand clearly how to erect joists safely. Reviewing and following these best practices will reduce the chances of collapse and possible injuries. Best Practices Inspect the load before the chains are taken off the truck. Often banding is broken during delivery. If the driver releases chains with broken bands, bar joists can fall off the truck, creating a crushing hazard. If they are not properly banded, take precautions such as basketing with proper sized wire rope slings and holding the joists in place with a crane or forklift before releasing or breaking the chains. You might also possibly re-band the loads while they are being held by the crane or forklift, to re-secure them. As unloading begins, do not break the banding while the joists are in the vertical position. This is a common mistake. Instead, lay all joist and girders flat prior to breaking shipping bands. Once joists are laid out in the laydown area, they will need to be sorted and bundled according to sequence of erection. Before building erection begins, bracing and fall protection plans must be established.
Use proper methods for landing joists and placing loads on joists. Although there are several options for doing so, it is an area where poor practices are commonly used. Landing joists can be done by setting a bundle in a bay, landing a single joist, or by panelizing. When landing bundles, the bundle must be secured prior to being released from the crane or forklift. As the erector begins shaking the joist out, OSHA requires that each steel joist must be attached to the support structure. This must be on at least at one end on both sides of the seat, immediately upon placement in the final erection position and before additional joists are placed. It is not permitted to shake the entire bundle out and then go back and weld in place. Even with a site-specific erection plan, OSHA states that erectors are required to keep decking bundled within 1 ft. of the beam/girder line. When landing a single joist, the erector needs to understand how many rows of bridging must be installed prior to releasing the bar joist from the crane or prior to placing loads on the joists. When panelizing, the panel/joist must be attached at the four corners prior to releasing from the crane. Resources OSHA 1926.757 Steel Erection 1926.757(a) General. 1926.757(b) Attachment of steel joists and steel joist girders 1926.757(c) Erection of steel joists. 1926.757(d) Erection bridging. 1926.757(e) Landing and placing loads. Ironworkers: On the Safe Side: Erecting Open We Steel Joist Steel Joist Institute 2008 “Technical Digest No. 9, Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders AISC: 2017 NASCC The Steel Conference Presentation, "Safe and Efficient Installation of Steel Joists and Metal Deck" Ironworkers: On the Safe Side: Erecting Open We Steel Joist This Safety Flash was contributed by Ed Valencia, Safety Director, Derr & Gruenwald Construction in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies, and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to executivedirector@seaa.net  The construction industry is four times more likely than any other industry to lose an employee to suicide. Take time to educate employees about the contributing factors, signs, and prevention during National Suicide Prevention Week, September 6-12. The suicide rate in construction is 45.3/100,000 compared to the national average for other industries of 14.2/100,000. Based on these numbers, it is five times more likely that an employer will lose an employee to suicide than to what OSHA considers the fatal four: falls, electrocution, struck by, caught in/between. For men between the ages of 25 and 54, suicide is the second biggest cause of death. Men in the construction industry face the additional hardship from physical activity paired with a ‘tough guy’ culture that can make it more difficult to reach out and seek help. Stress is one of the main contributors to the decline in mental health, and it can manifest in four ways: physical, emotional, intellectual, and personal well-being. Physical symptoms can present itself as rapid weight gain or weight loss, difficulty sleeping or fatigue. Emotional stress symptoms can come from feeling incompetent and cause irritability. Intellectual symptoms are often shown through procrastination or difficulty concentrating, and personal well-being stressors can mean isolation from friends and family or a loss of sense of humor. These types of stress can exacerbate mental health issues and lead to depression and suicidal thoughts. Often, individuals choose to self-medicate and abuse both drugs and alcohol instead of seeking professional help, due in part to the stigma associated with mental health. Stress factors common in the construction industry that can contribute to a decline in mental health:
In the workplace, it is important to know what resources are available to support employees’ psychological health, and where there are gaps in the system. Learn to recognize the signs of an at-risk employee and create a supportive environment where individuals aren’t afraid of being reprimanded. Best Practices
Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Suicide Awareness Voices of Education Man Therapy Suicide Prevention Awareness Month This Safety Flash was contributed by Dax Biederman, CHST, Trivent Safety Consulting in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies, and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to executivedirector@seaa.net.
 When trucks bring steel back from a jobsite, it most often just gets thrown into a laydown area,
or bone yard, with cranes, lifts and welding machines. This can cause a lot of potential hazards, as improper material storage can cause leg, ankle and/or hand crushes, also known as pinch points. All laydown areas are dangerous, not just those on jobsites. They create trip hazards that can do more damage than just a crushing injury, such as broken bones, caused by a fall. One of the most important things to have when working in a laydown area is to have a spotter. A spotter should always make himself/herself seen by the forklift operator, know how to handle the forks on the lift, and always be on the lookout for damaged dunnage. When working in a bone yard, remember to watch where you put your hands. The laydown area can be full of spiders and snakes in addition to the sharp edges. Never go into the bone yard unprotected. Old cables or chokers can cut you, that’s one of the main reasons they’re in the bone yard. There can be many hidden traps, so you must be on the lookout. That means to look under, around, and beside you, even if you’re just getting one piece out. Always fix the pile when you’re done. Don’t leave a trap for the next person. Best Practices
Resources Middle Georgia State University- Environmental Health and Safety manual for pinch points https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2236/osha2236.html This Safety Flash was contributed by Dave Schulz of Schulz Iron Works, Inc., in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies, and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations. Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to executivedirector@seaa.net |
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