Unlike regular sneakers or boots, steel toe shoes have a steel plate or toe cap inside of the shoe. This piece of steel incases the toes to help prevent them from becoming injured. The steel plate can be found to only incase the toes or can also be made to cover about half of the top of the foot. These specialty shoes can come in a variety of styles and made out of a wide range of materials.

The fabrics that steel toe shoes come in are Gortex, canvas, leather and suede. Gortex is a waterproof material that allows the skin to breath. Canvas is a natural woven material that can be made out of cotton or hemp. Leather and suede are made out of the hide of cows. Depending on the type of job at hand will determine the type of material that the shoe or boot should be made out of.

Steel toe shoes and boots come in a variety of styles. Some are designed like sneakers, while others are designed like traditional work boots. Workers that are on their feet for long periods of time prefer to wear shoes or boots with extra ankle support. People will also find that some of the sneaker styles of steel toe shoes have shoe laces, while some have Velcro.
The importance of wearing steel toe footwear on the job site can be just as important as the tools that they work with everyday. The foot protection that this type of footwear provides has become a common site on many jobsites. Not only can these specialty shoes be functional, they can also be stylish too.

Sectional, or frame scaffold is the most common scaffold system. The system is comprised of frames that come in various widths and heights, but the most common is 5′ wide. These frames are then held together with cross braces that again come in a variety of lengths, but the 7′ is the most common. This is the easiest scaffold to erect, but relatively inflexible.

On the other end of the scale, tube & coupler scaffolding is designed to be used in places where the area to be scaffolded has obstructions in the way. This system can be arranged in a wide variety of sizes and shapes to fit around any obstruction. The system is comprised of various lengths of tubes that are connected together by right angle clamps known as rigid clamps. There are also swivel clamps that are used to connect diagonal bracing to prevent swaying. While very difficult to erect, you can place this scaffold almost anywhere.

Systems scaffolds is a compromise between the other two scaffolds. This type has some of the versatility of tube & coupler scaffolding with some of the speed and ease of sectional scaffolding. System scaffold components resemble tube & coupler, but with connectors that are used for joining different components together. The vertical members come in different heights, but they all have a connection ring welded at uniformly spaced intervals. These vertical members are then connected together with horizontal members (runners & bearers) that are made in specific lengths and have fittings at each end for attachment to rings on the vertical members. This system is very flexible in its use.

Remember, proper selection of the type of scaffold to use will save you a lot of time and effort, and will usually provide the safest working environment for you and your workers.

Having a good and stable foundation is essential in the construction of scaffolding. Many times the framework of scaffolding requires more than simple base plates in order to make sure that they can safely carry and spread the weight of the load. Base plates are the footing or feet on which the tubes are fixed to that help keep the scaffolding level. Sometimes scaffolding can be used without the use of a base plate on certain surfaces such as concrete or other hard surfaces. When a scaffold is being used on surfaces like pavements or tarmac base plates are necessary to keep the scaffolding stable.

When scaffolding is built, it is very rare that it is an independent structure. In order to provide added stability to scaffolding, the framework is tied to a fixed or adjacent building or other type of structure. This helps to insure that the scaffolding is sturdy and helps keep it from falling or swaying radically. This can be very important when working in windy conditions.

When using scaffolding for any building project it is important to make sure that many safety rules are followed. Making sure that the scaffolding is made out of the proper materials and is sturdy enough to hold the weight of workers and construction materials. Base plates should be used when using them on uneven ground or floors. By following basic safety when constructing or using scaffolding can insure that workers are kept safe when working on tall structures. The proper use of scaffolding can help in the aide of the construction process.

The types of equipment referred to in this section are as follows:

• Earthmoving equipment – scrapers, loaders, crawler or wheel tractors, bulldozers, off-highway trucks, graders, agricultural and industrial tractors, and similar equipment.

Note:  Specific rules for compactors and rubber-tired “skid-steer” equipment are reserved due to standards currently being developed.

Seat belts – are a requirement for all equipment that is covered in this section.  However, seat belts are not required for equipment which is designed – only for standup operation, and/or equipment that is not equipped with a roll-over protective structure or canopy protection. The reason behind the latter of these two exceptions is; if an operator was wearing a seatbelt with no roll-over or canopy protection, he/she could become trapped or crushed in the event of a roll-over, rather than being afforded the freedom of mobility (not bound by a seatbelt) to immediately vacate (leap or jump from) the equipment prior to or during a roll-over.

Access roadways and grades may not be used for movement of construction equipment or vehicles unless the roadway or grade is constructed and maintained to accommodate the equipment or vehicles safely.

All earthmoving equipment must have an operable service braking system that is capable of stopping and holding the equipment while fully loaded.

Bi-directional equipment such as rollers, compactors, front-end loaders, bulldozers, and other similar equipment must be equipped with an operable audible alarm (horn), audible above the ambient noise level.

No earthmoving or compacting equipment which has an obstructed view to the rear may be used unless the equipment is equipped with a reverse signal alarm or an employee signals that it is safe to move.

Lifting and hauling equipment such as lift trucks, stackers, etc., must have the rated capacity posted on the equipment/vehicle clearly and in plain view of the operator.  When auxiliary removable counterweights as provided by the manufacturer are used, those corresponding rated capacities shall also be posted/shown.  Ratings must not be exceeded.  Also, any modifications or additions to equipment that may affect the capacity ratings or safe operation of the equipment will require the manufacturer’s written approval.  When changes or additions are made, the equipment’s operating and maintenance instructions, plates, tags, decals, load ratings, etc. shall be changed/revised to reflect those modifications.

Equipment may not be equipped with a steering or spinner knob unless the steering mechanism is of a type that prevents road reactions from causing the steering wheel to rebound or spin.

Unauthorized personnel are not permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks.  When riding of trucks is authorized, then a safe place to ride must be provided.

The information as outlined in this article focuses primarily on the requirements for “vehicles” and “equipment” in the workplace or on the jobsite.  Please refer to these sections of the CFR (including Subpart-W Rollover Protective Structures: Overhead Protection) for a more in-depth review of these regulations.

This is part two of a two-part series on Equipment & Vehicles – General Requirements
Part One: Equipment & Vehicles – General Requirements Part 1

Equipment (1926.600)

Equipment that is parked or left unattended at night in an area that is adjacent to a highway in normal use, or a construction site where there will be work in progress, must be equipped as follows to identify the location of the equipment and to maintain overall safety:

• Appropriate lights or reflectors (or barricades equipped with appropriate lights/ reflectors).
• Parking brake must be set and wheels must be chocked (when parked on an incline).

When leaving your equipment overnight, not in use, or during repairs, such as a bulldozer, scraper blade, end-loader, dump bodies or other similar equipment, they shall be fully lowered or blocked, all controls set in equipment, they shall be fully lowered or blocked, all controls set in a neutral position, brakes set and motor stopped (unless the work being performed requires otherwise).

Any machinery, equipment, or parts that are held aloft or suspended by use of jacks, slings, or hoists, must be carefully blocked or cribbed to prevent the load from falling or shifting before employees or personnel are permitted to pass or work under or between the load.

Equipment cab glass must be “safety glass” type or equivalent, and must be free of any visible distortion or obstructions that may affect the safe operation.

If any work onsite or in the workplace will involve inflating, mounting, or dismounting of equipment tires installed on split rims, or rims with locking rings or similar devices; a safety tire rack, cage, or equivalent protective device must then be provided and used for personnel safety.

Motor Vehicles (1926.601)

The type of vehicles referred to in this section are those that operate within an off-highway jobsite, which is not open to public traffic.

All vehicles must be equipped with the following, and shall be maintained in operable condition:

• A service brake system
• An emergency brake system
• A parking brake system
• Two headlights (when visibility conditions require additional light)
• Two brake lights (regardless of light conditions)
• An adequate audible warning device (horn) at the operator’s station

In addition to the above listed items, all vehicles with cabs must be equipped with the following:

• Windshields and powered wipers (cracked or broken glass must be replaced)
• Operable defogging or defrosting devices (only in areas or conditions that require such)
• A cab shield or canopy to protect the operator when haulage vehicles are loaded by means of cranes, shovels, loaders, or similar equipment
• Seats firmly secured and adequate for all employees that are to be carried
• Seat belts (meeting the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards)

Fenders must be equipped on all rubber-tired motor vehicle/equipment manufactured on or after 5/1/72. Mud flaps may be used in lieu of fenders where the vehicle is not designed for such.

In a case where the motor vehicle/equipment has an obstructed view to the rear, a reverse signal alarm audible above the ambient noise level must be used or an observer used to signal the operator when it is safe to back up.

Trucks that are equipped with dump bodies shall have a means of support, permanently attached, that is capable of being locked in a position to prevent the accidental lowering of the body while maintenance or inspection work is performed. Also, operating levers which control hoisting or dumping devices must be equipped with a latch or other device which will prevent the accidental starting or tripping of the device.

Tailgates of dump trucks equipped with trip handles must have the device positioned so that while dumping, the operator is in the clear.

All vehicles that are in use must be checked at the beginning of each shift to assure that the items outlined above are in safe operating condition and free of any damage that may cause failure. If any defects are found, they must be corrected before the vehicle is put back in service.

This is part one of a two-part series on Equipment & Vehicles – General Requirements
Part Two: Equipment & Vehicles – General Requirements Part 2