Ladder accidents frequently happen when the ladder is not set properly. OSHA safety regulations, contractor safety programs, and ladder manufacturers alike do not require fall protection systems for portable ladders. This is primarily due to the fact that while ladder use is certainly involved in many accidents, it’s simply proper usage of the ladders that will provide a safe working environment. Unfortunately, “proper usage” involves a level, stable surface to set the ladder on, or structure to set the ladder against – with a proper place to tie off the ladder, etc. In the real world, this is rarely the case, and rather than set the ladder improperly, consider using ladder accessories for your situation. The venerable stepladder is by far the most common ladder to work from. Most problems working on stepladders occur from having your tools within reach and secure from falling. Here are a couple of my favorites for stepladders.
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OSHA safety regulations, contractor safety programs, and ladder manufacturers alike do not require fall protection systems for portable ladders. This is primarily due to the fact that while ladder use is certainly involved in many accidents, it’s simply proper usage of the ladders that will provide a safe working environment. For instance, the angle that a straight or extension ladder is placed against a wall or structure is critical to ladder safety. If the base of the ladder is placed too far away from the wall (see figure 1), there is more outward lateral pressure on the feet than the ladder was designed for. What this means to you is that the ladder is much more likely to slip out from under you than you realize. Ladder engineers design the foot dimensions and materials based on the anticipated load, but only at the correct angle – any more lateral forces on the feet is just asking for trouble.
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Certainly to the layman, medium voltage (601V to 2,000V) and high voltage (greater than 2,001V) work seems extremely dangerous, and in some cases that’s true. However, implementation of safe work practices, and improvements in safety equipment have made this work relatively safe. Many utility contractors employ stringent work rules which already comply with (and exceed) OSHA regulations. The following are highlights of some of the more important OSHA regulations for line work found under the “Power Transmission and Distribution” subpart of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Before any work can begin, OSHA requires a thorough assessment of the area to determine what parts are energized, the condition of poles, hardware, and equipment. This survey shall include any affected peripherals such as fire alarm, phone, or cable TV lines.

Workers then approaching a work area must maintain minimum clear distances from energized parts with a phase-to phase potential of 2,100 volts or higher. This applies to any workers who are not completely isolated, and includes workers using “hot sticks” or other similar devices that are insulated. For instance, the minimum clear distance for energized parts from 2,100 volts to 15,000 volts is 2 ft. This distance increases slightly to 2 ft. 4 in. for voltages from 15,001 volts to 35,000 volts, and increases incrementally thereafter.

Workers will first usually put on their personal protective equipment. OSHA does require that all rubber equipment and live-line tools be visually inspected prior to use. In addition, rubber gloves in particular shall be “air-tested” prior to use.

Lines and equipment that are deenergized to be worked on can, in most cases, visually show that it’s disconnected from energized portions of the system. In cases where an item is not visibly open or visibly locked out, special care needs to be taken.

First, the line needs to be identified and declared deenergized by a designated worker. All switches that can supply power to the deenergized section shall be plainly tagged that men are working on the section. If switches can be locked out, or have their handles removed (or other similar action) this shall be done to assure the switches cannot be turned on. After all the above work is performed, the section shall be final tested to verify the section is deenergized. At that point protective grounds shall be installed, and then work may start. When attaching ground leads, start by attaching the lead to the ground point, then connect the other end with insulating tools or similar devices. Reversal of the above process is performed when reenergizing the section.

OSHA has a few general regulations for equipment use. For instance, a visual inspection and test of brakes and operating systems shall performed on all equipment at the start of the workshift. Hydraulic fluids used in Aerial lifts or similar equipment shall be of the insulating type- with fire-resistant characteristics of this fluid being exempted for this type of high voltage work. Arial lifts used near energized lines or equipment are required to be either grounded or barricaded. Equipment (such as cranes) without a voltage rating shall be kept clear of high voltage lines and equipment by 10 ft. (for 50,000 volts and less). Also OSHA prohibits line work under adverse weather conditions (especially high winds) except during emergencies.

There are many regulations OSHA has for line-stringing operations, however most of these regulations are covered by normal company work rules. OSHA does, however, require a briefing to be held before work starts which discusses the following topics:

• The type of equipment to be used.
• The grounding devices and procedures to be used.
• The crossover methods to be used.
• The clearance authorization(s) required.

When stringing operations are parallel to existing, energized lines, a competent determination needs to be made to ascertain if dangerous, induced voltage buildups can occur, especially during switching and ground fault conditions. If this is the case, the entire stringing operations require grounding until conductor installation is complete. The normal OSHA regulations also apply as to inspecting all equipment and line stringing accessories, etc. prior to use.

Working on live-line bare-hand work is a specialty in itself. OSHA requires any worker attempting this type of work to be thoroughly training prior to working on any energized circuits. Before working on live-line bare-hand work, the following items need to be determined:

• The voltage rating of the circuit on which work will be performed.
• The clearances to ground or other phases on which work will be performed.
• The voltage limitations of the aerial-lift equipment to be used.

All equipment used for this type of work shall be designed, tested and intended for live-line bare-hand work. One of the keys to this work is the insulating capacity of the aerial bucket arm. The ability of the aerial bucket to be completely isolated from any other voltage potential make this type of live-line bare-hand work possible. Before the start of the workday, when higher voltages are worked during the day, or any other factors develop that may change voltage conditions, the aerial bucket arm shall be physically tested. This test consists of placing the bucket arm in contact for three minutes with the voltage to be encountered during the work. Leakage tests shall be made during the three minutes. If more than 1 microampere/ kilovolt rating (between phases) is found, the bucket arm fails the test and shall not be used until repairs are made.

Once the aerial lift passes the test, work may then proceed only with personal supervision by a person trained and qualified in live-line bare-hand work. Again, this may be standard procedure to those familiar with live-line work, but OSHA does require the conductive aerial bucket liner to be bonded to the energized line being worked before the line is worked on. The worker is also similarly bonded to the liner with conductive shoes, or leg clips. This ensures the worker (isolated from ground or other phases) is at exactly the same voltage potential as the line, thereby making the live line safe to perform work on.

A careful assessment of the applicable regulations should be reviewed with your own safety procedures to assure compliance with OSHA regulations.

In reality, any type of business is concerned with the health and safety of their employees. It is very important to reduce the number of injuries and accidents that occurs in the job place. This is why there are very explicit guidelines outlined in the safety manuals. Every year, companies spend thousands of dollars to train their workers in work place safety, this investment safeguards their employees against being injured and also knowing what to do in the event of an emergency.

Depending on what type of work environment is involved, there are safety guidelines that are in place. There is a plan outlined for each piece of equipment used, right down to the safety belts workers wear. It is important that each worker knows how to protect themselves and others on the job. If not, it can make for a hazardous work environment and cause needless mistakes that can result in fatalities.

If you work in construction, your biggest safety concern would be injury due to falling or tripping. In 2003 alone there were 1107 injuries related to falling and 1073 major injuries due to tripping. These injuries could have been avoided, had the workers been properly trained in health and safety.

When you are working in a construction environment, there are bound to be several different types of contractors on the job site. The site will more than likely be littered with cords, scaffold and equipment. It is up to you to make sure you are aware of everything going on around you and that your fellow workers are utilizing safety protocols. You are responsible for you and others as well, because you are part of a team and safety should be the highest priority for everyone involved.

It is also important that you have a system in place to ensure good work place order. This includes making sure that the workplace is kept tidy. Your worker traffic should be kept separated from pedestrians, this protects them as well as you. Walkways and steps should be kept cleared of anything that may trip someone, this is very important in the event of an emergency situation. Together with your fellow employees, a few simple steps can save lives and keep the workplace safe.

Anyone who has worked in construction, knows how dangerous the environment can be. This is why it is so important to follow the OSHA (Occupational Safety Hazard Association), guidelines. By adherence to the OSHA standards, you protect yourself and others against needless injuries. These guidelines are enacted to ensure that every worker is conscientious and aware of the importance of safety.

Each year thousands of workers are injured and sadly, some are even killed. This is why it is so important for you to comply with safety guidelines and protocols. If you are working on a scaffold, make sure that it is checked before and after each shift, make certain that safety belts are in working order and not damaged, discard trash and debris, put safety netting under roofs to catch someone in the event of a fall, and wear your safety equipment and goggles. These again are just a few of the many things you can do to protect yourself and others.

By utilizing the guidelines in the OSHA manual, you may not prevent injuries, but you can considerably lessen the likelihood. You should always do whatever possible to practice safety protocols in the workplace. If you regularly incorporate it into your daily work routine it will become second nature. By doing this, the life you save may be your own.

Many contractors perform some type of concrete work from equipment slabs to structural concrete systems. Most OSHA regulations that may apply to concrete work are found in other Subparts of the Code of Federal Regulations (such as Personal Protective Equipment).

However, there are some general safety methods common to all concrete work which OSHA specifies in Subpart Q- Concrete. In this article, the basic tool requirements for concrete work, and limited access zones for masonry work will be outlined:

Tools and Equipment

The following are highlights of the more common requirements for concrete tools and equipment.

• Before using bull floats, because of their long handles, a careful review of the area being worked should be done to determine if any electrical equipment or wires are close. If so, the bull float handle is required to be insulated, be of non-conductive material, or shortened to a safe working length.
• Masonry saws are required to have a semicircular guard which can retain blade fragments in the event of blade breakage. This guarding requirement is for all tools.
• Tremies, or other concrete conveyances are required to be secured with wire rope (or equivalent) in addition to the regular couplings and connectors.
• When repairs or maintenance work is performed on concrete pumps, mixers, compressors, etc. The equipment is required to have the power source locked out with a “Do Not Start,” or similar tag at the lock.
• Workers are not allowed to ride the concrete bucket, or backhoe bucket.
• When concrete buckets are used, no workers shall be allowed to work directly under the bucket while the bucket is being raised, or lowered into position.
  Also, concrete buckets shall be routed so that the fewest (preferably no) workers are located under it’s path.
• When placing or tying vertical reinforcing, any work performed while on the steel, and above 6 ft. Shall have the workers using positioning devices for fall protection. A positioning device would be a safety belt (or harness) with a lanyard that would not allow a fall greater than 2 ft. While safety belts are being phased out for fall protection use elsewhere, belts are still allowed for positioning devices since the forces arising from a 2ft. fall are not that great. Using a positioning device, the worker climbs along the reinforcing steel into position, then snaps a lanyard in place on each side of the belt before working.
• Reinforcing steel, when ends are exposed at a location which could cause injury if a worker would fall onto or into the ends shall be protected. Plastic end caps are commercially available for this purpose, however, in some areas protecting the worker with a board laid flat over the rebar ends is preferred.
• Reinforcing steel for walls, columns, and other similar vertical structures shall be braced to prevent overturning or collapse.
• Roll reinforcing mesh shall be turned over (curl down), or have it’s end secured to prevent mesh from recoiling.
• Concrete formwork shall be designed, fabricated, erected, supported, braced, and maintained so that it will be capable of supporting any loads (vertically and horizontally) that may reasonably be placed upon it.
• Concrete formwork shall not be removed unless in accordance with plans/specification conditions, or when none are present, then by using test cylinder results to verify adequate concrete strength.

Violations found for concrete work are not near as frequent as for other work. Protecting rebar ends is the most common violation found by OSHA, with lack of blade guards on concrete cutting equipment being another frequent violation found.

Another common general requirement under concrete work applies to building masonry walls. Whether your firm builds masonry walls, or you have them built on your jobsites, you should understand the special requirements for a “Limited Access Zone.”

Masonry Construction

The following are highlights of the requirements for masonry work.

• Limited Access Zone: Before work is started on a masonry wall, a limited access zone is required to be established. The zone shall run the length of the wall and shall extend out from the base of the proposed wall the height of the wall plus 4 ft. (see diagram). Therefore, a proposed wall 50 ft. long by 20 ft. high would have a limited access zone 50 ft. long by 24 ft. wide.
• This access zone shall be located on the side of the wall that is not scaffolded.
• This access zone shall only be occupied by workers who are actively engaged in constructing the masonry wall. No other work may be performed while the wall is being built within the zone limits.
• When the masonry wall passes 8 ft. in height, bracing shall be installed to prevent overturning or collapse, unless there exists a means of supporting the wall without bracing (such as an adjoining wall). Bracing installed shall remain in place until other permanent supporting elements such as adjoining walls or roof structures are in place.
• When the masonry wall is properly braced, the limited access zone may be withdrawn.

Training

While there are no specific references to training in this Subpart section, safety training and discussion with your workers in the above regulations would be necessary before working on concrete or masonry construction.

OSHA recently issued a Hazard Information Bulletin to its compliance officers (inspectors) to be “on the lookout for unsafe use of LP-gas containers.” OSHA distributes Hazard Information Bulletins to all area offices and state plan offices, in addition to labor and industry associations.

The bulletin is notifying readers that propane tanks commonly found on construction sites may have regulators that extend outside the protective collars designed to prevent damage to valves. Extending regulators beyond the protective collar causes the regulator and attached equipment to be vulnerable if the tank falls, is dropped, are struck by a heavy object.

OSHA reported a case where a worker entered a confined space to clear ice from a manhole using a blowtorch with a regulator that was attached outside the collar of a 20-pound propane cylinder. The cylinder fell, the exposed regulator broke off, and gas and liquid propane released into the manhole. The propane caught fire inside the space and the worker burned to death.

The bulletin is likely to cause compliance officers to specifically look for this hazard during an OSHA inspection.

According to OSHA, workers using gas cylinders with unguarded regulators “appears” to be a common practice found on construction sites. OSHA standard 1926.153 addresses the use of liquefied petroleum (LP) gas containers. It requires you to protect normal 20-pound LP-gas containers from damage while in use or in storage. OSHA also reminds readers that LP-gas cylinders are covered by the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) “Standard for the Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases,” 58-1995, section 2-2.4.1.

OSHA warns construction workers and employees of the hazards associated with unguarded regulators on propane cylinders, and that the standards require employees to receive training on how to do their jobs safely. The NFPA which sets voluntary safety standards also has recommendations covering protection for valves and connections such as regulators.

In short, make sure that your cylinders do not have attached regulators extending outside the confines of the protective collar, and that all critical parts of the equipment are protected from danger/damage. Supervisors should be familiar with the OSHA standard, safe use of the equipment, and most importantly – assure that all workers using/handling cylinders are properly trained.

Helping contractors to understand and focus on areas where jobsite hazards and citations usually and frequently occur not only gets right to the heart of the matter, but also, results in an increased level of hazard awareness for you and your workers.

Therefore, let’s review some of these areas where jobsite and workplace violations frequently occur and offer some control measures on how to avoid these situations and comply with OSHA’s regulations. To do this, we’ll look at some of the various OSHA reports on “most frequently cited serious violations” for the following: The related Subpart section of the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) follows each one listed.

• Fall Protection (Subpart M)
• Excavations (Subpart P)
• Stairways and Ladders (Subpart X)

Fall Protection

The three (3) most frequently cited serious violations are:

1. Failure to protect workers from falls of 6 feet or more off unprotected sides or edges, e.g. floors and roofs 1926.501(b)(1); (b)(10); and (b)(11).
2. Failure to protect workers from falling into or through holes and openings in floors and walls 1926.501(b)(4) and (b)(14).
3. Failure to provide guardrails on runways and ramps where workers are exposed to falls of 6 feet or more to a lower level 1926.501(b)(6).

Fall Protection Control Measures:

Again, by means of performing a jobsite hazard survey, you will determine where fall hazards may exist throughout the course of the project, then implement and train your workers on the necessary protective measures prior to startup. Protective measures may include any one or a combination of the following methods: personal fall arrest system, guardrail system, safety net system, positioning device system, controlled access zone, and/or safety monitor. Which method to use depends on the type of fall hazard.

• Wherever possible, use a mechanical lifting device to lift equipment or assembled items into place such as sections of roofing. This will eliminate or reduce the number of workers exposed to falls.
• Working platforms such as aerial lifts or scaffolds provide better working surfaces for your workers rather than walking top plates or beams.
• A hole is defined as an opening 2 inches in its smallest dimension in a floor, roof or other walking/working surface. Covers are to be placed over any holes and marked as “HOLE” or “COVER” to provide warning of the hazard.
• Where fall hazards exist, limit the number of workers in the area to only those who are qualified and necessary. Also, designate an employee as the “safety monitor” where fall hazards exist. This person will observe employees and alert them of any unsafe activity and any hazards that could cause them to trip or fall.

Excavations

OSHA lists twenty one (21) areas of the standard most frequently cited as serious violations (January 1990 to April 1996), they are:

1. Protection in Excavations 1926.652(a)(1)
2. Inspections .651(k)(1)
3. Loose Rock/Soil .651(j)(2)
4. Means of Egress .651(c)(2)
5. Vehicular Traffic .651(d)
6. Inspections .651(k)(2)
7. Water Accumulation .651(h)(1)
8. Loose Rock/Soil .651(j)(1)
9. *Walkways/Guardrails .651(1)(2)
10. Falling Loads .651(e)
11. Adjacent Structures .651(I)(3)
12. *Walkways/Guardrails .651(1)(1)
13. Sloping/Benching Systems .652(b)
14. Adjacent Structures .651(I)(1)
15. Design/Protective Systems .652(c)
16. Shield Systems Requirements .652(g)(2)
17. Shield Systems/General .652(g)(1)
18. Underground Installations .651(b)(4)
19. Hazardous Atmospheres .651(g)(1)
20. Surface Encumbrances .651(a)
21. Protective Systems .652(a)(2)

* Section 1926.651(1)(2) was deleted by the Federal Register number 40730, dated August 9, 1994 (final rule Subpart M of Part 1926 -Fall Protection). Basically, these two sections are now covered under the new fall protection regulations for the construction industry found in Subpart M as noted.

As you can see from the list above, contractors continue to be cited for numerous violations of the excavation regulation. This is partly due to the fact that with most excavation projects there are many elements to consider and have a clear knowledge of such as: soil classifications, shielding/shoring systems, sloping/benching methods, the effects of water accumulation, hazardous atmospheres, protection of existing underground structures/utilities, effects of adjacent structures, adjacent vehicular traffic, employee access in and out of the excavation, inspection methods, emergency evacuation plan, etc., and the list goes on.
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