Hazards construction sites

The responsibility for compl3dng with the requirements relating to specific hazards is placed on employers, the self-employed person, the person controlling construction works, employees and every person at work. 

The duties cover hazardous situations tiiat are frequently met on construction sites and are dealt with below where practical advice is given to assist in xmderstanding how compliance can be achieved. 

In any excavation, earth work, trench, well, shaft, tunnel or xmdergroimd worldng where there is a risk of material collapsing or falling, proper support must be used as early as practicable in the course of Ihe work to prevent any danger from an earfh fall or collapse. Suitable and sufficient material should be available for this purpose or alternative methods used such as  

1 Battering the sides, i.e. cutting the sides of the excavation back from the vertical to such a degree that fall of earth is prevented. 

2 Benching the sides. The sides of the excavation are stepped to restrict the fall of earth to small amounts. Maximum step depth 1.2 m (4 ft). 

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Healthcare Construction Site Hazardous Waste Issues... 

Permits-to-work and you. (An introduction for workers m the petroleum industry). Revised 1991 Asbestos does your company work with asbestos Bitumen boilers in construction fire hazards Elammable liquids on construction sites... 

The most common use of personal protective equipment is for the protection of head, eyes, ears, torso, hands, and feet. This equipment helps to protect a person from damage normally encountered in an industrial plant, a construction site, or land renovation project. PPE includes devices and clothing designed to be worn or used for the protection or safety of an individual in potentially hazardous areas or performing potentially hazardous operations. 

Workers at factories, storage facilities, construction sites, and at small- and medium-sized enterprises are potentially exposed to industrial chemical hazards. The elements common to workplace hazard communications systems include labels, MSDS/SDS, and training. 

Consider carrying out a site inspection. Whilst it is relatively simple to identify the unsafe, there may simply be too many potential hazards and risks to ever confidently proclaim safe in a given situation. Gravity is arguably one of the key hazards we have to deal with on construction sites, and as a result there is always the potential for slips, trips and falls within any task. When considered from this perspective - and the fact that this is one of the most common causes of minor accidents on UK construction sites-the limitations of the lexicon quickly become apparent. Who can confidently declare safe when people can trip up on the flattest and cleanest of surfaces ... 

This has therefore contributed to a shared understanding of risk within the construction site environment as something time-consuming and irrelevant. This is reinforced by the continued prioritisation of safety on sites through safety management systems as explored in Chapter 4, and as a result the constructs of risks and hazards further diminish in the dialogue. 

If employees received safety training, without any protective measures at the construction site, major hazards presented or exposed in front of employees directly, resulting in safe environment sensitivity to the staff, and they are always careful. When unsafe behavior occurs, staff will take into account the possible consequences without safety measures subconsciously, and the number and types of unsafe behavior will be relatively reduced. 

Construction Materials and Equipment — The driver of a CMV (who is used primarily in the transportation of construction materials and equipment) may restart his/her 7- or 8-day clock after an off-duty period of at least 24 consecutive hours. The transportation of construction materials and equipment is defined as the transportation of construction and pavement materials, construction equipment, and construction maintenance vehicles by a driver, to or from an active construction site within a 50-air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location of the driver. This exemption does not apply to drivers transporting placardable amounts of hazardous materials. 

Hazardous malfunction - if a piece of equipment was to fail in its function (that is, fail to do what it is supposed to do) and, as a result of this failure have the potential to cause harm, then this would be defined as a hazardous malfunction. Consider an example - if a materials lift on a construction site was to collapse when the supply to its motor failed, this would be a hazardous malfunction. All the regulations concerning work equipment state that it must be ... 

Construction sites can be hazardous because of the temporary nature of the construction process. The surroundings and systems are always changing as the construction process moves to its completion date when everything is finally in place. 

A method to protect workers that are exposed to falls of more than 182.9 cm (6 ft), primarily used on construction sites. It consists of a net arranged underneath a fall hazard to catch an individual to prevent injury. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 1926.402 (c) specifies the arrangements and testing required for safety net systems. 

In this chapter we have looked at many different types of electrical installations and wiring systems. Most of this type of work is carried out alongside other trades as a part of the construction process. Electricians have an important part to play in any construction project. However, a construction site has the potential to be hazardous because of the temporary and changing nature of the building environment. We have looked at the common causes of accidents at work and how to control the risks associated with various hazards in earlier chapters of this book. To make your work environment safe always ... 

If the workplace has multiple employers onsite (for example, a construction site), the rule requires these employers to ensure that information regarding hazards and protective measures be made available to the other employers onsite, where appropriate. 

OSHA cited a NY state residential contractor with 48,000 in proposed fines for allowing employees to be exposed to unguarded rebar and fall hazards at a construction site. 

Employers should (1) evaluate confined space conditions before entry is authorized, and (2) as necessary to ensure they are acceptable during work. Many construction site situations may pose a confined space hazard for which you must monitor the air. When doing so, follow these guidelines ... 

At construction sites, the most common electrical hazard is the grovmd fault electrical shock. The OSHA electrical rules reqrure employers to provide either (1) grormd fardt circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for receptacle outlets, or (2) an assraed equipment grormd-ing conductor program. Either method can eliminate grormd fault electric shock hazards. 

Electrical accidents on construction sites are almost always caused by unsafe equipment and/or installations, unsafe workplaces caused by environmental factors, or rmsafe work practices. Protection from electrical hazards is one way to prevent accidents. According to OSHA, protective methods that may be employed on your jobsite include insulation, electrical protective devices, guarding, grounding, personal protective equipment (PPE), and safe work practices. 

Electricity is necessaiy to get work done at construction sites. However, with its benefits come deadly hazards you should be aware of and guard against when working with electrically-powered equipment or wiring. 

Construction workers can t do their job without electricity. However, constant activity at a construction site makes it a particularly hazardous environment. Extension cords, temporary wiring panels, water hoses, materials laying around, and constant use of electric tools, make it extremely important that you are careful around electricity. Your life may depend on it. 

At construction sites the most common electrical hazard is the grovmd fault electrical shock. A ground fault occurs when a hot electrical wire contacts a grounded enclosvu-e. In most situations, the fault will trip a circuit breaker or blow a fuse. However, if a break in the ground wire occurs, the worker would no longer be protected, unless a secondary safety measure is available. 

At construction sites, the most common electrical hazard is the ground fault electrical shock. 

OSHA rules for heavy equipment, falls, power lines, electrical equipment, tools, excavations, carbon monoxide, and asphalt fiimes are covered throughout 29 CFR1926. OSHA rules for highway construction sites (also called work zones) can be found in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart G ( 1926.200 -. 203). Unfortrmately, OSHA does not provide much in the way of protecting workers from hazards of work zone traffic. However, while the Department of Transportation (DOT) has the intention of protecting motorists and pedestrians, it also provides some protection for road workers rmder 23 CFR 630 Subpart J and K and 23 CFR 655 Subpart F. 

OSHA cited a Massachusetts roofing contractor for 16 alleged violations of safety and health standards. The company faces a total of 79,000 in proposed fines for ladder, fall, scaffold, and other hazards identified at a residential construction site. 

Failure to adequately control energy accounts for many serious accidents at construction sites. Lockout/tagout procedures help safeguard you and fellow employees from the unexpected start-up of machinery or equipment or release of hazardous energy while performing servicing or maintenance tasks. 

Eye protection devices Employers must assess hazards and provide necessary eye protection devices. The chosen device must comply with ANSI standard Z87.1-2003, Z87.1-1989 (R-1998), or Z87.1-1989. The manufacttxrer identiflcation must be distinctly marked on the device. All eye protection devices must provide adequate protection, reasonable comfort, a snug fit which does not interfere with the movement of the wearer, durability, and the capability of being disinfected and cleaned. Common types of eye protection in use on construction sites include safety glasses and goggles, face shields, and welding helmets. 

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