Hazards work zone

Work zones are designed to control access to actual and anticipated hazards. Work zone positioning is based on hazard characterization and exposure assessment. Anticipated work activity, potential releases, and the amount of contaminant dispersion are important for delineating these zones [3]. 

There are three main types of work zones at a hazardous waste site the exelusion (or hot) zone, the eontamination reduetion (or deeontam-ination) zone, and the support (or eold) zone. The following provides a diseussion of eaeh type of zone. 

The names, number, and types of zones vary based on the aetivities at the worksite. The important thing to remember is that work zones are established to proteet the workers and the publie. Everyone on the site should understand the hazard(s) and eontrol(s) neeessary to support eaeh identified zone. Wind direetion was mentioned as an important eri-terion in ehoosing the support or elean zone. In most parts of the eountry, wind direetion ean be highly variable. If this is the ease at a given site, how should the support zone be handled The answer may vary based on the eonditions. 

Let s look at another example a small-scale voluntary cleanup that might take place in the lot behind a factory, or a tank being removed at a corner gas station. Although we have the same considerations, these projects are on a smaller scale and will create less of a hazardous condition. The same principles that exist at the large job still should be adhered to on the small job. The work zone should be delineated and controlled to protect workers or the public from entering the work zone. For the small job, caution tape, snow fence, or traffic cones can be used effectively. 

As should be clear now, determining work zones can be a challenge. You can run into unique situations performing hazardous waste... 

Flazardous waste sites are divided into as many or as few zones as necessary to protect worker health and safety. Work zones are established to prevent the spread of hazardous substances from contaminated to clean areas. Radiological work zones should be considered compatible with hazardous waste work zones, differing only in terminology. Diagrams, sketches, and maps should be used as often as necessary and constantly updated and communicated so that workers can be sure that they are appropriately protected [3]. 

F. All site control elements of the safety and health program must be fully implemented as described in the program. The purpose of site control requirements is to ensure that only properly trained and authorized individuals enter those areas of the site with potential hazards, and that, in the event of an emergency, rapid assistance can be rendered to employees working in the exclusion zone. This section discusses the findings of two components of site control the establishment and maintenance of site work zones and the establishment and implementation of appropriate confined space procedures. 

Site H was the only site at which the contractor had implemented comprehensive and effective site control elements. The Site H contractor had established site work zones, a buddy system, and site communication procedures consistent with 1910.120(d). This contractor had also established exclusion zones and contamination reduction zones to control migration of site contaminants to clean areas of the site when work within these areas introduced the potential for exposure to hazardous contaminants. The audit team supported this contractor s use of flexible and temporary work zone boundaries based on monitoring results and hazard determinations. 

Wlien non-impermeable elothing beeomes wetted with hazardous substanees, is it immediately removed and do you shower Is the elothing disposed of or deeontaminated before it is removed from the work zone [OSHA Referenee. 120(k)(5)(ii)]... 

To reduce the accidental spread of hazardous substances by workers from a contaminated area to a clean area, zones should be delineated on the site where different types of operations will occur, and the flow of personnel among the zones should be controlled. The establishment of work zones will help ensure that personnel are properly protected against the hazards present where they are working, that work activities and contamination are confined to the appropriate areas, and that personnel can be located and evacuated in an emergency. 

BSC The BSC should operate continuously to ensure containment of hazardous substances. All work-zone interior surfaces with the exception of the HEPA filter-protective screen should be cleaned and sanitized carefully in the manner of the LFCB in the proper order to ensure protection of operator s garb from contaminants and cleaning residues during the cleaning process. This sequence will also prevent the transfer of drug residues to the general environment. " ... 

Implementation of a site control program to protect employees against hazardous materials contamination. At a minimum, the site safety plan must designate the location of the spill or release site, site work zones, site communications, safe work practices... 

The selection of pressure differentials should take into account the relative hazards of incoming and outgoing contamination in each work zone. 

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. 

If working on pile driving, know the special hazards of this work. If working on trenching and/or shoring associated with a work zone, be sure all excavations are being properly shored and be aware of cave-in hazards. 

All personnel, regardless of occupation, must be oriented to each work zone s hazards and how to avoid them. OSHA regulations require equipment operators to be fully trained on the machines they will operate. OSHA and the Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices have speciflc standards for flaggers. 

Highway, road, street, bridge, tunnel, utility, and other workers are exposed to a variety of hazards inside and outside a work zone. Here s a list of work-zone hazards workers may face ... 

All personnel, regardless of occupation, must be oriented to each work zone s hazards and how to avoid them. 

Heavy Construction — Flagging Safety Heavy Construction — Highway Construction Heavy Equipment — Backovers PPE - High-Visibility Garments Site Safety — General — Struck-By Hazard Defined Work Zone Safety — Personal Protective Equipment Work Zone Safety — Traffic Control Devices Work Zone Safety — Basic Training... 

A comprehensive site safety and control plan should include the following summary analysis of hazards on the site and a risk analysis of those hazards site map or sketch site work zones (clean zone, transition or decontamination zone, work or hot zone) use of the buddy system site communications command post or command center standard operating procedures and safe work practices medical assistance and triage area hazard monitoring plan (air contaminate monitoring, etc.) decontamination procedures and area and other relevant areas. This plan should be a part of the employer s emergency response plan or an extension of it to the specific site. 

However, other constmction workers in highway/road constmction work zones are also exposed to the danger of being stmck by the vehicles operating near them, for such workers, section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, 29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1), also known as the General Duty Clause, requires similar protection. (Note Section 5(a)(1) requires employers to provide their employees . ..employment and a place of employment which are ifree from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.)... 

Assess hazards within the work zone that would affect the safe operation of hoisting equipment, such as power lines and objects or personnel that would be within the swing radius of the hoisting equipment. 

Materials handling Noise exposure Pressure vessels Tractor operation Traffic and the work zone Driving hazards weather and car accidents alcohol and car accidents eating, drinking, and car accidents Hot and cold weather conditions... 

Description of hazard. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, transportation incidents and workers struck by vehicles or mobile equipment account for the highest number of fatal work injuries. In a work zone, workers are susceptible to the careless driving of oncoming traffic as well as to the actions of work vehicles and equipment. 

Construction - Fall protection, confined spaces, PPE, trenching, OSHA compliance, hazardous exposures, sustainability, FEED, highway work zones. Industrial Hygiene - Monitoring control of haz-... 

Wlien utility work is located in an exclusion zone, are workers who enter the area exposed to hazardous materials Hazard characterization and exposure assessment performed by a competent person may show that the area surrounding the equipment and an access corridor leading to the equipment can be cleaned so that the utility workers can work in the... 

If the area and eorridor ean be maintained free of safety hazards arising from the hazardous waste operation, the work probably would not fall under the requirements. In this ease, the area and eorridor would eonstitute a temporary support zone. Beeause the work involves eleetri-eal utilities, it would fall under the most proteetive standard of praetiee, sueh as OSHA s Eleetrieal Standard or the National Eleetrie Code (NEC). Also, there may be other requirements that apply. Administrative eontrols sueh as HAZWOPER-trained eseorts are used to make eertain that the utility workers are not exposed to any hazards from the operation. The proeedures to be followed are doeumented in the site-speeifie HASP [1]. 

Normal work elothes are appropriate for the support zone. PPE worn for the hazardous waste work should remain in the CRZ/C. At some point, this PPE will be deeontaminated or paekaged for transport and disposal or deeontamination. Separate support zone faeilities may not be needed where site faeilities are readily available and near to the worksite, and if elose eommunieation is maintained. Eor multiple hazardous waste operations eondueted in elose proximity, it is possible to design one support zone to serve several operations. This will depend on the logisties of the projeet. 

Subcontractor may be used in support zone or nonhazardous site activities. Eor limited activities at a hazardous waste site, the scope of work must be reviewed with the health and safety professional before work is started (examples landscape service, electricians, software development, training, etc.). The subcontractor must meet the following minimum requirements ... 

Does the personal proteetive equipment seleeted for employees in the exehision zone take aeeount of the need to reduee heat stress while also providing proteetion from ehemieal and other hazards at the site Are work operations seheduled to avoid physieally demanding work during periods of extreme heat ... 

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