Tag: #constructionsitesafety

“Work with us” on work zone safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

“You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us.” That’s the theme of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, set for April 17-21.

In 2020, 117 workers died in work zones, according to the campaign’s website.

“Work zones need traffic controls identified by signs, cones, barrels and barriers,” OSHA says. “Drivers, workers on foot, and pedestrians must be able to see and understand the proper routes. Construction project managers determine traffic control plans within construction/demolition worksites.”

Keep your work zones safe by following these tips from OSHA:

  • Use traffic control devices, signals and message boards to instruct drivers to follow established paths away from where work is being done.
  • Deter unauthorized entry into work zones by using concrete, water, sand, collapsible barriers and other impact-absorbing materials.
  • Make sure flaggers are wearing high-visibility clothing with a fluorescent background and made of retroreflective material. This makes them visible from at least 1,000 feet. They also should be using “STOP/SLOW” paddles or paddles with lights, and be trained on authorized signaling methods.
  • Ensure work zones are well lit. “Lighting for workers on foot and for equipment operators should be at least 5 foot-candles or greater. Where available lighting is not sufficient, flares or chemical lighting should be used. Glare should be controlled or eliminated.”
  • Buckle up. “Seat belts and rollover protection should be used on equipment and vehicles as the manufacturer recommends.”

Learn more about the campaign at nwzaw.org.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Women in construction share their experiences in new report

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Alachua, FL — The construction industry must “change the culture and perception of our industry” to recruit and retain women, concludes a new white paper.

That includes addressing discrimination and sexual harassment, ensuring consistent hiring practices, and accommodating working mothers, according to the National Center for Construction Education and Research’s report – released March 6.

NCCER conducted focus groups with 176 tradeswomen from across the country and analyzed survey responses from 770 women in construction. The women shared the unique obstacles they face and offered advice on improving the experience for women in the profession.

When asked if they agree or disagree with the statement, “At the place I work, I am treated with respect,” 20% of the survey respondents disagreed. More than a third (35%) said they’ve been put down or addressed in unprofessional terms – either publicly or in private.

Other findings:

  • Nearly half (46%) of the women said they’d been the target of derogatory comments or jokes on the job.
  • Among mothers, 25% said they’d faced disciplinary action for missing work to attend family emergencies; only 4% of the women in managerial, administration and technical positions were disciplined for similar reasons.

According to the focus groups, knowing someone at their company was critical to them getting hired. However, the report points out, because women are underrepresented in the industry, they’re less likely to have connections to open doors to those jobs. “This type of hiring practice is not only restrictive, but seems to support the stereotype that our industry is trying to overcome.”

Despite these barriers and others – including improved jobsite experience, more women in site leadership and offering more training opportunities – NCCER says women are more focused on team performance rather than individual achievements, and the construction industry “must recognize that we are not effectively appealing to the largest percentage of the population, and this is negatively impacting our project outcomes.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Construction Safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Prevent falls through skylights and other openings

In 2021, 62 U.S. construction workers died after falling through a surface or an existing opening such as a skylight, according to data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

“Holes and openings are made in roofs and floors of buildings, both when they are built and when they are torn down,” CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training says.

Prevent injuries on your jobsite. Tips from CPWR:

  • Guard or cover all holes before you leave a work area. Your co-workers may not see an uncovered hole, which means they could fall through it.
  • Label all covers with the word “hole” or “cover.”
  • If you see a hole that’s uncovered, take the time to cover it.
  • Make sure hole covers can support at least two times the weight of your co-workers, equipment and materials. If a hole is larger than plywood, use guardrails. (OSHA requires covers of standard strength and construction.)
  • Fasten all hole covers with screws and/or nails. “If a worker steps on an unsecured cover, it can shift and the worker can fall through the hole and be injured.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Use scaffolding safely

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Rounding out the top five on OSHA’s Top 10 list of most cited violations for fiscal year 2022 is scaffolding (1926.451), with 2,285 violations. Violations of this standard are a mainstay on the list year after year.

Use these tips from the Texas Department of Insurance to help your workers safely use scaffolding:
Use proper safety equipment. Is your employee working on a scaffold more than 10 feet off the ground? If so, they need to use personal fall arrest systems or guardrails. “Employees on single-point and two-point adjustable scaffolds must be protected using guardrails and personal fall arrest systems.” Also: “Many scaffold-related injuries involve falling objects or slips. Wear a hard hat and nonslip footwear to prevent serious injuries.”
Be aware of load limits. Scaffolds need to support four times the maximum intended load without failure, OSHA says.
Build properly. First, make sure workers are following the manufacturer’s instructions when constructing the scaffold. Then, they should avoid power lines by leaving at least 10 feet of clearance between electrical hazards and the construction. Next, a competent person must supervise the building, moving and dismantling of scaffolding, as well as inspect it before each shift and when work is done.
Keep the area organized and clear. Clutter can lead to trips and falls or cause hazards for workers on lower levels, so workers need to keep their tools and equipment organized and put away after they’re done using it.
Train all employees. Workers who use scaffolds should be trained to recognize, control and reduce hazards. Your training should include proper setup, use and handling of materials – “taking into account the intended load and type of scaffold used.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction set for May 1-5

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health

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Washington — The 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is slated for May 1-5.

The voluntary event is intended to prevent fall-related deaths and injuries by raising awareness of hazards. Falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death in the industry, accounting for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

OSHA encourages all workplaces to participate by hosting an event, which can include a toolbox talk or a safety activity such as developing rescue plans, conducting safety equipment inspections or discussing job-specific hazards. Workers can take the opportunity to share fall or other job hazards with management. On its website, the agency shares highlights of past events from around the country.

OSHA invites employers to share their stand-down stories by emailing oshastanddown@dol.gov or using the hashtag #StandDown4Safety on social media.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Drone use in construction can distract workers and increase risk of falls: CPWR

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: Courtesy of 3D Robotics 

Silver Spring, MD — As the use of drone technology in the construction industry expands, so too do safety concerns related to worker distraction and potential collisions while operating at height.

That’s the conclusion of researchers from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, who in a recent study analyzed the behaviors of 153 participants “with varying construction experience” in a virtual construction site.

Findings show that working with or near drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, “reduces the attention workers devote to the task at hand, which could result in falls when they are at height.” Workers operating while drones were 12 and 25 feet away looked away from job tasks more frequently than when drones were 1.5 and 4 feet away.

Additionally, working with drones at any distance contributes to “significant” psychological or emotional distress. Workers may feel as though they’re constantly being monitored. They also might be fearful of being struck by a drone, as they already operate in high-risk environments at height.

A 2021 survey conducted by Dodge Data & Analytics in partnership with CPWR, among other organizations, found that 37% of construction contractors use drones on worksites, while an additional 6% anticipated future use. Still, the study concluded that construction workers “generally have a negative attitude” toward working with or near drones.

To help ensure safe integration of drones in construction, CPWR advises employers to:

  • Train workers. “There are currently no specific OSHA standards or guidelines regarding UAVs on construction sites, so training workers is even more critical. The training content needs to be developed to not only educate workers about UAVs, but also help familiarize them with working alongside UAVs.” CPWR says virtual reality training carries multiple benefits and may help workers view drones “less negatively.”
  • Design drones to “limit the frequency and severity of risks” they pose to workers and minimize crash impact.
  • Prepare worksites to ensure drones “work efficiently and safely around workers,” accounting for factors that include drone size and shape, flight path, and weather conditions.

CPWR also suggests using the Hierarchy of Controls to assist with hazard prevention. When possible, schedule work so employees aren’t present in areas in which drones are operating. Use drones only for operations that provide “significant benefits” over traditional work methods, and isolate workers from drones when no substitute for drone use exists.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Improving nanomaterial Safety Data Sheets: CPWR launches e-tool

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
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Photo: CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

Silver Spring, MD — A new e-tool from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is intended to help manufacturers, distributors and importers of products that contain nanomaterials strengthen their Safety Data Sheets.

The free, interactive Nano Safety Data Sheet Improvement Tool poses to users a series of questions to help evaluate their existing SDSs, and then generates a report with recommendations for improvement. That report is based on the 16 sections of an SDS required by OSHA that follow specifications of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

Nanomaterials – materials that have at least one dimension (height, width or length) that’s smaller than 100 nanometers – are chemical substances whose microscopic size gives them properties they don’t possess in their larger form.

CPWR has identified more than 800 nanomaterials that are increasingly being used in construction. Those materials include sealants, coatings, paints, concrete, flooring, lubricants and roofing materials. When workers use the materials, they can be exposed to fumes, gases, vapors and dust containing nanomaterials, which can present health hazards.

Knowing which materials could be hazardous allows workers to take precautions to mitigate the risks, according to CPWR, which says SDSs for these products should clearly identify nanomaterials that are present and offer information on potential safety and health risks.

A 2019 study led by Laura Hodson, the retired coordinator of the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center, revealed that only 3% of the nanomaterial SDSs evaluated were satisfactory and 79% needed significant improvement.

McCraren Compliance assists employers in protecting their workers, starting with a comprehensive Work-site Analysis, Hazard Prevention, Controls, and Safety & Health Training.

Please contact us today at 888-758-4757 to learn how we can provide mine safety training and consulting for your business.

CPWR: Construction industry accounts for about half of job-related electrical deaths

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: The Center for Construction Research and Training

Silver Spring, MD — Roughly half of the fatal workplace injuries related to electricity exposure in a recent 10-year period occurred in construction, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.

Using 2011-2020 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, researchers identified 1,501 fatal occupational electrical injuries in all industries. Of those, 49.1% involved construction workers. Additionally, 24.4% of nonfatal electrical injuries occurred in construction. CPWR says the industry employs 7% of the U.S. workforce.

Overall, fatal injuries were more often a result of direct exposure (58.8%) than indirect (38.9%). Direct exposure is associated with contacting a live wire, while indirect exposure may include operating a crane that touches a power line.

The researchers also analyzed OSHA enforcement data. Among their findings:

  • In 2020, establishments with fewer than 10 employees accounted for 71.5% of OSHA citations for violations of federal electrical standards, while comprising 81.4% of establishments overall.
  • By North American Industry Classification System code, 70.5% of citations for electrical standards involved specialty trade contractors; the NAICS code for construction of buildings (26.1%) and heavy and civil engineering construction (3.4%) followed. Specialty trade contractors accounted for 71.1% of fatal electrical injuries.
  • OSHA citations for violations of federal electrical standards decreased 73.5% from 2011 to 2021. Electrical standard citations comprised 2.7% of citations in construction in 2021 – down from 6.5% in 2011.

The report was published in the November issue of CPWR’s Data Bulletin.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Study shows that texting toolbox talks to supervisors helps make safety meetings happen

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety + Health

Portland, OR — A recent study of residential construction supervisors in Oregon who received toolbox talks via text messages showed that their compliance with Oregon OSHA’s standard on safety meetings increased – and the delivery method was welcomed.

Researchers sent seven different toolbox talks, based on Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation reports, to 56 supervisors via text every two weeks for three months. Results show that adherence to the agency’s standard, which requires at least one safety meeting a month and a meeting before the start of each job that lasts more than a week, rose 19.4% among the participants.

“We were able to see that using mobile phone technology to disseminate these toolbox talks was feasible and desirable among supervisors,” study co-author Sean Rice, a biostatistician with the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health and Sciences University, told Safety+Health. “We were able to do it, and people seemed to like it.”

Topics of the toolbox talks included falls from a scaffold, a ladder, through a skylight and down an elevator shaft. The supervisors also received a link to access the online toolbox talk libraries of Oregon FACE and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. The supervisors were asked to use the featured toolbox talk when it was appropriate for their jobsite’s safety concerns and work phase, or find one from one of the libraries that better suited their needs.

The researchers also asked the supervisors about how they communicated the toolbox talks to their workers. While 54% either read the talk or printed documents to share, 41% said they preferred toolbox talks in a video or audio format.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Steer clear of injury when using skid-steer loaders

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Skid-steer loaders, often used on construction sites for excavating and other tasks, have features that expose workers to many injury risks, including caught-between incidents and rollovers. Although these machines are equipped with protective systems such as seat belts and rollover protection, injuries continue to occur.

Help keep workers safe with these tips from the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health:

  • Stay seated when operating the loader controls.
  • Wear the seat belt.
  • Keep your hands, arms, legs and head inside the operator’s compartment while operating the loader.
  • Load, unload and turn on level ground, when possible.
  • Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest position possible.
  • Don’t exceed the manufacturer’s recommended load capacity.
  • Operate on stable surfaces only.
  • Travel straight up or down slopes with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill.
  • Always look in the direction the loader is traveling.
  • Keep other workers away from the loader’s work area.
  • Don’t modify or bypass safety devices.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.