housekeeping on site

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# THE ABCS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY (cont.) THE ABCS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY # Keep the site clean ## General safety and health provisions - Division 3, Subdivision C, 1926.20 Contractor requirements: No contractor or subcontractor for any part of the contract work can require any laborer or mechanic employed in the performance of the contract to work in surroundings or under working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to their health or safety. ## Housekeeping - Division 3, Subdivision C, 1926.25 • During the construction, alteration, or repair work, forms and scrap lumber with protruding nails and all other debris must be cleared from work areas, passageways, and stairs in and around buildings or other structures. - Combustible scrap and debris must be removed at regular intervals during the course of construction. A safe means must be provided for removal. • Containers must be provided for the collection and separation of waste, trash, oily and used rags, and other refuse. Containers used for garbage and other oily, flammable, or hazardous wastes, such as caustics, acids, harmful dusts, etc., must be equipped with covers. Garbage and other waste must be disposed of at frequent, regular intervals. ## Sanitation - Division 3, Subdivision D, 1926.51 Sanitation requirements for construction sites in 1926.51 cover: • Potable water, 1926.51(a) . Drinking water, [redacted phone] • Nonpotable water, 1926.51(b) - Toilets at construction jobsites, 1926.51(c) Also refer to Oregon OSHA program directive A-97, Toilet facilities: reasonable accessibility. 28

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# HOUSEKEEPING Last Review: 08/01/2025 Date Posted: 05/13/2025 # Housekeeping Maintaining a clean and tidy work area is a crucial practice on construction sites. Every individual working on the job site plays an essential role in ensuring good housekeeping. It refers to a workplace that is free from hazards and is organized and clutter-free. Good housekeeping is an integral part of daily work activities and plays a vital role in ensuring a safe working environment. All employees at all levels are responsible for maintaining good housekeeping standards, and it is an ongoing process that everyone must contribute to. ## HAZARDS OF POOR HOUSEKEEPING According to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), poor housekeeping is a leading cause of workplace accidents and injuries. A construction site with poor housekeeping can pose several hazards and risks to workers. When tools and materials are left lying around, it can create tripping hazards that can cause slips, trips, and falls. Clutter and debris can also obstruct walkways, causing workers to bump into objects, resulting in cuts, bruises, and other injuries. Good job site housekeeping is not just about cleanliness; it is a fundamental element for job site accident and fire prevention. It requires attention to detail, such as job site layout, internal job site travel routes, identification of potential hazards, and ensuring adequate storage areas and waste disposal areas. Poor housekeeping be a cause of accidents, such as: the can • Tripping over loose objects on floors, stairs, and platforms. - Being struck by falling objects. - Slipping on wet, oily, or dirty surfaces. - Striking against projecting, poorly stacked items, or misplaced materials. - Cutting, puncturing, or tearing the skin of hands or other parts of the body on projecting nails, wire, or steel strapping. ## HAZARD PREVENTION To avoid workplace hazards, maintain good housekeeping practices throughout the workday. Regular…

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# THE ABCS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY ## General requirements for storage - Division 3, Subdivision H, 1926.250(a) . All materials stored in tiers must be stacked, racked, blocked, interlocked, or secured to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse. - Maximum safe load limits of floors within buildings and structures, in pounds per square foot, must be conspicuously posted in all storage areas, except for floor or slab on grade. Maximum safe loads must not be exceeded. . Aisles and passageways must be kept clear to provide for the free and safe movement of material handling equipment or employees. Such areas must be kept in good repair. Housekeeping: Storage areas must be kept free from materials that constitute tripping, fire, explosion hazards, or harbor pests. Vegetation must also be controlled when necessary. 29

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## ASK THE CREW THESE QUESTIONS: (cont.) • Immediately clear scrap and debris from walkways, passageways, stairs, scaffolds, and around floor openings. • Make sure the ground is level and well-graded within six feet of buildings under construction. • Keep - storage areas and walkways free of holes, ruts, and obstructions. • Clean up spills of grease, oil, or other liquids at once. If it's not possible, cover them with sand or some other absorbent material until they can be cleaned up. • Coil up extension cords, lines, welding leads, hoses, etc. when not in use. • Make sure there's adequate lighting. If a light is out, report it. Replace it immediately if you can. ## 2. Besides slips, trips, and falls, what other kinds of injuries can good housekeeping prevent? Nail and fastener injuries • If nails are protruding from surfaces, remove them or at least bend them down. • Remove nails or fasteners when opening crates, cartons, kegs, or when stripping small forms. • Remove or bend down nails before discarding scrap material. Fires and burns • Immediately remove combustible debris and materials from buildings and structures. Get them off the site promptly. - Keep containers of flammable liquids tightly closed. Store flammables in approved cabinets. Dispose of them in separate waste containers, not with other trash. Head and body injuries • Don't throw materials, waste, or tools from buildings or structures to an area where workers may be located. • - Where the potential for injury exists, remove or flag protruding objects. • Make sure there are protective caps on exposed rebar. ## 3. When you stack material, how high can the stack be? • No higher than 7 feet for bricks, 16 feet for manually stacked lumber, and 20 feet for mechanically stacked lumber. Explain any other stacking height limits on this site: California Tailgate Training Housekeeping-Page 2

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# EMPLOYER REQUIREMENTS (cont.) ## PROCESS OR EQUIPMENT MODIFICATION (cont.) OSHA® www.osha.gov type. Heat guns should have electronically controlled temperature settings to allow usage below 700 degrees F. Equip heat guns with various nozzles to cover all common applications and to limit the size of the heated work area. When using abrasive blasting with a vacuum hood on exterior building surfaces, ensure that the configuration of the heads on the blasting nozzle match the configuration of the substrate so that the vacuum is effective in containing debris. Ensure that HEPA vacuum cleaners have the appropriate attach- ments for use on unusual surfaces. Proper use of brushes of various sizes, crevice and angular tools, when needed, will enhance the quality of the HEPA-vacuuming process and help reduce the amount of lead dust released into the air. ## ISOLATION Although it is not feasible to enclose and ventilate some abrasive blasting operations completely, it is possible to isolate many opera- tions to help reduce the potential for lead exposure. Isolation consists of keeping employees not involved in the blasting opera- tions as far away from the work area as possible, reducing the risk of exposure. ## Housekeeping and Personal Hygiene Lead is a cumulative and persistent toxic substance that poses a serious health risk. A rigorous housekeeping program and the observance of basic personal hygiene practices will minimize employee exposure to lead. In addition, these two elements of the worker protection program help prevent workers from taking lead- contaminated dust out of the worksite and into their homes where it can extend the workers' exposures and potentially affect their families' health. ## HOUSEKEEPING PRACTICES An effective housekeeping program involves a regular schedule to remove accumulations of lead dust and lead-containing debris. The schedule should be adapted to exposure conditions at a partic- ular worksite. OSHA's Lead Standard for Const…

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TRAINING GUIDE HOUSEKEEPING Before you begin the meeting... 2001 - Does this topic relate to the work the crew is doing? If not, choose another topic. Did you read this Training Guide and fill in the blanks where the appears? (To find the information you need, look over the Safety Walkaround Checklist for this topic.) Begin: Today we'll talk about housekeeping. Some people think it's a waste of time. But if you spend five minutes picking up junk and litter, you might keep someone from slipping or tripping. You could prevent an injury that keeps them off work for weeks or even months. Five minutes to save months off work-it's a good investment. And next time, it could be you who gets hurt. Housekeeping is everyone's job-every trade, every worker, every supervisor. And it's a job you should do every day—not just once a week or when a project is over. The first rule is to do your work neatly in the first place, and clean up after yourself. Good housekeeping does more than prevent injuries—it can save you time, and it can keep your tools from being lost, damaged, or destroyed. You or a crew member may want to add a personal story about the hazards of poor housekeeping. Next, discuss with the crew any housekeeping problems you have found at this particular job site: ## ASK THE CREW THESE QUESTIONS: After each question, give the crew time to suggest possible answers. Use the information following each question to add points that no one mentions. 1. What can you do to prevent slips, trips, and falls? • If you see a mess, take care of it. Don't wait for someone else to clean it up. Pick up anything you see lying around, especially if it could trip a person or fall on them. • If you find someone's tools or equipment around, move them out of the way. Put them somewhere safe, but visible. California Tailgate Training Housekeeping-Page 1

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# THE ABCS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY (cont.) THE ABCS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY Medical and first aid ## First aid and medical attention - Division 3, Subdivision C, 1926.23 First-aid services and provisions for medical care must be made available by the employer for every employee covered by these requirements. ## Medical services and first aid - Division 3, Subdivision D, 1926.50 ## Key requirements: • The employer must ensure the availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of occupational health. • Provisions must be made for prompt medical attention in case of serious injury before commencement of a project. - In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, hospital, or physician reasonably accessible to the worksite, a person who has a valid certificate in first- aid training from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the American Red Cross, or equivalent training, must be available at the site to render first aid. - First-aid supplies must be easily accessible when required. The contents of the first-aid kit must be placed in a weatherproof container with individual sealed packages for each type of item, and must be checked by the employer before each job and at least weekly on each job to ensure that the expended items are replaced. • Proper equipment for prompt transportation of the injured person to a physician or hospital, or a communication system for contacting necessary ambulance service, must be provided. . Where 911 services are not available, the phone numbers of the physicians, hospitals, or ambulances must be conspicuously posted. 32

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# Eight simple housekeeping solutions 1. Provide enough garbage and recycling bins and empty them regularly. "I've seen people carry out a handful of garbage and look at the dumpster and it's full. So what do they do? They find a place on the floor. They set it aside and that's where it sits until somebody else picks it up for them." -- Electrician 2. Encourage workers to clean as they go. "I usually have a tea cart and I keep a large box, say a caddy box or whatnot around to stick all wire and conduit scrap mainly in that box on that cart and stow it away... We kind of have a policy that makes it look like you weren't there." -- Electrician 3. Set aside 15 minutes of paid time at the end of each day for clean up. 4. Motivate employees. - One company motivates their employees and raises safety awareness by explaining injury costs. Injuries can increase the overhead for a company and affect their ability to win competitive bids. 5. Use hangers and hooks to keep extension cords and hoses off the floor. 6. Develop a written housekeeping policy. 7. Assign dedicated staff to keep the site clean. 8. Provide positive feedback and recognition for good housekeeping practices. 2

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## 3. When you stack material, how high can the stack be? (cont.) 4. What are some other rules to keep in mind when you stack material? • Plan ahead. Before you stack any material, figure out how the stack should be arranged. That makes it easier when the time comes to break it down. • Stack everything neatly. • Make sure there's clearance around the stack, so workers or equipment will have enough room when they break it down. • Make sure the stack is on a firm, stable surface that can hold the weight. • Make sure piled or stacked material is stable so it won't fall, slip, or collapse. • Reinforce the stack to stabilize it. 5. How can you protect yourself when handling scrap material? • Follow all the stacking rules we just discussed. • Wear heavy gloves and safety shoes when you handle scrap material. • Before you pile up material for disposal, remove or bend down any nails or fasteners. 6. Good housekeeping includes good sanitation. What sanitary facilities are we required to have on the site? • Enough clean, private toilets with toilet paper • Washing areas with soap and water - Enough pure drinking water (from fountains or single-use • cups). • Water that isn't drinkable must be labeled. Point out sanitary facilities on this site (if not obvious): ## CAL/OSHA REGULATIONS Explain: Most of the safety measures we've talked about are required by Cal/OSHA. We have to take these precautions—it's the law. I have a Checklist of the Cal/OSHA regulations on housekeeping. If you'd like to know more, see me after the meeting. ## COMPANY RULES (Only if applicable.) Besides the Cal/OSHA regulations, we have some additional company rules about housekeeping. Discuss company rules. Be sure to include specific instructions on where to stack or store materials, proper disposal and clean-up methods, etc.: California Tailgate Training Housekeeping-Page 3

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# SAFETY WALKAROUND CHECKLIST HOUSEKEEPING 2001 Date Prepared: Project Name/No: By: Location: • Check the box if the statement is true. - Citations in brackets are from Title 8 of the California Administrative Code. ## HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, REMOVAL, AND CLEANUP NOTES - The company has a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) that meets all Cal/OSHA requirements. It includes identification of hazardous housekeeping problems on the site, regular inspections, accident investigation, and correction of hazardous conditions. [1509] - Debris is kept cleared from work surfaces, passages, and stairs. [1513(a)] - Ground within 6 feet of a building under construction is free of irregularities. [1513(b)] - Storage areas and walkways are reasonably free of dangerous depressions, obstructions, and debris. [1513(c)] - All walking and working surfaces are reasonably dry and free from grease or oil. [3273(a)] - Spills of oil, grease, and other liquids are removed at once, or covered with sand or other absorbent material until cleaned up. [3273(a)] - Sufficient waste or trash containers are provided, used and emptied when appropriate. [1513(f)] - Workers wear heavy gloves and heavy soled or safety shoes when handling scrap material. [1520 and 3385] - All walking and working surfaces are free of protruding nails. [1513(a)] - Nails or fasteners are removed when opening crates, cartons, kegs, or when stripping small forms. - Nails are bent down or removed before scrap material is discarded. California Tailgate Training Housekeeping-Page 1