Nails on the ground

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) ## Final thoughts (cont.) CASE STUDY 4: Injuries Are Not Accidents LESSONS LEARNED safety in construction. Issuing a national OSH-MS frame- work for the construction sector should not be an im- possible task. In fact, models already exist, including OSHA's Draft Proposed Safety and Health Program Rule of 1998, ILO-OSH 2001, and ANSI ZIO. It is also vital to keep the momentum going on Con- struction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD). The stakeholders who participated in the National PtD Workshop felt strongly that a government regulation on CHPTD is not a viable short-term strategy-but that it is important for governmental agencies to continue lead- ing the CHPtD movement. CHPtD is also an avenue to incorporate construction workers' safety and health in green building and other sustainability programs. ## NIOSH-FACE Program recommendations for employers to prevent collisions¹ • Develop, implement, and enforce a policy that requires workers on foot to maintain a safe clearance from mobile equipment and train all workers regarding this policy. • Develop, implement, and enforce a policy that requires mobile equipment operators to operate mobile equipment in accordance with safety guidance provided in the equipment operator's manual and provide additional training to all mobile equipment operators regarding this policy. - Consider conducting a pre-work safety meet- ing each day to discuss the work to be per- formed, potential safety hazards and safe work procedures, and means to be used for com- municating changes to the work plan. • Ensure that personal protective equipment, including high-visibility clothing, is provided and used in accordance with company policy. The media often portray construction injuries and fatalities as unpreventable tragedies. It is critical to identify ways to reduce the growing number of fatal and non-fatal injuries among immi- gr…

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# Keep Your Workers Safe - Any Fall Can Be Fatal! (cont.) ## Pump Jack Scaffold Use wooden poles up to 30 feet; aluminum poles up to 50 feet. Install guardrails. Workbench may serve as top guardrail. Secure poles to house with rigid triangular bracing at the top, bottom, and other points as necessary. Make sure poles are plumb. Platforms should be fully planked and secure. Do not sit or stand on workbench platforms. Caution: Spliced 2"x4" poles often slip when wet. Install mending plates at all splices. ## Carpenter's Bracket Platform must be a minimum of 12 inches wide. Ensure brackets are attached to stud or structural member of building. Install guardrails. ## Tubular Welded Cross brace the scaffold. Secure to building. Beware of electrocution hazard when assembling, using, or dismantling scaffolds near power lines. Call the electric company for assistance. Install guardrails. Provide access ladder. Fully plank all levels to be accessed. Distribute load evenly on platform. Note: Inexpensive guardrail holders are available for all types of scaffolds. ## Electrocution Hazard: Caution: Careful footing is critical for the stability of these scaffolds. ## Ladder Jack: least preferred Do not use over 20 feet in height. Platforms should be a minimum of 12 inches wide. Do not bridge platforms to each other. Secure ladders to prevent slipping. Provide access ladder. Caution: Ladder jacks are the least safe of all staging types. Try to minimize use. OSHA requires personal fall protection to be used on these scaffolds over 10 feet. Caution: Never combine pump jack scaffolds with ladder jacks unless you do not intend to adjust the height of the pump jack. - This brochure only highlights key points. Consult the OSHA standard 29 CFR 29 1926.451 for a complete list of scaffold safety requirements. — Ask your retailer or rental agency for specific assembly and safety instructions for your particular scaffold.

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) ## NIOSH-FACE Program recommendations for employers to prevent collisions¹ (cont.) WORL Falls are the most frequent cause of fatal injuries among construction workers in the United States. ©2010 Earl Dotter equipment." Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and tag readers are one such collision warning tech- nology: each worker on foot wears a small RFID tag, each piece of mobile equipment is equipped with a tag reader, and the equipment operator receives a warning when a tag is sensed. 1.94 OSHA and NIOSH are part of the Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Alliance, which includes these six other partners from the employers' and employees' or- ganizations: American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), LIUNA Education and Train- ing Fund, and National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA).95 The Alliance provides construction industry employers, workers (including Spanish-speaking and other high-risk or hard-to-reach workers), and others with information, guidance, and training resources spe- cifically to reduce and prevent exposures to roadway work zone safety and health hazards (e.g. flagger safety, safer deployment of traffic control and direction devices, safer night work precautions, work zone speeding control as well as runover/backover control).95 The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is located at http://www.workzonesafety.org-many tools and documents developed by the Alliance are at this site. An important overall strategy to prevent collisions in worksites is an Internal Traffic Control Plan to design worksite traffic patterns in such a way that the amount of vehicle backing is reduced and the exposure of workers on foot to vehicles is minimized.⁹6 Collisions happen …

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) CASE STUDY 4: Injuries Are Not Accidents vulnerable population of immigrant workers. To manage its countless occupational hazards and protect workers adequately, the construction sec- tor requires a more comprehensive approach than mere compliance with government standards or sporadic application of control measures after se- rious incidents occur. One of the best solutions is to implement an occupational safety and health management system (OSH-MS) in the worksite. ## The highly hazardous construction sector ## A complex and dynamic work environment The construction industry is one of those complex economic sectors that pose particular challenges in protecting workers' safety and health.² Con- struction work embraces not only building proj- ects but also maintaining, repairing, renovating, and demolishing houses, apartment buildings, and office buildings. Larger-scale construction projects include not only major buildings (for ex- ample, health care facilities), but also infrastruc- ture components (e.g. roads, tunnels, bridges, airports, docks). 2.3 In these various activities, the worker experiences highly hazardous conditions- not only the hazards of his/her own job, but also hazards from co-workers. 2.3 Construction workers also operate in an unusually dynamic workplace: construction requires the physical transformation of the site: each new stage of the project brings along different materials, technologies, work pro- cesses, and hazardous exposures.4 Dangerous job conditions may include work at heights or in excavations; the clutter of building materials; motor vehicles and equipment; pro- longed standing, bending and stooping; noise, dust, and welding fumes; power tools; confined spaces and cramped spaces; temperature extremes; ## ABOUT THIS CASE STUDY he first section of the case study profiles the chief character- The especially hazardous trades, costs of …

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# Preventing SLIP and FALL Injuries from Heavy Equipment TOOLBOX TALK ## The Problem: Each week, public sector workers are injured while getting into or getting out of heavy equipment vehicles. These tips are provided to help reduce work-related injuries and medical costs. ## What You Can Do: • Maintain three points-of-contact while ascending and descending. Keep two hands, and at least one foot, in contact with the vehicle ladder and steps at all times. • Always face the ladder. - Repair broken steps and handrails. - Remove snow, ice, and mud from steps and handrails. • Target your foot landing to avoid pot holes and "ankle breaker" stones. • Do not jump out of vehicles. - Wear sturdy construction boots with a deep tread. • Always use your seat belt when equipment is in operation. • Keep doors closed when equipment is in operation-operators have fallen out of vehicles when leaning out of the door to get a better view of the ground. Maintain three points-of-contact when getting into and getting out of vehicles. MASS safety Works! Workplace Safety is No Accident THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM www.mass.gov/dols/wshp

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This welder looks about as well protected as could be. But real safety requires more than personal protection equipment. Safety in con- struction means planning and managing every aspect of a site with safety in mind.

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) ## NIOSH-FACE Program recommendations for employers to prevent collisions¹ (cont.) CASE STUDY 4: Injuries Are Not Accidents # CASE STUDY 4 — TIMELINE <table><tr><th>YEAR</th><th>EVENT</th></tr><tr><td>1971</td><td>The first OSHA standards are published in the Federal Register on May 29, 1971, including those for construction. Safety and health standards for the construction industry are found in "Part 1926" under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).98</td></tr><tr><td>1973</td><td>The Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) is established to advise OSHA on setting construction standards and policy matters.99</td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>At the construction site for a power plant in Willow Island, West Virginia, scaffolding around the cooling tower collapses, killing 51 workers.98</td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>In Bridgeport, Connecticut, the collapse of the L'Ambiance Plaza building, under construction, kills 28 workers.98</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>OSHA formally announces the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) to recognize workplaces with exemplary safety and health management systems and designates the first VPP site.100</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>The International Standardization Organization adopts its Quality Management 9000 Series.81</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>The International Labour Organization (ILO) adopts its Safety and Health in Construction Convention (No. 167, 1988).82</td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>OSHA issues its voluntary guidelines for safety and health program management. 101</td></tr><tr><td>1990s</td><td>Several major construction safety and health standards are finalized.98</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>OSHA begins its focused inspection initiative for contractors who have established and fully implemented a corporate safety and health program and site-specific plans. 11</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>The I…

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) ## Need for an occupational safety and health management systems approach (cont.) construction safety and health management systems (see sidebar, A success story). ## Sustaining the Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPTD) movement In 2007, NIOSH established a national initiative called Prevention through Design (PtD).85 In all business deci- sions, the PtD approach emphasizes the importance of designing out, or at least minimizing, occupational haz- ards early in the design stage to prevent occupational in- juries and illnesses. The first step for the PtD launch was the 2007 National Workshop, at which stakeholders from eight sectors including construction-convened to formulate the PtD strategy. 85 Construction Hazard Pre- vention through Design (CHPtD) is a procedure in which construction engineers and architects consider the safety of construction workers as they design a facility.86 CHPTD has been recognized and implemented inter- nationally as a feasible method to reduce occupational hazards in construction-in particular in the United Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHP+D) is a procedure in which construction engineers and architects consider the safety of construction workers as they design a facility. Kingdom (UK) and Australia. 87 In 1995, the UK passed a law requiring architects and construction engineers to incorporate CHPtD when designing facilities.86 In contrast, in the United States, many professional organizations were not aware of the NIOSH PtD initiative in 2007. In all countries, there seem to be similar challenges in implementing CHPtD, such as designers' lack of safety expertise and additional costs, 86 but in the United States. ## A success story: One corporation's construction safety and health management system84 s a result of a partnership between AMEC Construction Management, Inc., and OSHA-a partnership A that …

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# Plan Ahead for the Job and Inspect Ladders Before Use First, can the task be done safely from a ladder? If not, use scaffolding or a lift. If using ladders: • Bring the right ladder for the job: self- supporting, straight, or extension ladder. • Check the duty rating label on the ladder. Don't overload. NOTICE AVISO Ladder Size: 6' Duty Rating: Type IA Maximum Load: 300 lbs. Highest standing level: 45 3/8" • Heavy-duty industrial ladders (Type 1 or 1A), can only carry up to 250 or 300 pounds including the worker and their tools. • Check the ladder for loose, cracked or greasy rungs, split side rails, and worn shoes. Make sure the rung locks are in working order. • Tag and remove defective ladders from the job site. • Don't use a ladder in a horizontal position as a scaffold. • Call the electric company for assistance if working near power lines, to prevent electrocution. Fact: It only takes 1 second to hit the ground from a 16-foot fall. Over half of the fatal falls in construction are from heights of less than 25 feet. ## Setting Up Ladders • Clear away debris and obstructions, and block off the area around the bottom of the ladder to prevent it from being bumped into. • Set the ladder on dry, level ground. Use the "heel test" to check firmness of the ground. Stomp your heel down; if it goes into the ground more than 1 inch, a base is needed below the ladder. • If a base is needed, set it on a secure, even surface. Plywood can be used if it is dry, clean and sturdy enough to support the expected load. • Set the base of the ladder at a distance of 1 foot out for every 4 feet high. • When accessing a porch or roof, extend ladder side rails 3 feet above landing. For extra stability, secure the ladder by tying it to the building. • If a ladder must be placed in front of a door, secure the door shut so it cannot open. • Use ladder stabilizers when appropriate. ## Climbing Ladders • Allow only one person on the ladder at a time. Always f…

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# Injuries Are Not Accidents: Construction Will Be Safe When It's Designed to Be Safe (cont.) ## Immigrant construction workers and the nature of their work (cont.) for nearly 40 percent of all deaths of Hispanic construction workers, compared to 31 percent for white non-Hispanics. 13.68.71 Furthermore, Dong and colleagues showed that Hispanic workers were 53 percent more likely to have medical conditions resulting from work-related injuries than their white non-Hispanic counterparts, but 48 percent less likely to receive payment for medical costs from workers' compensation. 63 The average medical cost per injury was about $210 more (12.4 percent higher) for Hispanic construction workers than for white non-Hispanic workers.63 New immigrant workers-in particular undoc- umented workers-experience communication, legal, and cultural barriers to understanding and exercising their workplace rights.63 Many undocu- mented immigrant workers are day laborers hired from street corners. They are often employed in dangerous conditions and afraid to speak up for their rights for fear of possible retaliation. 72.73 Undocumented day laborers have few job alterna- tives because of their lack of work authorization, weak English, relative youth, limited formal edu- cation, and lack of job experience. 72 The majority are hired by non-union residential construction contractors or directly by landlords/homeowners to carry out tasks such as roofing (e.g., carrying shingles up to the roof), demolition, drywall in- stallation, painting, and repairs carried out on ladders or scaffolds.72 These employers have typi- cally little awareness of occupational safety and health concerns and rarely use measures to prevent injuries and illnesses (e.g., guard rails and other fall prevention systems, training, personal protec- tive equipment).72 ## Government action Since the passage of the OSHAct, OSHA has de- veloped and adopted a number of standards for the construction sector. Most recently, in…

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# Additional Information # SCAFFOLD SAFETY # For Residential Construction Contractors On-site Consultation Program Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (508) 616-0461 www.mass.gov/dols OSHA Regional Office JFK Federal Building- Room E340 Boston, MA [redacted postal code] (617) 565-9860 www.osha.gov Scaffold safety materials and resources at: www.cpwr.com ## The Center for Construction Research and Training ## MA FACE Project Occupational Health Surveillance Program Massachusetts Department of Public Health [redacted street address] Boston, MA [redacted postal code] (617) 624-5627 www.mass.gov/dph/FACE FACE is an occupational injury prevention project conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. FACE is not responsible for the enforcement of safety standards. FACE investigates workplace fatalities to identify risk factors that lead to fatal injury in order to prevent future deaths. The FACE Project is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Many thanks to the contractors and others who helped develop this brochure. Last updated 5/2012 Massachusetts Department of Public Health Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Project NWEALTH OF TMENT # Keep Your Workers Safe - Any Fall Can Be Fatal! Scaffolds can provide a safer and more efficient way to work than ladders, but they must be set up properly. The majority of construction workers who fall to their death in Massachusetts fall from scaffolds. As you can see from the examples below, falls can happen to anyone: experienced, inexperienced, young, or old. A 29-year-old carpenter fell 19 feet to his death from an unguarded carpenter's bracket scaffold attached to a window frame of a home. The carpenter was scraping snow off the roof. He slipped off the platform as snow accumulated around his feet. A 69-year-old mason renovating a single family home fell 20 feet from an unguarded pipe scaffold. The staging was set 10 feet fro…