Hard Hats - On the Job Tool Box Talks

The following information is being provided to serve as a basic guideline in the use of Hard Hats.

GENERAL
Head injuries on a construction job site may result from tools or materials being dropped upon them and striking against an object due to low head-room or projections. A serious blow to the head without hard hat projection may cause permanent brain damage or disable the person for life.

CONSTRUCTION
a. Shell
The outer shell of a hard hat are made of rigid, impact resistant, non-flammable materials such as fiberglass or thermoplastics which may sustain damage due to exposure to solvents, paints or extreme heat.

Do not store a hard hat in the rear window of an automobile.

b. Suspension System
The suspension system is comprised of the cradle, headband and sweatband. The suspension absorbs any blow which may be received and keeps the outer shell away from the skull. In addition, the suspension allows for ventilation between the head and the outer shell.

A faulty or broken suspension system will provide no or little protection to the hard hat user.

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
a. Never use a hard hat that is visibly damaged or that you suspect is damaged.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency.

Housekeeping - Tool Box Talks

Maintaining good housekeeping is an important part of the overall job of supervision. There are a number of advantages to having a clean and orderly plant, including: avoidance of accidents, better fire prevention, improved health of employees, and increased worker efficiency and morale.

Avoidance of accidents is one of the major goals of any company. That occasional piece of scrap or wet spot on the floor can cause slip, trip, and fall hazards. Cluttered aisles and congested work areas can add to the dangers. A thorough, regular, and successful program of good housekeeping that eliminates hazards makes good sense for everyone.

Housekeeping can appear to be a never-ending and thankless job, but if too much dirt, debris, and disorder are allowed to accumulate, this can eventually lead to production problems caused by increased accidents, absenteeism, and turnover. Typically, you will find that places that have good housekeeping will have competent foremen and a low accident rate.
People don’t really enjoy working in areas that are disorderly and crowded with booby traps. They don’t want to continuously climb over excessive accumulations of spilled material, be hit by objects falling from above, or scrape up against poorly placed materials.

Keeping everything in order will prevent these incidents from occurring.
A responsible foreman and responsible employees know that good housekeeping cannot be maintained simply by an occasional large cleanup. It must be planned on a regular basis. It should also be a part of everyone’s daily routine.

Here are some real life examples of what did happen because of bad housekeeping:
• A plumber fractured his ankle after he slipped on some pipe while attempting to get to his crowded work area/.
• A carpenter slipped on a wet floor and sprained his back.
• An electrician stepped on a tool while climbing down a ladder and sprained his ankle.
All of these accidents could have been prevented through better housekeeping. With good housekeeping, you can reduce operating costs, increase production, and prevent injuries. Good housekeeping is just good business.

Checklist for Housekeeping
• Is your workplace neat and orderly?
• Have you emphasized the importance of housekeeping to your workers on a regular basis?
• Do your employees know that housekeeping is everyone’s responsibility?
• Are spills and slippery spots cleaned up immediately?
• Are employees provided with adequate storage areas to put tools and other work items away?

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Air Contaminants - Tool Box Talks

Overview
An air contaminant is any substance that is accidentally or unintentionally introduced into the air, having the effect of rendering the air toxic or harmful to some degree.

Who is covered?
29 CFR 1910.1000 Air contaminants protects employees from occupational exposure to air contaminants. The regulation applies to all workers who may be subjected to workplace air contaminants.
§1910.1000 lists various substances along with permissible exposure limits (PELs) for an eight-hour period. Your employer has a responsibility to notify you of potential hazards in the workplace, including air contaminants.

What must my employer do?
Your employer:
• Is responsible for controlling sources of air contamination by using engineering controls, or, if necessary, by using personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Must let you know what air contaminants are in the workplace and how you can protect yourself from them.
• Will discuss any necessary PPE with you and demonstrate proper use, cleaning, and storage of the equipment.

Must periodically test the air in the facility for the presence of air contaminants. You, or your representative, have a right to see the results of those tests.

If your employer chooses to use PPE in addition to engineering and work practice controls, the PPE must be provided free of charge.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

OSHA to Hold Second Public Meeting to Solicit Suggestions for Growing, Strengthening Voluntary Protection Programs

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will hold the second of two meetings Aug. 28, 2017, in New Orleans, LA, to continue the discussion on the future direction of the agency’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). The discussion will include a review of the July 17, 2017, meeting along with comments and suggestions from the public on potential avenues for action.

OSHA is seeking to reshape VPP so that it continues to represent safety and health excellence, leverages partner resources, further recognizes the successes of long-term participants, and supports smart program growth. OSHA invites stakeholders to provide new ideas on three broad categories which include:

·       Overall VPP process and flow;

·       Corporate/long-term participant involvement; and

·       Special Government Employee activities.

The meeting will be held Aug. 28, 1 to 4 p.m. in Great Hall B of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. To attend, please register by Aug. 23, 2017. Attendees can choose from several levels of participation in the discussion, which will cover general guidelines and key issues that were raised in public comments. The comment period closes Sept. 15, 2017.

OSHA adopted the VPP on July 2, 1982; the program emphasizes cooperative action among government, industry, and labor to address worker safety and health issues and expand worker protection.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

New and revised resources available from OSHA on silica final rule

OSHA has released two resources to help small business employers comply with the agency’s final silica rule. The Small Entity Compliance Guide for General Industry and Maritime outlines steps that employers are required to take including: assessing worker exposures; using engineering and work practice controls to keep exposures below a specified safety threshold; offering medical exams to certain highly exposed workers; and training workers. Enforcement of the final rule is scheduled to begin June 23, 2018.

Released earlier in the year, the Small Entity Compliance Guide for Construction describes requirements to protect employees including: using engineering controls specified in the standard or selecting other effective engineering controls to reduce exposures; offering medical exams to workers who will need to wear a respirator under the silica standard for 30 or more days a year; and training workers. The guide was updated to reflect the new enforcement date of Sept. 23, 2017.  

CSC Classes

Two links to finding the classes you want.

Current class calendar with month.

The next month classes available.

Construction Safety Council
4415 W. Harrison St, Suite 404,
Hillside, IL 60162
   
800.552.7744
708-449-8600