Tag Archives: advances

Back Safety, Eye Protection, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection, Protective Clothing

HOW FAR HAS CONSTRUCTION SAFETY COME IN 50 YEARS? (GUEST POST)

Whether you’re thinking in terms of technology, scientific knowledge, or health, there’s no denying that we’ve come a long way over the past fifty years.  Safety in the construction industry is no exception.

The most significant event occurring over the past fifty years that has resulted in safety improvements both in construction and general industry was the signing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 by President Richard Nixon. This law resulted in the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

OSHA Standards

Initially, OSHA regulations were based on national consensus standards and began to take effect in 1971. The first standard specific to construction, however, was issued on November, 23, 1972. Since then, a number of standards affecting the construction industry have been developed. While it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss each covered topic in detail, major categories include:

o Personal protective and lifesaving equipment
o Fire protection and prevention
o Materials handling
o Hand and power tools
o Welding and cutting
o Electrical
o Scaffolding
o Fall protection
o Concrete and masonry construction
o Steel erection
o Stairways and ladders
o Cranes and derricks

The complete list of covered topics and related narrative can be easily accessed on the OSHA website.

Part 1926 contains the construction regulations with part 1910 being for general industry. However, whether one is involved in the construction business or another industry, it is necessary to refer to both, as there is a considerable amount of overlap between the two.

Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that states can, and often do, have requirements that are more stringent than the federal regulations. Twenty-seven states and territories currently operate state plans that are OSHA-approved.

ANSI Standards

Contributions from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have had a positive impact on safety over the past fifty years as well through the development of standards to which equipment manufacturers must adhere.

Examples include criteria for safety glasses and fall protection equipment. ANSI standards normally go into much more detail than the OSHA regulations. OSHA will incorporate them by reference into its own standards in many cases.

Safety as Good Business

Technological advancements have resulted in the reduction of hazards through more effective engineering controls and substitution of hazardous products with safer alternatives.

In addition, companies have begun to understand that an effective safety program makes good business sense. Robust safety procedures often carry over into other disciplines and positively impact things such as quality, productivity and cost control.

Hiring With Safety In Mind

Looking at a contractor’s safety record when making hiring decisions can save a company a considerable amount of future grief. For example, negative publicity resulting from a serious injury that occurs on the property, even though the injured person was a contractor’s employee, can be difficult to overcome.

During construction activities, the regulatory agencies will consider the facility a multi-employer work site and can hold both companies accountable for any safety violations. Any citations issues could result in a significant financial impact in addition to negative public relations.

A review of the prospective contractor’s OSHA 300 log, on which any significant injuries must be recorded, can provide a quick overview of how the contractor incorporates safety into the day to day operations. An unusually large amount of entries or multiple entries for the same type cause can raise a red flag that something is amiss.

Information regarding citations and fines levied by OSHA against the contractor are a matter of public record and can usually be found through a web search. When it comes to hiring a construction contractor, a small amount of due diligence up front can save a lot of regret later.

Jason Kane is an advocate of workplace safety in all industries. He is a blogger for Federal Steel Supply, Inc., the preferred choice of the global community since 1979.


 

 
General Safety Issues

OCTOBER – FIRE PREVENTION MONTH

This year’s observance of Fire Prevention Month is even more significant because it follows the 10th year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  All persons working in fire service, as well as law enforcement and first responders, remember the sacrifices of all who lost their lives that tragic day, and they strive to educate the public in ways to prevent further needless loss of life from fire.   Later this month, the week of October 9th through 15th marks the 88th year fire departments from around the country have observed this event – making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record.  The theme for 2011’s observance is “Protect Your Family from Fire!”  We will look into that observance prior to that special week.  First, let’s review changes in the NYFD that have been made since 9/11.  The following is an excerpt from the NFPA Journal, written by Fred Durso, Jr.:

Ten years ago, on September 11, in New York City, the room that housed FDNY’s operations center was very small, with a few phones, and two televisions.  The assistant chief, Salvatore Cassano, was trying to monitor what was what was happening across the river at the World Trade Center after one hijacked airplane, then another, struck the towers.  He says,  “I was trying to get a handle on what was going on at a 16-acre [6.5-hectare] site, trying to round up where our people were, which hospitals they were in. None of that was available to us at our fingertips.”  On 9/11, now Chief Cassano lost 343 of his FDNY comrades.  “Ten years later, that event still haunts us every day,” he says.  After describing their monitoring system, he now proudly shows off the $17 million FDNY operations center that opened in 2005, after the events of 9/11 made it painfully clear that the FDNY’s monitoring and communications resources were no match for an emergency on the scale of the World Trade Center attacks.

It is a large glass-enclosed room, dominated by five large display screens on the front wall. These screens present a listing of current fires and other incidents throughout New York’s five boroughs, photos of building exteriors from around the city pulled from Google Maps, live feeds of New York’s busy thoroughfares, and national news broadcasts. A half-dozen FDNY employees monitor the screens while answering phones and analyzing data on their own computers. This is an example of how the FDNY has been improving since the post-9/11 era.

The National Fire Protection Association has undergone an evolution of its own in the decade following one of the most devastating moments in our country’s history.  New provisions have entered NFPA codes and standards as a direct result of 9/11, changes that have affected building safety, first responder safety, and much more. A new NFPA committee has taken high-rise safety to new heights by strengthening NFPA’s life safety and building codes. Firefighter uniforms and breathing apparatuses have undergone significant upgrades, thanks to provisions safeguarding users against an array of chemical, radiological, biological, explosive, and nuclear threats. New discussions are taking place about the role of elevators during emergencies in high-rise buildings. Federal agencies and departments formed after 9/11 have reshaped the concept of emergency preparedness using NFPA 1600, Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, to help launch an assortment of efforts designed to enhance public safety and preparedness throughout the U.S.

“9/11 will always be considered one of the worst days in American history, and it will also certainly be one of the most important days in the history of NFPA because of our long, forceful advocacy of preparedness, further safeguards to the built environment, and support for emergency responders that followed the attacks,” says NFPA President James Shannon. “NFPA has been a very important part of the country’s effort to do everything we can to prepare, in case anything like 9/11 ever happens again.”

Our fire and police departments, as well as first responders, continue being prepared.  However, with the rash of wildfires and other devastating loss of lives, businesses, and homes, we need to remember that many of those fire departments and first responders in rural communities are volunteers.  Because of heavy demands, their equipment has either been damaged or worn out, and there is always a need for funds.  Your donations will not only be appreciated, but used wisely.  They are ready to answer the call when we need them.

Source: NFPA, USFA