Category: Construction Safety


What are Tool Box Talks?

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
February 20, 2011

What are Tool Box Talks?

Continual weekly training of job site conditions, hazards and discussions of accidents and past near misses. They are essential for the reduction of accident/incident rates and the occurrence of ill health and environmental damage in your workplaces. Toolbox talks play a major part in an employees constant effort to create an increased awareness of hazards present in the workplace and the precautions which must be taken to eliminate or control them.

Are your Tool Box Talks boring? I bet they are!

Do you see this during your talk?

Heavy sighing

Holding up their head

Staring into space/out of window or looking around

Reading/doodling

Talking

Texting

Eating

Biting nails

Swinging on chair or cant stand still

No questions being asked?

Lack of concentration

Sleeping/yawning

Discomfort in learning environment

Any of the above are indications that the presentation needs to be improved and made more interesting. Why risk having some wiseass out there endangering himself and others?? Safety in the workplace can be a struggle for many employers to comply with the required regulations while turning in a profit. Employees want to do their job well while keeping safety their primary concern.

Why should you use Toolbox Safety Talks?

• To help Employees understand their job responsibilities and how to achieve them.

• Ensure that Employees are ready to do their jobs safely.

• Demonstrate what you expect from your Employees.

• Genuinely influence Employee performance.

• Convince employees that they need to protect themselves and their co-workers

Make the most of this opportunity. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Adults learn by:

• Being actively involved in the learning process

• Understanding how the message being delivered applies to their job

• Understanding why certain rules exist (not just what the rules are)

Tips for your Talks

Here are some tips that will make you and your talk a lot more interesting:

The first thing to remember is always keep in mind that performance can prevent an injury/accident or even save a life. Safety talks should help employees understand the safety hazards and precautions of job-specific topics. Construction workers need to learn about all equipment and procedures they will come in contact with. Safety talks should cover one area of job-specific safety at each meeting. Various groups in a company may have different safety instructions that others in the same workplace on any given day. Ideally, you want to have a short toolbox talk the first thing in the morning. Mondays or the beginning of your work week are most effective. The disadvantage of putting it off till the end of the week is the concern of how much do you really remember after the weekend?

The location for these meeting should accommodate everyone so that everyone can sit/stand comfortably and relax. A place where everyone can be easily seen and heard without any distractions. Consider using props to help make points (most people are visual learners). For example, if the topic is about ladder safety, try holding the meeting next to a ladder or if possible arrange to have one present at the meeting location.

Studies (google) show that the average attention span for an adult is between 17 and 20 minutes. Anything longer than that you’re wasting everyones time, including your own. Try to limit the safety meeting to ten to fifteen minutes. However, it may go longer if you are discussing other job site conditions or issues. If the discussion goes on too long, it can and should be continued at the next meeting.

Don’t BS at your tool box talks. You are not only cheating yourself, but potentially setting up a crew for disaster. Get educated and ready for what you’re going to talk about. As mentioned above, I find the most effective way to approach such a talk is not to read from a prepared lesson plan. Most programs should only be used as a guide. Always pick a topic relevant to what the employees are currently working on or an upcoming project that is going to be assigned for that week. Interact with the employees by asking questions and the more or less feedback you receive will determine just how boring or not boring your talk really are.

The discussion of accidents or near misses that might have happened are a must! Don’t overdue the gory details, but be sure to discuss how and why the accident happened in order to help prevent others from occurring rather than finding a way to place the cause/blame on someone else.

The crew employees know more site specific information than you even if you do have a safety title. Get input from the crew about any concerns they may have or about topics that could be discussed. Discuss any unsafe acts or conditions observed during the past week and how they were (hopefully) corrected and what can be done to avoid future incidents. Discuss new equipment on the job or upcoming activities.

Handouts on a construction site tool box talk is a waste of time and trees so don’t bother using them. All you’re doing is contributing to a potential housekeeping issue. Just be prepared and stick to a schedule of starting on time and ending on time. In your talk, teach your employees and have them interact with you during the discussions. Let them know you are interested in their input and appreciate any thoughts they may have on any particular topic of the discussion. Most importantly, always be sure to thank your employees for a job well done.

Talks should be conducted regularly (weekly/monthly) at any time that a new project is assigned or a new workspace is in use, Employees should feel that they are able to ask questions as often as they feel is needed with the confidence of getting an informative response.

If you need more information on tool box talks or would like some input on effective topics, please contact me and I will send you all the necessary information

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Keeping Safe in the Office

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
February 16, 2011

 

Our field personnel is not the only accidents we should worry about. The majority of you reading this are actually in an office and accidents do happen there to. Very few office workers realize that they are twice as likely to be injured in a fall as a non-office worker. Accidental injuries that occur in the office can be just as painful, severe, and expensive as those in the field. Nationally, only automobile accidents out number falls as the leading cause of all accidents. In the office slips, trips and falls are the number one cause of disabling injuries.

Thinking and working safely can prevent most accidents. You can become aware of the most common hazards in the office environment. Here are 22 common hazards to look out for:

  1. When walking and carrying an object, make sure the object does not block your line of sight.
  2. Never lift objects that are too large or heavy to handle comfortably.
  3. When lifting objects from the floor, hold the load close to your body.
  4. Don’t lean back in your chair. Keep all legs on the floor so that you do not end up on the floor.
  5. Keep the floor and walkway clear of electrical, telephone and computer cables, boxes, etc. They are tripping hazards waiting to happen. Do not overload or daisy chain wall sockets & extension cords.
  6. Arrange desks or work stations so that your body is always in a comfortable neutral position with proper back support.
  7. Close one drawer in a filing cabinet before opening another. This prevents the file cabinet from tipping over on you.
  8. Close the drawer in your desk before getting up and close file drawers before walking away from the file cabinet.
  9. Store supplies inside cabinets, not on top of them. Store heavy items in lower drawers or on low shelves.
  10. Keep aisles clear of stored items.
  11. Watch out for slippery surfaces. Spilled drinks or water from umbrellas are typical hazards and need to be cleaned up/or identified immediately.
  12. Do not run in office.
  13. Don’t read while walking
  14. Don’t climb on chairs, desks or boxes. Use a step ladder or stool instead.
  15. Hold onto handrails when using stairways.
  16. Use elevators when carrying boxes if they are available.
  17. Don’t throw matches, ashes or cigarette butts into wastebaskets. If the building has been designated as a smoke free building – DO NOT smoke in the building.
  18. Use a letter openers and a staple remover.
  19. Store sharp objects neatly in desk drawer or inside closed container.
  20. Don’t touch electrical switches, sockets, plugs, etc with wet hands.
  21. Don’t eat or drink at a computer station. It could result in malfunction of the computer and void the warranty.
  22. Watch for unsafe conditions such as defective equipment, burned out lights, loose steps, torn carpet, etc fix or report them.
  23. Leave repair of office equipment to the properly trained professional.

Ok did we really need to go over these things? Probably not. Most of these are common sense but Im sure we have all done some of these before. The purpose of this is make you aware and hopefully a week from now when you are lifting a box or see a slippery surface, you can eliminate the dangers to yourself and to your co-workers.

 

 

 

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Complacency Kills

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
January 16, 2011

Here is an article I wrote published in Scaffold Industry Magazine-January 2011

You can find the whole issue here

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Local Law 26

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
January 13, 2011


Proper Usage of Exit Signage and Photoluminescent Lighting in Today’s City Structures


After such events as the World Trade Center bombings, New York Cities laws of egress and proper exit notification have drastically changed.   With a greater demand for convenient city living comes an even greater responsibility for awareness and safety.  Being the leader in city living that New York has become worldwide, it was our responsibility to set the safety trend and with that such great laws as our own Local 26 was created.

Local Law 26 was created in 2004 to try to remove some of the danger involved in navigating and exiting a city building in a time of power failure.   Along with more strict laws for exit signs, power backup’s and emergency lighting fixtures come the implementation of photoluminescent technology.  Photoluminescent exit signage and tapings are now used throughout the methods of a building egress system and have been set forth into law by the way of Local Law 26.

Having done some extensive research in the labs and field, personally I can tell you that this technology will be invaluable in a time of crisis and need.  Proper installation of these markings and signage is also a key factor in their effectiveness as field tests have shown that in the case of a smoke filled building, the photoluminescents need to be placed relatively low as to avoid being masked by smoke and resulting in their ineffectiveness.  There have been many case studies as well to determine the amount of lumens a proper tape should hold and also for the time it takes to charge the technology.   Many tests are performed to determine whether or not certain photoluminesecent products work for their desired locations such as durability and flammability.

Local Law 26 has forced many building owners to see that with greater growth comes a greater risk of danger and a greater demand for safety awareness.  Thankful to say that after a long design process and many field tests, we have many workable products out there on the market and are implementing them on a daily basis to better the safety and futures of our cities inhabitants.

For all your lighting needs you can contact me Joe Tranchina

(718) 376 9301

joseph@gothamlgt.com

For Local Law 26 click here

For Gotham Lighting Supply Click Here

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National Burn Awareness Week

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
January 12, 2011

National Burn Awareness Week

The first full week of February  is National Burn Awareness Week in the United States.

Let’s look at some quick facts about burn injuries:

- Burn Injuries Receiving Medical Treatment Per Year: 500,000

- Fire and Burn Deaths Per Year: 4,000

- Hospitalizations for Burn Injury Per Year: 40,000 total, including 25,000 admissions to hospitals with specialized burn centers

- Burn Cause: 46% fire/flame, 32% scald, 8% hot object contact, 4% electrical, 3% chemical, 6% other

- Place of Occurrence: 43% home, 17% street/highway, 8% occupational, 32% other

Although very few burn injuries occur at work compared to home, the risk is still around us. Steam pipes, electrical arc flashes, hot machine components and chemicals are just a few of the areas where you have exposure to burn injuries.

Your best protection for these types of exposures is awareness. More often than not, people get burned at work by coming in contact with hot components unexpectedly. They didn’t realize the component was hot or they weren’t aware of their body’s position to the object. Take some extra time when around these areas of the facility to ensure you know the hazard and make a conscious effort to keep away from these hot components.

The other line of defense for these injuries is to wear PPE when working in close proximately to these burn hazards. Whether using rubber gloves when working with chemicals or thermal gloves when dealing with steam lines, PPE can afford you the protection you need.

Burn Safety Tips for Children

• Keep matches and lighter out of reach of children.
• Keep children at a safe distance from hot liquids. A drink heated to 140 degrees F.can cause a burn in 5 seconds. At 160 degrees F., a burn will occur in 1 second. A
child’s quick movement could spill hot fluid and cause a serious burn.
• When toddlers are in the home, avoid using a tablecloth. If children try to pull themselves up by the tablecloth, a heavy object or hot liquid on the table could fall on
the child.
• Keep all hot items near the center of the table to prevent a young child from reaching them.
• While cooking, keep young children in a high chair or playpen, at a safe distance from hot surfaces, hot liquids and other kitchen hazards.
• Use extra caution if you use deep fat (oil) cookers/ fryers when young children are present. The fat or oil may reach temperatures over 400 degrees F., hot enough to
instantly cause a very serious burn.
• Establish a “SAFE AREA” in the kitchen where a child can be placed — away from risk, but under continuous supervision. Also, consider establishing a “NO ZONE”
directly in front of the stove. Teach your child to avoid this area. You can mark the zone with yellow tape, a piece of bright carpet or other material.
Burn Safety tips for Adults — Burn injuries common to children are often observed in adults as well, especially older adults. While the injuries are similar, the
cause may differ.
• Turn the pot handle toward the rear of the stove to reduce the risk of scald burns for all age groups.
• Keep clothing from coming into contact with a flame or heating element. Reaching over the stove could cause garments to catch fire, especially the sleeves of robes,
dresses, housecoats, etc. Wear snug-fitting or short-sleeved clothing. Pure polyester, nylon and wool are reasonably flame resistant.
• Use an elastic band to hold long or loose sleeves out of the way. Slide the sleeve cuff up to the elbow.
• Turn off the heat or gas before reaching over the stove.
• If your sleeve should catch on fire, immediately cover the burning material with a potholder, mitt or towel, go to the sink and run cold water to put out the fire and cool
the burn.
• If other parts of your clothing are on fire, immediately DROP and ROLL to put out the fire. Cool the burn with water.
• Every house should have a fire extinguisher close to the kitchen.
• Most important every resident needs working smoke alarms and test them monthly.

Gasoline Safety

Every year thousands of children are burned because of improper storage or use of gasoline. Gasoline is only supposed to be used to power an engine.

Many people use it as starter fluid and cleaning solution and are leaving it out in the open. Proper storage is one of the best preventative measures you can take.

Try to keep gasoline in marked gasoline containers, lids closed, spouts put away. And in a safe, out of the way area,Not out on the ground, underneath a shelter and not in direct sunlight.

Never store gasoline inside the house and never allow children to touch gasoline containers even under supervision. Also, never put anything but gasoline in a marked gasoline container.


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Keeping Warm Outside

Filed under: Construction Safety, Joe Covello, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — 1 Comment
December 20, 2010

I remember many years ago when I started in this business, someone was always in charge of the
fire on the jobsite. We would find wood, burn planks and if we were lucky there was coke on the job and that burned hot for hours.
Well after embers flying around and starting uncontrollable fires, damage to floors and ceilings, times have changed. Those days are over but there are great products on the market that weren’t available then but are here now to keep you warm.

Keeping Warm Outside

Do not wear cotton. Cotton does not keep you very warm and it tends to stay wet.


1)      Dress in layers. For your first layer, wear a fabric that will wick away sweat  from your body. Popular fabrics include polypropylene and silk.

For your second layer, wear something that will be light weight and warm. Popular fabrics include wool and fleece.

For the   third  layer, wear a jacket and snow pants. Your outerwear should be waterproof or Gore-Tex and windproof for maximum protection.

2)      Wear gloves or mittens with a removable inside lining. Wear mittens if you do not need to grasp anything. Be sure the outer shell of your mittens or gloves are waterproof.

3)     Use heat warmers. Buy disposable toe and hand warmers at a sports  shop. Carry an extra set in your pockets because these warmers stop working if they get wet.

4)    Wear warm socks. Try using toe warmers or Electric socks. Be sure your boots  are waterproof.

5)   Wear a hat. Heat leaves your body through your head. Buy a wool hat that covers your ears.

Face mask or balaclava are perfect for hardhats.

Here are a few links for some warm products:

Hand Warmers

Under Armour

Timberland

Red Wing Shoes

The North Face

REI


 

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2010 B.T.E.A. Safety Conference

Filed under: Construction Safety, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
December 5, 2010

 

2010 B.T.E.A. Safety Conference

New York City construction industry is worked together to improve safety and health conditions . To help this movement there are a few big organizations involved such as: The Department of Buildings, OSHA,Fire Department of New York, Port Authority, Insurance companies, Safety companies, Business owners, Various Unions and the BTEA. (Business Trade Employers Association) We are all collaborating together to reduce or prevent worker injury and employees aware of hazards.

Here are some notes I found interested and want to share with you:


We have had Seven (7) fatalities in 2010 down one from last year and down 25 from 2008, but the results may be because of the downturn in the economy.

* Four (4) out of the 7 fatalities were fall related.

* 57% of the fatalities may have been due to language barriers.

* 57% of those fatalities were on Non Union projects.

In 2010 OSHA has written up 2482 Violations in NYC estimating just under $2.8 Million

* 1.4 of those violations were union

* 2.4 were non union.

It seems that most accidents pertaining to worker fell or material fell, with that being said we do need to enforce tie offs, and slab edge protection. Safety is a shared responsibility from ownership to employee, so its critical to preplan your work and to anticipate hazards. We need to provide the proper training in the proper language to the untrained and make sure that all PPE is being used correctly.

Louis J. Coletti on NYC Safety


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OSHA Top 10 Safety Violations

Filed under: Construction Safety, United Hoisting & Scaffolding Corp — Leave a comment
November 2, 2010

Scaffolding Tops OSHA Top 10 Safety Violations

94,000 violations issued and here are the top 10!

 

With 8371 Violations given for scaffolding  (down from 9093)
Fall protection comes in 2nd at 7559 violations up from 6771 .
3rd Hazard Communication 6633 violations up from 6378.
4th Respiratory Protection  3932 violations up from 3803.
5th Ladders 3820 Violations.
6th Lockout-Tag out 3820 Violations.
7th Electrical wiring 3381 Violations.
8th Power Industrial Trucks 3224 Violations.
9th Electrical 2770 Violations.
10th Machine Guarding 2556 Violations.

Overall although we increased in every category I don’t think the industry is in worst shape then last year, I feel we are actually doing better. OSHA has stepped up there game this year with more inspectors, so Im assuming that is the reason for the increase. We still need to get these numbers down, and will slowly get there as everyone is realizing safety is actually a good thing

Who do you trust with your scaffolding needs?
You know it and you better call me
718 786 3338

 

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Filed under: Construction Safety — Leave a comment
October 4, 2010

Congress Passes Formaldehyde Limits for Composite Wood Products

Supported by industry and environmental groups alike, the U.S. Congress has passed a bill limiting the amount of formaldehyde in hardwood plywood, particleboard, and medium-density fiberboard. Introduced in late 2009, the bill bases formaldehyde limits on limits developed and enacted by the California Air Resources Board (see Diverse Interest Groups Support National Formaldehyde Standard, EBN Dec. 2009). Limits become effective as soon as 2011 and become more stringent over time; these dates are dependent on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, however, which must develop regulations for enforcing the standards. The bill covers only some composite wood products-it does not cover structural plywood or hardboard-and does not apply to other products, such as fabrics or insulation, that contain formaldehyde. Having passed through Congress, the bill awaits the signature of the president.

Breathing just a bit easier

Formaldehyde gained greater notoriety after it was implicated as the cause of serious respiratory and other health problems among people living in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after Hurricane Katrina.

Passage of the new law also coincides with the release of a new EPA analysis of formaldehyde toxicity that confirms concerns about formaldehyde’s potential to cause cancer. The agency is seeking public comment on its latest review of formaldehyde toxicity, which concludes that the chemical is a known human respiratory carcinogen (it was previously considered a “potential carcinogen”).

Joe Covello E-Zine October 2010

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Cranes & Cranes Safety

Filed under: Construction Safety — Leave a comment
October 4, 2010
Cranes & Crane Safety:

Gulf Crane & Equipment, LLC
Nunziata C. Caralla/Joseph Raviotta

When you see cranes working you think construction, structures, and we immediately think safety.

Today Federal OSHA regulations are in place working with and for all crane professionals. OSHA implemented written and practical safety exams, given by Certified Practical Examiners, to ensure the safety of all crane operators. By doing so will improve safety measures taken and aid in preventing future crane accidents resulting in fatalities.

Certification Programs Available and Necessary For All Crane Professionals:
* Signal-person
* Mobile Crane Operator
* Tower Crane Operator
* Overhead Crane Operator
* Rigger
* Articulating Crane Operator.

For additional information please access the following Internet document addresses;

Find us on Facebook

Gulf Crane Website

Joe Covello E-Zine October 2010

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