ANSI A92 How Will The New Standard Affect Training?

As we progress through 2020 and are neck deep in construction challenges such as job site safety, schedules, deliveries, man power etc., it is easy to overlook the fact that there will major upcoming changes before the end of this year in regards to the operating and safe use of Mobile Elevated Work Platforms “MEWPS”. ANSI is moving towards a new access equipment design standard, A92.20, which will broadly bring North American equipment into line with equipment currently in the EU marketplace, closing off most global variances. Standards for safe use (A92.22) and training (A92.24) go further in completing this objective. Under these new standards, the Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs) terminology becomes Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs).

As mentioned above, the new ANSI A92 can be broken down to three sub-parts:

  • ANSI A92.20 (design)
  • ANSI A92.22 (safe use)                                A92.20 new standard affect on crane safety training
  • ANSI A92.24 (training)

Changes in design  A92.20:

Equipment classification can be broken down as follows:

A Group A machine has a design that does not allow the main platform to extend beyond the tipping line. In other words, the platform does not go outside of the drive chassis envelope. A perfect example of a Group A would be a scissor lift.

Conversely, a Group B machine has a design that allows the platform to extend beyond the tipping line. A great example of a Group B machine would be an articulating or telescopic boom.

A MEWP Type is in reference to the equipment’s ability to travel:

  • Type 1 – Traveling is allowed only with the MEWP in its stowed position
  • Type 2 – Traveling with the work platform in the elevated position is controlled from a point on the chassis
  • Type 3 – Traveling with the work platform in the elevated travel position is controlled from a point on the work platform

A92.22 affect on crane safety training

Moving forward training shall rely heavily on A92.22 (safe use) and A92.24 (training)

A92.22 (safe use):

  • Safe-use planning requires a plan specific to MEWPs to be developed by users to include tasks such as: a risk assessment,
  • the selection of the proper MEWP for application, and
  • access, preparation and maintenance of the work site prior to using the MEWP.
  • Supervisors are being held accountable for safe operations and developing risk assessments.
  • Included in a risk assessment is the user requirement to develop a rescue plan for workers who may require rescue from a platform in an elevated position.

A92.24 (training):

  • Training is required for each class of MEWP classification.
  • Training must be provided in a manner that trainees can understand.
  • Designation of a qualified person to monitor, supervise and evaluate operators on a regular basis to ensure proficiency.
  • Supervisors of MEWP operators shall receive supervisor training. This shall include:
  • Proper MEWP selection,
  • User and operator requirements,
  • How to identify known hazards and the means to manage risk.
  • How to follow the requirements of the operator’s manual.

Want more information? Give Trivent Safety Consulting a call today at 1-800-819-6092 and get connected to one of our industry leading trainers for more information and details on the standard!

Fall Protection by the Numbers

Numbers Are An Important Part Of Fall Protection

Have you ever sat through a fall protection class or looked at the standard regulating your industry?  There are a lot of numbers and other information thrown at you.  To begin, you need to understand where you work and what you do.  This will help you determine what OSHA source material you’ll need to review.  It will be either 1910 Subpart D for general industry or 1926 Subpart M under the construction standard.  Depending on the specific task you’re engaged in, there could be other areas you may need to visit.  Are you working on scaffolding in the construction industry, then Subpart L?  Maybe a question about steel erection, then Subpart R has some information you could reference.  Regardless, numbers are an important part of fall protection.  We’re going to focus on the construction industry and the standards that regulate it.

Let’s start with one of the most important number to remember in the construction industry, 6 feet.  This number is important specifically because OSHA has designated this as the height an employee on a walking working surface 6’ above the lower level needs to be protected from falling.  Additionally, the maximum allowable freefall distance in most instances is also 6’.  Protecting your workers can be achieved with several options, the most popular of which are the use of a guard rail system, or personal fall arrest system.  Ensure you and your employees are familiar with 6’ and have a plan in place to protect workers at or above this level.

When determining the protective measures, you’re going to use, guardrails are a common and easy choice.  If you’re going to use a guard rail system, it must meet several requirements, again more numbers to remember.  The top rail must be located at 42” +/- 3”.  It must support 200# of an outward downward force.  The mid rail must be located directly between the top rail and the walking working surface, typically this is 21” and support 150# of an outward downward force.  If you install a toe board, it must be no higher than 1/4” above the walking surface and support 50# of force applied against it.  Ensure that your workforce understands the height requirements and the limitations of the system.  Although common on most jobsites, remember, they only need to support 200#’s at the most.  That number is not very big when you think about an employee potentially falling into or against an installed guard rail on your project.

Another method to protect employees is the use of a restraint or personal fall arrest system (PFAS).  This method, when used correctly, should ensure that your employees are never exposed to a fall or protected in the event of an actual fall.  With the use of these protective methods, there are all sorts of numbers that we need to ensure our work force understands.  Teaching the employee’s, the ABC’s of fall protection is an easy way to help them remember.

Fall Protection by the Numbers

The A stands for anchor.  In any system, you need to ensure what you are anchoring to, will support you.  With this, the OSHA requirements call for one of the following numbers.  1000, 3000, or 5000.  These are the minimum anchorage connector breaking strength (per ANSI) depending on your fall protection application.  1000# for restraint, 3000# for work positioning, and 5000# for fall arrest. You can also use an anchor that is designed, installed and used as part of a complete PFAS which maintains a safety factor of at least two, under the supervision of a qualified person.

B is for body support, typically a full body harness.  Inspect your harness, you’ll find some more numbers.  310# and 420#.  Depending on your equipment, this will be the maximum permitted worker weight able to use this equipment.  This difference is typically dependent upon the next part of your ABC’s.

The C is the connector you use.  This is the lanyard, retractable, or restraint system you are using to keep you from falling or hitting a lower level.  It’s what connects your body support to the anchor.  Manufacturers have a wide variety of connecting equipment to use, most are rated at 900#.  This is the maximum average arrest force permitted under normal conditions, although OSHA and ANSI both permit the number to be 1800#.  Additionally, the connector will have a deceleration distance.  That number is 3.5 feet, although ANSI allows for 4’.  These numbers are important because they will help determine an appropriate anchor height.  You don’t want to go to low and end up hitting something below you.

A complete fall protection program should look at all of these different numbers and consider them when putting together a plan to protect your workers.  If you need help understanding the fall protection numbers and standards or want someone to help develop a plan for you, give Trivent Safety Consulting a call (800) 819-6092.  We would love to help you set up a plan that works for you and your team.

TIME TO POST YOUR RECORDS

In case you were unaware or have let the time get away from you and you forgot, here’s your friendly reminder from your friends at Trivent Safety.  It’s time for you to conspicuously post your OSHA 300A logs for your employees to review.  These logs need to be posted from February 1st until the last day of April.  This is not a new rule and is different from the electronic recordkeeping rule which is also about to become a priority.  Every company required to maintain injury/illness logs must post this document.  OSHA 300A forms, in addition to being posted conspicuously, need to be electronically filed with OSHA by March 2nd.  This requirement is for establishments that have 250 or more employees or for companies in certain industries with 20 – 249 employees.  To review the list and see if you company is required to report, please follow this link OSHA.  If you have any questions regarding electronic recordkeeping OSHA has a good FAQ page or feel free to call us (800) 819-6092.

Some changes to the recordkeeping rule that should be noted.  Establishments with 250 or more employees no longer are required to electronically submit their 300 or 301 forms along with their 300A.  These establishments are required to maintain the hard copy throughout the year and have available upon request but again, you are not required to submit them electronically.

In years past, electronic documents needed to be filed in July.  This has changed and March 2nd is the date that you are required to have the 300A filed.  Failure to meet this deadline is considered nonreporting and could result in an OSHA citation.

Please ensure that you post a hardcopy of your 300A by February 1st and for those companies that are required to, upload the 300A electronically to OSHA.

If you have questions regarding this or any safety needs, feel free to call us.

BUSINESS OWNER & MANAGER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER

Earlier this year, in San Francisco there were two people charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of an employee that was crushed while operating a forklift that he had not been formally trained or certified to operate. All powered industrial truck operators must be trained and certified in accordance with OSHA 1926.602 (d). Alfred Lee, owner of Good View Roofing and Building Supply Corp., and manager Alan Chan were charged with manslaughter in the death of employee Hua Quing Ruan. The accident occurred two years earlier in 2016 when the 60-year-old worker tipped over the forklift while attempting to load a bag of mortar mix while traveling down a loading dock ramp with a wooden pallet into a customer’s car. In transit the bag fell off the pallet and blocked the front wheel of the forklift. The worker then attempted to back away from the fallen mortar bag and backed off the side of the ramp and tipped the lift over. Surveillance video shows the employee trying to jump out of the way of the falling lift, however he was not able to get clear and was hit and crushed by the lift.

BUSINESS OWNER

According to the Cal/OSHA investigators the employee was not wearing his seat belt and it played a significant factor in his death. In addition, the employee had no formal forklift training and was not certified to operate the lift. “When employers take workplace safety shortcuts, it’s employees that suffer,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.

OSHA says, 70 percent of workplace accidents can be avoided with proper training and safety procedures. NIOSH states that the three most common types of injuries occur when: A forklift overturns; workers are struck, crushed, or pinned by a forklift; and workers fall from a forklift.

Tips on how to avoid accidents and near misses when operating a forklift:

Gehl Lift

  •   • Give your forklift a thorough inspection prior to use
    • Only operate a forklift if you are authorized to do so
    • Always use your seatbelt
    • Become familiar with the features and functions of each forklift you operate
  •    • Only pick up a load when you are sure it is stable
    • Know and do not exceed the rated load capacity of your forklift
    • Understand and know how to use your load capacity chart

NOT KNOWING THIS …

graph

CAN LEAD TO THIS!

Tipped Over Lift

Requirements for Retraining and                                                         
Refresher training is required when:                                                            

risky operating

• There has been an unsafe operation
• An accident or near miss
• An evaluation indicates that the operator is not capable of performing the assigned duties
• A new type of truck has been introduced into the workplace
• There has been three years since operators last evaluation

It is unfortunate events like this one that illustration the importance of getting your people the training they need to do the job as informed, safe workers. It has been said that the OSHA standards have been written in the blood of those that have come before us, before a standard was developed. Always be sure that workers who use heavy equipment have the experience and training needed to operate their machine safely. Lets protect our workers and the neighboring trades onsite from needless incidents and accidents that are preventable by receiving proper training!

NEED YOUR PEOPLE CERTIFIED?

Contact us today at 1 800-819-6092
www.triventsc.com                                                                                                             header logo

Are Your Riggers Qualified?

Riggers

Quick question for you, do you know what the total sling capacity of two ½” EIPS / IWRC wire rope slings choked at 45 degrees is good for? More importantly does the person you have rigging for you know the answer? The answer may surprise or potentially scare you. If the answer is no, then this is where you want to contact Trivent Safety Consulting and get signed up for the next qualified rigger and signal person training course. Subpart CC requires qualified rigger & signal persons while rigging and signaling construction loads. Our trainers at Trivent Safety Consulting have over 20 years of field experience when it comes to rigging and signaling cranes. We have developed a training course that can get your workers up to speed on how to properly rig materials and  flag / signal a crane properly!

signal a crane

Scott Seppers erecting steel
Bryan McClure & Scott Seppers erecting steel in 1998

Here is how you determine the answer to the original question:

½” EIPS IWRC wire rope sling in a choked configuration has a rated capacity of 3800lbs. At 45 degrees we have a listed sling multiplier of 1.41
3800 X 1.41 = 5358 combined rated lifting capacity.
Would you like to learn more? Follow our link to our next upcoming qualified rigger and signal person class!

Contact us today 1 800-819-6092 or reach us on the web at www.triventsc.com

Understanding OSHA and OSHA Standards

How many of you out there have been on a project or in a facility and the word spread that OSHA was there?  For most employers when this happens, the reactions tend to be the same, and what they do is consistent, shut down and stop working.  My question to you is, why?  I’m not an advocate for stopping work unless you absolutely must.  OSHA has a job to do and so do you.  Why shut down if you’re not doing anything wrong?  The reason is fear, fear of the unknown when OSHA shows up.  Why are they here?  Am I doing something wrong?  Are there any violations?  Our pulse begins to race, we may start sweating, our blood pressure rises.  All are physiological responses to stress and fear.

Now instead of shutting down our projects because of the unknown, wouldn’t it be better if we’re aware and know the realities of our projects?  Do you know the standards that govern your projects? The whole reason OSHA is around is for the development and enforcement of the construction and general industry standards.  Standards that were created to help ensure employees go home safe each day.

I’m sure everyone has heard of them, maybe some of you have even read them.  Though, most people go their entire career without knowing the rules we’re supposed to follow.  As a safety professional, it’s been my responsibility to understand the rules that applied to the people I work with.  To help my teams work within these rules and still be productive.  These rules are the 1926 Construction and the 1910 General Industry standards.  I’m not going to tell you that I’ve read them all, I’m also not going to tell you that I agree with everything that is in the standards.  Some of the standards are old and antiquated.  Others are written in such a manner that it’s very difficult to understand or to follow.  Unfortunately, though, these are the laws we’re given, and we need to learn how to work safely while following them.

To help alleviate our fear and run a safe project, a better understanding of these standards and regulations should be a priority for all employers.  You need to understand what rules you are required to follow and what affects your employees.  Once you understand what affects your employees, I strongly recommend that you spend the time to educate them on the rules and standards as well.

Fear is a very powerful emotion and can lead us all to make bad choices.  The more education and training we can give our employees will lower the fear, which hopefully, will lead to better decisions on our projects and in turn lead to a safer employee and project.

We do not need to fear OSHA showing up on our projects or at our place of business.  We need to understand the rules and mitigate the hazards.  This understanding comes from training, training and more training.

If you would like to know what OSHA is looking for on your projects, call us at 1(800) 819-6092. We can come to your site to perform a mock OSHA inspection. The first inspection is always free!

OSHA UPDATES

Silica Rule for Construction, Maritime and General Industry Compliance

OSHA’s silica rule for construction has been in effect for over 2 years now and businesses were to comply by June 23, 2017, one year after the effective date, and General Industry and Maritime had additional time before total compliance was required on June 23, 2018.  For those of you still struggling with how to comply with the standard or need training call us at (800) 819-6092.  OSHA also has a variety of resources available on their website to help you with compliance, including videos and a frequently asked question section SILICA

Recordkeeping Rule: When and How to Submit OSHA Form 300A

The rule requires certain high-hazard businesses with 20 to 249 employees to electronically submit their OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and all businesses with 250 or more employees to also electronically submit their OSHA 300A form.  OSHA is no longer requiring or accepting the 300 or 301 Forms from businesses with 250 or more employees as previously required.  This is one change to the original rule that was released in 2016.  The 2019 forms are due by March 2. RECORDKEEPING

Extension in Compliance Date for the General Industry Beryllium Standard

On August 8, OSHA issued a final rule to extend the compliance date for supporting requirements in the general industry beryllium standard to December 12, 2018.  This extension affects provisions for methods of compliance, work areas, personal protective clothing, hygiene facilities and practices, housekeeping, communications, and recordkeeping.  The compliance date extension does not affect the compliance dates for other requirements of the general industry beryllium standard.  OSHA expects to complete revisions to its beryllium standards by the end of fiscal year 2019. BERYLLIUM

Excavation in construction

Another big area that OSHA will be focusing on is trenching and excavation hazards in construction; the agency’s goal is to abate 1,400 of these hazards in fiscal year 2019.  As always, the focus is to ensure that employers are protecting their employees before allowing them to work in a trench or excavation. EXCAVATION

Self Reporting Injuries and Fatalities

In addition, responding to employers self-reporting of injuries will continue to increase the amount of unprogrammed (unplanned) inspections OSHA conducts.  OSHA states that they are seeking 42 new full-time employees for enforcement. They are also looking to add 32 employees for areas such as compliance assistance, outreach and the Voluntary Protection Programs. REPORTING

OSHA Inspections, are you on the list?

OSHA has taken the data that employers were required to electronically file in 2016 and are now using it to conduct programmed inspections of businesses.  The Site-Specific Targeting 2016 (SST2016) program is looking at businesses that failed to meet the submittal deadline for 2016 and are going to begin performing inspections on these establishments.  Currently all establishments with 250 or more employees or employers with 20 – 249 employees in high risk categories are required to file by March 2nd, 2019.  For more information, check out this article in Octobers EHSToday

Construction Managers Face Criminal Charges in Crane Accident

Inexperience and lack training rears its ugly head yet again. An accident which occurred last June at a condominium project in East Harlem left two ironworkers injured when a crane fell several stories to street level. The investigation concluded that the workers involved in operating the crane had no formal training or qualifications to be working with the equipment on the project. The crane toppled over after being loaded with a glass panel that was estimated to have weighed 1800lbs, while the cranes configuration was only rated to have a lifting capacity of 880lbs. To read full article follow the link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-construction-managers-face-criminal-charges-in-east-harlem-crane-accident-1541723812

NEW: OSHA Proposes Rule to Ensure Crane Operators Are Qualified To Safely Operate Equipment. OSHA Trade Release (May 18, 2018). Crane Operator Certification Extension – Final Rule. OSHA delayed the enforcement date for crane operator certification by one year until November 10, 2018.

Some topics for consideration when working with mini crawler cranes:
• How much does the material weigh?
• Load chart interpretation
• Capacity of crane at the working radius.
• How and what kind of rigging is needed?
• Rigging clearly tagged and in good working condition?
• Are ground conditions adequate for crane set up?
• Outriggers fully extended?