CONSTRUCTION SAFETY HAZARD ALERT MUSHROOM STYLE REBAR
CAPS Mushroom Style Rebar Caps
OSHA requires that contractors protect employees from impalement hazards from exposed rebar. A widely use technology for covering rebar has been the plastic "mushroom caps" that are often orange in color. Recent tests by California OSHA have determined that these provide no impalement protection from falls as low as 3 feet. Therefore, OSHA no longer considers these plastic caps to meet the "guarded" requirement found in 1926.701(b). This prohibition includes their use even in areas where the fall hazard involves a fall from the same level, such as a trip and fall on level ground where rebar is exposed.
OSHA notes that although they do not provide approvals on any products, they do note that manufactured steel reinforced caps and wooden troughs are commercially available which will meet the test criteria of a 250 pound weight dropped from a distance of 10 feet without break through by the rebar. OSHA has also indicated that the manufacturers of these plastic mushroom caps agree that they are not designed to prevent impalement but merely provide scratch protection.
Contractors are advised to replace these caps with protective covers such as wooden troughs or other mechanisms, which will withstand the 250-pound/10 foot drop test, as OSHA will begin enforcing the prohibition on the use of the mushroom caps immediately.
If you have questions about this or any other construction safety or health related issue, please don't hesitate to contact us


FILLING GASOLINE CANS ON PLASTIC TRUCK LINERS CREATES SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD
Several recent fires at Chevron service stations have been reportedly caused when people have attempted to fill metal gasoline cans, which were resting on plastic pickup truck bed liners. The plastic serves as an insulator, preventing discharge of static electricity caused by the flow of the gasoline. This sets up a situation where a spark is created between the gas can and the fuel nozzle. When the spark occurs in the flammable range in the gasoline vapor space near the open mouth of the gas can, a fire occurs.
Filling a gas can to minimize the danger of fire:
Use only approved containers. Do not fill any container while it is inside a vehicle, a vehicle's trunk, pick-up bed, or on any surface other than the ground. Remove the approved container from the vehicle and place it on the ground a safe distance away from the vehicle, other customers and traffic. Keep the nozzle in contact with the can during filling. Never use a latch-open device to fill a portable container. Follow all other safety procedures, including No Smoking. If you have questions about this or any other construction safety related issues, please don't hesitate to contact us


CONSTRUCTION SAFETY HAZARD ALERT CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD POWER LINES
Contact with overhead power lines is a major cause of fatalities in the construction industry. As many as 100 workers are killed each year by inadvertent power line contacts, most of which occur through the use of high reaching material handling equipment. A study of accidents involving power line contacts has indicated that the use of cranes is the most common cause of fatalities.
Anyone operating equipment near power lines must use extreme caution. Although cranes are usually associated with fatalities caused by overhead power lines, concrete pump booms, backhoe arms, raised dump truck boxes and other types of equipment have produced fatal contacts. Prior to dispatching any equipment to begin a job, check the site and the area near where equipment will work travel or park. Note all overhead power lines. Meet with jobsite supervision, operators and workers to warn them about the hazards and train them in the safe operating procedures to be followed. Make sure to avoid storing materials under or near power lines.
OSHA's Safety and Health Regulations for Construction, Subpart N-Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Elevators and Conveyors, (1926.550(a)(15) contains specific minimum requirements for the use of equipment near power lines. For lines 50 kilovolts (kV) or less, the operator must keep all parts of the crane or other high reaching equipment at least 10 feet away from all power lines. If the lines are greater that 50 kV, then the line clearance distance is increased by twice the length of the insulator or the formula listed below.

10 feet + (0.4 inches) (# of kV over 50 kV) = Line Clearance Distance

A good rule of thumb for deciding the line clearance distance is: If the overhead power line is 50 kV or less, then stay at least 10 feet away/ For everything else, keep at least 35 feet away.
**REMEMBER, OVERHEAD POWER LINES CARRY DEADLY AMOUNTS OF ENERGY, AND THEY ARE NOT INSULATED.
If you have any questions about this or any other construction safety or health related issue, please don't hesitate to contact us


EXCAVATION HAZARD ALERT
Contractors performing excavation work are reminded that excessive moisture creates instability in excavations. Rain and flooding conditions will render most excavations unstable and extremely dangerous. Excavations performed in soil previously classified as "A" and "B" will likely need to be reclassified as type "C", dewatered and appropriate protection measures-as determined by your competent person(s)-installed prior to continuing work.


WARNING FLEXIBLE GAS CONNECTORS
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal has been made aware of several fires and explosions caused by the deterioration of older-style brass flexible natural gas connectors. The OSFM is therefore warning homeowners and encouraging local fire service personnel to spread the work concerning this hazard.
Gas connectors are corrugated metal tubes used to connect gas appliances (such as dryers, stoves or hot water heaters) to gas supply lines. Currently these connectors are made of stainless steel or plastic coated brass. In the past however, most of these connectors were made of uncoated brass. These older brass connectors have a flaw in how their tubing was joined to their end pieces. Some uncoated brass connectors have end pieces brazed (soldered) to the corrugated brass tubing. Over time, the brazing can fail, creating a serious gas leak. These dangerous uncoated brass connectors have not been made for more than 20 years, but many of them are still in use and may even be available for sale in some stores that may be unaware of this problem.
It is very difficult to determine from a visual inspection whether a flexible connector has been brazed. Therefore, if an uncoated brass connector is found, it should be replaced with either a new stainless steel or plastic coated brass connector. It is a good practice to replace any flexible gas connector, which is more than 10 years old.
Furthermore, connectors can wear out from too much moving, bending or corrosion. Connectors should always be replaced whenever the appliance is replaced or moved from its location. Any new flexible gas connectors should be certified by the American Gas Association (AGA) and conform to the rule of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z21.24.
It is important that homeowners not move an appliance to check the existing flexible connector! Moving the appliance, even slightly, whether to clean behind it or inspect its gas connector can cause the complete failure of one of these older weakened connectors, possibly resulting in a deadly fire or explosion. If you cannot check your flexible connector without moving an appliance. It is recommended that you have a services contractors check the connection for you.
If you smell gas or suspect a leak:
Leave the house immediately
Don't use your phone, call the fire department and your gas supplier from a neighbor's home
Don't light a match or lighter
Don't change the position of any light switches
Don't switch on any electrical appliances or equipment
If you have questions about this or any other construction safety or health related issues, please don't hesitate to contact us