Excavations Cave-ins are a major cause of deaths in the construction industry each year. Excavations must be properly shored or cut back to an acceptable angle of repose; otherwise, there will be a constant threat of a cave-in and the associated chance of injury or loss of life. A qualified person must be involved in planning and having a safe excavation project. Guide for Discussion Before Excavation Review Underground utilities located? (Checked with local utility companies or property owner.) Call Dig-Safe Any overhead hazards (i.e., falling rock, soil, or other materials or equipment)? Will there be any heavy equipment operating in the...

Rebar / Impalement Protection Steel reinforcing bars, or rebar, are a common hazard on construction sites. The thin steel bars can stick out from construction projects and pose a hazard to workers who can cut or scratch themselves on the sharp ends. Workers that stumble or fall onto the exposed steel bars can be pierced or impaled on them, resulting in serious internal injuries and death. To protect workers from this hazard, OSHA requires that rebar and other projections on the worksite "be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement." Guarding from rebar impalement hazards must be done when workers will be...

Don’t Fall for Injuries With predictable regularity, falls continue to be a leading cause of accidents and deaths on the job. Falls include those on the same level (floor, ground), as well as from one level to another (stairs, ladders, roof, etcetera). They can be caused by either or both of two reasons - an unsafe action of an individual (hurrying, overreaching, improper use of equipment, etc.) or unsafe condition of the situation (poor housekeeping, unguarded opening, surface condition, etcetera). Good footing is the best way to avoid falls and good housekeeping is the best way to ensure good footing. Trash, wires,...

Aerial Platform Safety Jobsites are not always at ground level. Sometimes, workers need to use aerial platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms, vertical towers, or ladder trucks to reach their work. All work has hazards and risks involved in it, but when you work at an elevated height, extra training and attention to safety procedures is a necessity. In order to work safely with aerial platforms, get training on the operating procedures for your job site and task. Get specialized training on each aerial lift model you will use. Know the risks and hazards involved with aerial work, including your own risk...

Fall Protection It may seem that a job can be performed more efficiently without spending the time to protect against falls.  Lack of fall protection remains one of the top causes of fatalities in construction.  Workers have fallen off edges of every description, especially floors and roofs, and through openings in floors, roofs, and walls.  Fall protection is required whenever a worker faces serious risk of injury, including: on structures where a worker could fall more than 7 feet; on thrust outs, trusses, beams, purlins, and plates at heights over 15 feet; on a sloped roof. To prevent accidental falls at worksites, guardrails...