CoatingsPro Magazine

JAN 2017

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

Issue link: http://coatingspromag.epubxp.com/i/766770

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 33 of 116

COATINGSPRO JANUARY 2017 33 WORK IT SAFE It is important for employers to know the wind chill temperature so that they can gauge workers' exposure risk better and plan how to safely do the work. It is also important to monitor workers' physical condition during tasks, especially new workers who may not be used to working in the cold or workers returning after spending some time away from work. T h e N a t i o n a l O c e a n i c a n d A t m o s p h e r i c A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ( N O A A ) Weather Radio is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information from the nearest National Weather Service (NWS) office. It will give information when wind chill conditions reach critical thresholds. A Wind Chill Warning is issued when wind chill temperatures are life threatening. A Wind Chill Advisory is issued when wind chill temperatures are potentially hazardous. COLD STRESS Employers have a duty to protect workers from recognized hazards, including cold stress hazards, that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm in the workplace. Employers should train workers. Training should include: How to recognize the environmental and workplace conditions that can lead to cold stress; The symptoms of cold stress, how to prevent cold stress, and what to do to help those who are affected; How to select proper clothing for cold, wet, and windy conditions. Employers should: Monitor workers physical condition. Schedule frequent short breaks in warm dry areas to allow the body to warm up. Schedule work during the warmest part of the day. Use the buddy system (work in pairs). Provide warm, sweet beverages. Avoid drinks with alcohol. Provide engineering controls such as radiant heaters. For more information, contact: OSHA, www.osha.gov all contractors can provide for safety on an equal basis.) e U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Manual requires similar protection. Safety nets should be used as overhead protection where public traffic or workers are required to be underneath the work area. In such cases, nets should be lined with wire or synthetic netting of such strength and mesh (which is gener- ally ¾ inch, or 19.1 mm) that, in normal circumstances, falling tools or material would be prevented from falling on persons who may be standing below. Installation ere are as many ways of erecting nets as there are construction jobs; the details of safe rigging must be the responsibility of the persons on the job. Look for the most convenient way to rig a net on every job. Each job is different, so planning is required in each case. Even on two identical jobs, the work sequence may alter the quantity and methods of netting the job. Such planning may include: • Doing as much work as possible on the ground, and then hoisting the net into position. • Using a work basket wherever possi- ble to protect the person who must make the high or exposed connec- tions to secure the net. Safety belts with lifelines, boatswain chairs, or scaffolding also may be used. • Planning; it makes everything easier. • Rigging nets to catch and stop a worker who falls — before he or she hits another surface or a net support rod. The American National Standards Institute has these installation requirements: • Nets shall be installed in accordance with the net manufacturer's specifi- cations and instructions. • Nets shall be installed as close under the working level as practical but not lower than 30 feet (9.1 m) and shall be hung with sufficient clear- ance to prevent contact with the surface or structures below when the user's impact load testing is applied. (Exception: On bridge construction, the lowest part of the structure should be considered the highest working surface. It is intended that only one level of nets be required for bridge construction.) • When two or more nets are secured together to form a larger unit, they shall be laced at not more than 6-inch (15.2 cm) intervals with a lacing material equal in strength to the mesh rope or webbing. Drop-forge shackles or safety hooks may be used instead of lacing. • Drop-forge safety hooks or shack- les (or other equivalent fastening means) that will support the design load shall be used to attach nets to supporting cables, structures, or beams projecting from structures. • Safety nets shall extend outward 8 feet (2.4 m) horizontally from the outermost projection of the structure. Inspection Each safety net, mesh rope, perimeter rope, connector, suspension system, etc., should be thoroughly inspected by qualified personnel before and after every installation and not less than once each week thereafter. Additional inspections shall be made after Safety Watch

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of CoatingsPro Magazine - JAN 2017