Struck and Caught Hazards!

Cranes Hazards

According to OSHA, 32% of crane-related fatalities are caused by workers being struck by the crane's load. Another 3% of crane fatalities are caused by workers being struck by the crane cab or counterweight.

OSHA defines an excavation as

"any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth's surface formed by earth removal."

Crane Safety What can you do to prevent struck-by incidents involving cranes?

Most crane accidents are caused by a combination of three factors: Lack of worker training Lack of communication between the crane operator and other workers Inadequate crane maintenance or inspection.

Cranes In 2006, 11% of all crane fatalities were caused by workers getting caught in or compressed by equipment or other objects. That's a significant number of deaths.

OSHA's safety regulation for cranes can be found in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC - Cranes & Derricks in Construction. Make sure the people at your workplace follow the safety rules outlined in the regulation. There are some very important things that help improve crane safety: communication, training, making sure the crane is properly set up and stable, safely securing the load, and not exceeding the crane's rated load capacity. Among other things, communication includes things like setting up barricades around the entire swing radius of the crane. That type of precaution warns workers to keep out of the way.

When you work around the same tools and machinery everyday, it is easy to forget how dangerous they can be. Unguarded machinery always poses a threat because it is very easy to get caught in the moving parts. Getting caught in unguarded machinery can cause serious injuries. You could accidentally amputate body parts, or you could even be killed. To protect yourself from these types of injuries, be particularly careful when working with:

Power tools Conveyors Other machinery with unguarded moving parts.

Powered Industrial Truck Hazards

Powered industrial trucks, also called forklifts, are very popular pieces of equipment. They are used in many different industries to move materials around the worksite. While they are useful, if they are not used properly, they can be extremely dangerous - even deadly. According to NIOSH, "nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift-related incidents" each year.

Guarding Powered Saws Because saws are designed to cut, you definitely want to keep your fingers, hands, and other body parts away from the blade. Saws come in various shapes and forms, and each has its own type of guarding.

Radial saws need a guard that protects the operator from coming into contact with the rotating blade. Portable circular saws need even more guarding. There should be a guard covering the upper part of the blade, and there should be a lower guard that automatically covers the blade, retracting where it makes contact with the material it is cutting. Table saws use a hood to cover the circular blade. Never remove or disable a guard. You may think the guard slows you down when you're trying to work, but really it is keeping you safe and intact. Your fingers will thank you for keeping the guard in place.

Trenching is recognized as one of the most hazardous construction operations.

Soil is extremely heavy. One cubic yard of soil weighs around 2,700 pounds. To put that in perspective, that is about the same weight as a Honda Civic. When a trench collapses, 3 to 5 cubic yards of soil can fill the hole. That equates to 8,000 to 14,000 pounds of dirt. Can you imagine what it would feel like to have a car fall on you? How about 3 cars? Not a pretty picture. Your chances of surviving being crushed would be pretty slim.

A lot of construction operations require heavy equipment to get the job done. While the equipment is essential to the work, it can also pose hazards to workers. If safety precautions aren't taken, it is possible for you to be caught between pieces of equipment and construction materials or the ground. When workers find themselves in that type of situation, the outcome isn't good.

Some of the common types of equipment used at construction sites include: Powered industrial trucks Cranes Other heavy equipment.

Avoiding Concrete and Masonry Construction Hazards One of the best ways to keep safe is to keep away from hazards. Therefore, only workers necessary for a work operation should be in the area where that work is being done. This is especially true during:

Tensioning operations Jacking operations Construction of walls.

The number one thing that will protect you from getting caught in a power tool, though, is guarding.

The guards for power tools must protect the operator and other workers from: The point of operation In-running nip points Rotating parts Flying chips and sparks. The point of operation is where the work is actually performed on the materials. Because this is where the "action" happens, it must be guarded. You also need to make sure that all moving parts are guarded, including belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets, spindles, flywheels, and chains. Never remove a guard when a tool is in use.

There are several different types of "caught-between" hazards that powered industrial trucks can create.

The truck can overturn, and if the operator isn't wearing a seatbelt, he or she can be caught between the truck and the ground. Overturns are the number one cause of forklift-related fatalities. Operators can run the truck into pedestrians, pinning them between the truck and the wall or stacked materials. If loads are not properly loaded or secured to the truck, the loads can fall off the truck onto workers, pinning them between the fallen load and the ground or other materials. Workers unsafely riding on the forklift can fall off and get run over by the forklift. All of these accidents can be fatal, but the good news is that they all are preventable, too.

Other Heavy Equipment There are many types of heavy equipment used at construction sites, including scrapers, loaders, bulldozers, graders, excavators, and more. All of these have the potential to create a caught-between hazard.

There are two safety features that play a huge role in protecting you from that type of hazard: rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seat belts. ROPS are designed to prevent a vehicle from rolling over completely and crushing the operator underneath it. If you are operating a vehicle equipped with ROPS, you are safer, but only if you wear your seatbelt. Think about it. How much good will rollover protection do you if you are thrown from the vehicle and it rolls on top of you? Not much good at all.

To prevent struck-by incidents, cranes need to be set up in a stable way, and workers need to act safely. To increase the safety of crane operations at your workplace, make sure these things are done.

Workers - meaning all people at the worksite - need to be trained on safety. Cranes need to be set up on solid, level ground so they do not tip or fall. Loads need to be secured properly so they do not drop. Determine how much a crane can safely lift before using it. Never exceed the crane's load capacity. The crane operator needs to stay in communication with other workers. The appropriate crane maintenance and inspections need to be performed.

OSHA defines a trench as

a narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground." The depth of a trench is greater than its width, but the width of a trench (measured at the bottom) is not greater than 15 feet (4.6 m).

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when working with or near power tools.

If not attached correctly, pneumatic tools can "shoot" their attachments. Workers should be trained in the safe use of the tools and machinery at the worksite. Powder-actuated tools are extremely powerful, so they can be very dangerous. Do not use them if you are not trained in their use. If the proper backing is not used, projectiles from these tools can easily penetrate materials like plywood or even studs.

At a construction site, there could be any number of machines with unguarded moving parts. Keep these things in mind so that you can avoid getting caught in the machines.

Avoid wearing loose clothing because it can easily be caught in moving parts. This includes personal protective equipment (PPE). People often don't worry about how well gloves and other types of PPE fit. You should. Loose clothing is a hazard. If you have long hair, style it so that it will stay out of the way of unguarded moving parts. The last thing you want is for your hair to get caught, pulling your head into the machine. Do not wear long or loose jewelry that could get caught in moving parts. You could easily be injured - or at least lose some jewelry - if this happens. If possible, add a safe aftermarket guard to the machinery. Guarded moving parts are much safer!

OSHA found that a large number of fatalities in the Construction industry can be tied to struck-by and caught-in or caught-between incidents

Because of the injury and fatality rate associated with these types of incidents, it is extremely important for workers to be aware of potential workplace hazards.

Conveyor Hazards Conveyors are used at construction sites to move materials around the worksite. They have a moving belt that runs over support rollers. Those create dangerous nip points, where you can get caught.

Conveyor-related injuries typically involve hands or fingers becoming caught in nip points. Often this happens when workers: Clean or maintain a conveyor while it is operating Reach into a nip point to remove debris or to free jammed material Wear loose clothing that gets caught in the conveyor, pulling the employee's fingers or hands into the conveyor. Other conveyor-related hazards include improperly guarded gears, sprocket and chain drives, horizontal and vertical shafting, belts and pulleys, and power transmission couplings. 2005 - 2022 © AdvanceOnline Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Struck By Flying Objects

Did you know that the number one cause of eye injuries for construction workers is being struck by an object? Flying objects can be very dangerous. If they strike you, injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to concussions. You can be blinded if the object strikes you in the eye. Depending on the type of object and the speed at which it is traveling, you could even be killed. The difficulty with protecting yourself from flying objects is that you may not be participating in the work that causes the object to fly. For that reason, you need to make sure your coworkers follow the safety rules outlined by OSHA and your employer, and you need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for your worksite.

Here are some things to keep in mind when working around conveyors.

First, never reach into an operating conveyor for any reason. Conveyors are equipped with emergency stops, "E stops" for short, which allow you to immediately stop the conveyor. It is usually a button or pull cord, and it should be easily accessible and readily identifiable. Use the "E stop" if something happens and you need to stop the conveyor quickly. If the conveyor is low enough that people might unknowingly run into it, it needs to be brightly painted or marked with a warning sign. It should have guards to keep people from running into it. Screw conveyors should be completely covered except where they are loaded and discharged. There needs to be guards at the discharge points to keep workers from coming into contact with the moving screw. The conveyor needs to automatically stop when guards are removed.

In addition to the load and cab or counterweight, what are some other types of struck-by accidents involving cranes?

Loose items can fall from suspended personnel platforms. Cranes can tip over and strike workers. If the crane is overloaded, equipment can break, dropping parts of the crane, equipment, or the load on workers. Some cranes are mobile pieces of equipment, and they could run over you just like any other vehicle could.

One of the most dangerous situations in concrete and masonry construction is when a structure collapses.

To prevent this, never place a construction load on a concrete structure unless your employer determines the structure can support the load. Your employer must make that decision based on information from a person qualified in structural design.

Concrete and Masonry Wall Safety

To reduce the likelihood of struck-by injuries, OSHA recommends you follow these safety rules. Do not place construction loads on a concrete structure until a qualified person indicates that it can support the load. Adequately shore or brace structures until permanent supporting elements are in place, or concrete has been tested to assure sufficient strength. Take measures to prevent unrolled wire mesh from recoiling, such as securing each end or turning the roll over. Do not load lifting devices beyond their capacity. Use automatic holding devices to support forms in case a lifting mechanism fails. When building masonry walls, use limited access zones (LAZs) to restrict access to areas surrounding the wall construction area. Always wear protective head and face equipment.

On-Off Switches for Tools In addition to guarding, power tools need to be equipped with the appropriate type of on-off switch. This will keep the tool from being accidentally turned on. You are less likely to get caught in a tool that you are purposely turning on.

Tools should have one of these two types of switches: an on-off switch or a constant pressure switch. An on-off switch is exactly what it sounds like. It's a switch on the tool that turns it on and off. You hit the switch one time to turn the tool on, and hit it a second time to turn the tool off. This type of switch is used for sanders, grinders, planers, shears, jigsaws, and some drills. A tool has a constant pressure switch if it automatically turns off when you remove pressure from the "on" switch. For example, some power drills have a trigger that you must keep compressed while you use the tool. When you release the trigger, the drill turns off. Other common examples include circular saws, chain saws, and grinders.

Sometimes workers are injured when doing materials handling operations because they are struck by falling rubbish or waste materials. There are some safety practices that should be followed to help keep you safe.

Use debris chutes when dropping materials more than 20 feet below. These can be used to put materials into a container lying outside the building, or to drop them through holes in a building's floor. Use barricades when dropping materials through holes in the floor if you are not using a debris chute. The barricade is to keep workers from standing where you will drop materials. The barricade must be at least 42 inches high and at least 6 feet from the edge of the opening above. Workers need to wear the appropriate PPE when near areas where waste materials are being dropped. This includes wearing at least a hard hat.

When using power tools and other machinery, there are some general safety rules you can follow to prevent struck-by hazards

Use the appropriate PPE, including a hard hat, and if there are flying particles, wear safety glasses, goggles, or a face shield. Inspect and maintain the tools and machinery. Keep people not involved with the work away from the work area. Use the tool or machine that is appropriate for the task you wish to perform. Remove damaged tools and machines, and label them "Do Not Use." Use the appropriate guarding to protect from flying chips and sparks.