| What are the most frequently cited serious violations | | | | and if necessary a strut brace. 2 x 10 scaffold planks |
| of the concrete and masonry standard? The | | | | are typically used as the vertical members and the |
| following are OSHA's top four followed by | | | | inclined strut and 2 x 4s for stakes and strut braces. |
| suggestions and protective measures you can use to | | | | 2 x 4s and 2x 6s are inadequate for vertical |
| make your jobsites safe.1) Failure to protect | | | | members or inclined struts. All lumber used must be in |
| employees from impalement - rebar not capped or | | | | serviceable condition. Finally, The American National |
| covered. Make sure that all rebar is capped/covered | | | | Standards Institute (ANSI) recommends that the |
| with an approved protective device designed for this | | | | support or bracing be designed and/or performed |
| purpose such as the hard plastic mushroom type | | | | under the supervision of a "qualified person" to |
| caps which are designed to fit various sizes of rebar. | | | | withstand (at a minimum) 15 pounds per square foot |
| Plastic or paper cups, orange traffic cones or tape | | | | and those strong winds need to be considered.4) |
| are not acceptable means of protection. Prevent or | | | | Failure to have the drawings or plans at the jobsite |
| limit your employees from working in areas where | | | | that indicate the jack layout and formwork |
| they could fall into or onto rebar. If this is not | | | | placement. Make sure that a copy of the formwork |
| possible, limit employee exposure to these areas by | | | | drawings and plans are maintained at the jobsite for |
| use of guardrails or other fall protection measures as | | | | review by the employer, employees, and OSHA |
| outlined in Subpart M. Rebar can be bent as a | | | | compliance personnel. Your formwork must be |
| protective measure, however this practice must be | | | | installed as shown on your drawings and/or plans.For |
| approved by an engineer, or the rebar can be | | | | more information on custom written construction |
| covered with lumber (e.g., a 2 x 4 board).2`) Failure to | | | | safety programs / manuals, safety training, and |
| establish a limited access zone to limit the number of | | | | discrete contractor safety programs / manuals please |
| workers in the danger zone where a masonry wall is | | | | contact Vic Sunshine at Omni Safety Services ( have |
| under construction. The limited access zone (danger | | | | the experience |
| zone) is established to protect employees (in the | | | | I've spent my entire life in construction of all types, |
| immediate vicinity of new wall construction) from | | | | residential, commercial, and industrial - inside and out |
| being struck by flying/falling brick and block in the | | | | in the field. My earliest days were spent helping my |
| event of a wall collapse. Only those employees | | | | father in the late 50's & early 60's tear down |
| actually engaged in constructing the wall should be | | | | residences for the materials, then helping him as a |
| within this area. This area must be marked off by | | | | remodeling contractor in the late 60's. I started full |
| means of a chain, rope, tape, or other material that | | | | time in contracting in 1973,1973 - 1974 Hampton |
| will indicate to employees that they are not to enter | | | | Electric, Inc. Estimator, Service Manager |
| the zone (area). The zone must be equal to the | | | | 1974 - 1981 Barry Electric, Inc. Project Manager, |
| length of the wall to be constructed and extended | | | | Chief Estimator |
| out (from the wall's base) a distance equal to the | | | | 1981 - 1994 TGB, Inc. General, Mechanical |
| height of the wall to be constructed plus 4 feet. | | | | Construction Vice President, President, Chief |
| Therefore, if the wall to be constructed is 8 feet | | | | Estimator, Project Manager |
| high and 40 feet long, the zone should be 12 feet x | | | | 1990 - present Omni Safety Services PresidentI |
| 40 feet.3) Failure to brace unsupported section of | | | | have the safety expertise |
| masonry wall over 8 feet in height. A new masonry | | | | After "doing it all" in construction, I retired from the |
| wall over 8 feet in height should be braced to | | | | day-to-day construction business in 1994 to pursue |
| protect against the hazard of collapse. The project | | | | what I felt was an obligation - to use my teaching |
| engineer or competent person should determine how | | | | skills to help and protect fellow contractors and |
| best to brace the wall. A typical masonry wall brace | | | | workers from costly accidents, confusion over |
| will include a vertical member, an inclined strut, stakes, | | | | regulations, and from unjust OSHA targeting. |