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