CSC Classes for February 2015

OSHA 30 Hour for Construction 4 Day Class  Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Thursday, February 5, 2015 Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Thursday, February 12, 2015 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Also Available on Saturday February 7, 14, 21, 28. OSHA 10 Hour for Construction Two day class Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 4, 2015 - 7:30 am to 1:00 pm OSHA 510 Course Monday, February 9 to Thursday February 12, 2015 7:30 am to 4:00 pm To register contact the National Safety Education Center at 800-656-5317 or online at http://www.nsec.niu.edu/nsec/        Signal Person Hazards for Cranes Friday, February 13, 2015 7:30 am to 11:30 am Rigging Hazard Awareness Friday, February 13, 2015 12 Noon to 4:00 pm Hazard Communication: Globally Harmonized System of Classification & Labeling of Chemicals Monday, February 16, 2015  7:30 am to 11:30 am OSHA 502 Course Tuesday, February 17 to Thursday, February 19, 2015 7:30 am to 4:00 pm To register contact the National Safety Education Center at 800-656-5317 or online at http://www.nsec.niu.edu/nsec/ Confined Space Entry Wednesday, February 18, 2015 7:30 am to 4:00 pm AHA First Aid/CPR/AED Friday, February 20, 2015 7:30 am to 1:00 pm ATSSA Flagger/Work Zone Hazards Training Monday, February 23, 2015 7:30 am to 1:00 pm Fall Protection Safety for the Competent Person Monday, February 23, 2015 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Excavation Safety for the Competent Person Wednesday, February 25, 2015 7:30 am to 4:00 pm NFPA 70 E Electrical Arc Flash Training and Electrical Safety for Construction. Friday, February 27, 2015 7:30 am to 11:30 am Register Online Print registration form for all classes.     View the Online Calendar

Electrical Safety - TBT

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Electricity is one of the 4 leading causes of death on construction sites, don’t take it for granted. The following information is being provided to highlight the requirements for the use of extension cords, electrical tools, & temporary power

EXTENSION CORDS

Extension cords shall be of the three-wire type and construction grade. Construction grade cords will be marked with one of the following: SJ, SJO, SJT, STO, S, SO, ST or STO.
• All extension cords shall be visually inspected daily. Check the cords as you roll them out and roll them up. Damaged cords are not to be used until repaired properly
• All extension cords and electrical tools shall be included in the quarterly Assured Grounding Program. Cords and tools need to be checked for missing ground pins, cracked insulation, and other damaged. Each cord will be tested for continuity. Cords will be marked with colored electrical tape at the male end of the cord to indicate that the cord has been tested and is good to use. Personal cords and tools need to be included in this program. 1st Qtr.- White; 2nd Qtr. – Green,; 3rd Qtr. – Red; 4th Qtr. – Orange.
• All extension cords shall be on good condition. Cords with damage such as missing ground pins, cuts to the outer insulation, or pulled out strain relief shall not be used (even when a GFCI is used). Repair or replace damaged cords as needed.
• Plastic and metal multi-outlet strips (computer type multi outlets) are not in accordance with electrical regulations and are prohibited from use. "Homemade" metal outlet box extension cords are not in accordance with electrical regulations and are prohibited from use.
• Flat and two wire extension cords are prohibited from use.
• Cords can not be repaired if there are more than 3 repairs per 25 feet of cord or the inner insulation is damaged.

ELECTRICAL TOOLS
• All electrical tools must be equipped with a third wire ground prong electrical cord or be double insulated.
• All electrical tools, including double insulated, shall be visually inspected daily.
• Damaged tools must be taken out of service immediately and tagged or otherwise identified as damaged and in need of repair.

Provided by: Assurance Agency

Alcohol and its effects

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The purpose of this toolbox talk is to provide some basic information and to increase the level of awareness to focus on this as a potential safety issue on the job. This will primarily address issues of “the morning after” affect.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL:

This information briefly summarizes some of the some of the effects of a person that is hung over. Direct effects of alcohol vary with the individuals. In general, a person will excrete approximately one alcohol drink per hour.

Consider the following:

An employee is out until 1:00 a.m. and has consumed 12 or more beers. They show upto work at 7:00 a.m. This employee is likely to have at least six alcohol drinks in his system at the time of starting the work. At this rate, the employee will start work intoxicated, eventually drift into a hangover and will probably be working in a very dangerous state during most of the workday.

ISSUES OF A HANGOVER

All employees should be aware of the condition their crew reports to work in. Specifically, employees that start work and are hung over from use of alcohol or drugs from the night before should be watched very closely. The following are some points to consider:

• A person with a hangover may have lower levels of alcohol in their system and may be “legally sober”.

• Any levels of alcohol in the system can affect the central nervous system, which will affect
JUDGMENT and MOTOR SKILLS. (Judgment and Motor Skills are critical components of working safely on a construction site.

HANGOVER EFFECTS

Employees that are hung over are impaired from low sugar levels, dehydration and may still be legally intoxicated.

Symptoms / Effects:

• Impaired judgment

• Decreased motor skills

• Potential for dizzy spells, etc.

Employees no longer under the influence of alcohol but still feeling hung over still have an effect:

Symptoms / Effects:

• Impaired judgment

• Decreased motor skills

• Dizziness

• Increased potential to lose consciousness

Bottom Line:

Employees that come to work with a hangover may become injured or injure  others and should be asked to stop work and possibly sent home. Keep a close eye on your crew.

Production is important, but employees that are under the effect of alcohol or hangovers are a serious safety issue that may wind up a tragedy.

This information provided by: Assurance Agency

Frontiers in Fall Prevention:

Online Inventory of Residential Fall Protection Devices.

Falls from height remain the most common cause of construction worker fatalities, and falls continue to happen at an alarming rate --  especially in residential construction. After years under special "interim" fall protection guidelines, OSHA is now enforcing the same stringent standards in home building that have long applied in commercial construction. 

Many residential construction contractors are still learning about the array of fall protection devices available, some of them quite new. A Washington University at St. Louis research team supported by CPWR and NIOSH has stepped up to help by creating an online inventory of fall protection devices suitable for use in residential construction.

The team brought a wealth of experience to the task, having spent years collaborating with framing contractors and frame carpenters in the St. Louis-area to reduce falls. Their efforts included a fall prevention technology lending program that enabled contractors to borrow, field-test and rate various fall prevention devices, from hanging scaffolds to anchorage systems aimed at the challenges of wood-framed construction.

The resulting inventory is an impressive list of more than 150 products made by 23 different manufacturers. Visitors to the website can access the devices by product type (e.g., hole covers, or personal fall arrest systems) or by phase of construction (e.g., setting trusses, or installing siding). The site is obviously meeting an essential need: within two weeks of its unveiling, the site drew more than 1,000 unique visitors. Please visit the Fall Protection Resource for New Home Construction -- and share it with your peers and colleagues in the industry. 

If you'd like to learn how it all was done, visit cpwr.com for a report describing the effort: Fall Protection Resources for New Home Construction.

This information is provided by:
CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training

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