Blog - Tag: Measured Risk Insurance
How to Protect Your Tools, Equipment Against Theft
One of the biggest headaches for contractors is equipment and tool theft, as thieves regularly raid worksites after hours or steal tools from parked vehicles. They can make away with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and in serious cases it can result in project delays and workers unable to do their jobs.
Also, if the theft occurs away from the contractor’s own facilities and instead at a worksite or while the equipment is in transit, the company’s commercial property insurance policy won’t cover the theft.
However, there is a policy that will cover these types of thefts: tool and equipment insurance. While you should consider this inexpensive coverage, you should also take steps to safeguard your stuff.
Examples
- In September 2023, thieves stole more than $50,000 worth of tools and landscaping equipment from a worksite run by Ground Builders Landscaping in Douglas County, Nebraska.
- A Columbus, Ohio man who committed countless thefts of tools and construction equipment across a 10-county area was sentenced to more than a decade in prison in October 2023. It is estimated that upward of around $100,000 worth of construction equipment and tools were stolen by the thief.
- In November 2022, thieves stole $100,000 worth of tools and equipment from a construction site run by SolTerra Capital Inc., a Portland, Oregon developer.
How the insurance works
Typically, commercial property insurance only covers your equipment when kept within your premises. Tool and equipment coverage is a special type of insurance known as inland marine insurance; it covers movable equipment and tools wherever you’ve stored them.
It typically covers theft, vandalism, accidental damage, and loss of tools and equipment while they are on-site, in transit or stored at a designated location.
Some policies may offer coverage for the cost of renting replacement tools or equipment to minimize project disruptions. Others include provisions that compensate you for lost income and costs incurred due to project delay if these are caused by a covered incident.
Policies typically cover tools and equipment worth up to $10,000. If the value of everything is more than $5,000, the insurer will often require that all of the items are inventoried and scheduled on the policy.
However, the insurance won’t cover:
- Usual wear and tear on equipment and tools
- Tools that are over five years old.
- Damage resulting from deliberate misuse or breakage.
If you have extremely high-value tools and equipment, you would likely need to get a separate specialized policy.
Prevention tips
Besides insurance, the best approach is to avoid having your tools and equipment stolen in the first place. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the chances of theft.
Secure equipment and tools — If you must store your equipment on-site, set aside a section of your site where you can store the gear in locked, secure storage containers when not in use. Ensure these containers are well-constructed and tamper-proof and cannot be moved. Keep in mind that tool trailers are often stolen.
Install security cameras and alarms — Security cameras and alarms, along with signs announcing their presence, can help deter thieves. Cameras also can provide evidence of theft and alarms can alert your workers of intrusions.
Implement asset marking and tracking — Adopt asset-management solutions with telematics to discourage theft and aid in recovery if equipment is stolen. Implement tracking devices on high-value assets to enable real-time location monitoring. Visibly displaying that equipment is tracked and monitored can deter theft.
Create a reporting system for missing tools — Implement a system so that employees can report missing tools. A well-designed reporting system can help track any misplaced tools, while addressing issues like theft or inaccuracies with inventory as soon as they are discovered.
Train your staff — Devote an afternoon to discuss best practices in van and tool safety and security with your team. Additionally, ensure that new staff members are informed about these measures to maintain a vigilant and secure work environment.
Conduct employee background checks — Conducting background checks during the hiring process can help combat theft on your construction site. Background checks not only verify the qualifications and past work history of potential employees, but detect any known criminal activity as well.
Cal/OSHA Raises Penalties for 2024
Cal/OSHA penalties for several workplace safety violations by California employers have increased for 2024.
The penalties for both Fed-OSHA and state violations rise annually to account for inflation under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act. Penalties for most violations increased 3% on Jan. 16 from their 2023 levels.
Here’s a rundown of the new penalties:
- General and regulatory violations, including posting and recordkeeping violations: maximum penalty is $15,873, up from $15,375 in 2023.
- The minimum penalty for a willful violation: $11,337, up from $10,981.
- The maximum penalties for willful and repeat violations: $158,727, up from $153,744.
- The maximum penalty for serious violations, including tower cranes and carcinogen use: $25,000, unchanged from 2023.
- The maximum penalty for both a serious and other-than-serious violation: $16,131, up from $15,625.
- The maximum daily penalty for a failure to abate: $16,131, up from $15,625.
- The maximum penalty for a serious or repeat violation: $161,323, up from $156,259.
The takeaway
As the maximum penalties for Cal/OSHA violations grow every year, and as a responsible employer, you should focus on keeping a safe workplace that is targeted at reducing the risk of injuries to your staff.
It not only helps avoid injuries, but also keeps a lid on your workers’ compensation costs and reduces the chances of receiving citations from Cal/OSHA.
GPS Tracking: Monitor, Protect and Optimize Your Firm’s Assets
For any business — big or niche — protecting your assets is key to protecting your company.
A lost or stolen company-issued laptop, for example, poses the risk of exposing trade secrets and confidential information, and a company car or equipment used in a crime may damage your business’s name forever.
With theft and shrinkage on the rise, it’s more important than ever that businesses embrace GPS tracking technology to keep track of their company-owned vehicles and high-value assets, including inventory.
From food service to construction, waste management, field services or whatever business you have, you can have complete control and peace of mind with a GPS asset-tracking system. Combine this with value-adding features such as fleet management and telematics, and you will have an investment that pays for itself.
The benefits
GPS tracking can benefit your organization by increasing efficiency, reducing costs, enhancing security, improving customer service — and providing valuable data for decision-making and compliance. However, it’s essential to implement GPS tracking ethically and transparently, addressing any employee concerns about privacy and data usage.
Fleet management benefits
Interval-based reporting: GPS asset trackers provide regular reporting about a vehicle’s location in intervals or when it moves.
Route optimization: GPS systems can suggest the most efficient routes, reducing costs and improving on-time performance.
Driver behavior monitoring: GPS tracking can record driver behavior such as speeding, harsh braking and excessive idling.
Stolen vehicle recovery: Tracking can assist in quickly locating and recovering stolen vehicles or assets.
Asset tracking and management
Inventory control: GPS tracking can help monitor the location and movement of valuable items, reducing theft and improving inventory management.
Maintenance alerts: Systems can schedule maintenance based on actual usage and location data, reducing downtime and extending the lifespan of assets.
Historical data: Systems store historical location data, which can be analyzed to identify trends, optimize operations and make data-driven decisions.
Other benefits
Accurate ETAs: By knowing your vehicles’ exact locations and estimated arrival times, you can provide customers with accurate information, enhancing their experience.
Proof of service: GPS tracking can prove service or delivery, reducing disputes and improving customer trust.
Geofencing: You can set up geofences and receive alerts when vehicles or assets enter or exit specific areas, helping to prevent unauthorized use or movement.
The takeaway
It might be tempting to choose cheaper, do-it-yourself options for your asset-tracking requirements, but you should remember what will be at stake. When it is your livelihood that is on the line, it is always best to trust experts who can blend hardware and software solutions tailored to your needs.
With a quick online search, you can find hundreds of asset-tracking vendors and websites that rank the different systems.
Apart from comparing prices and functions, consider the geographic coverage, after-sales support and maintenance, and other services that GPS asset-tracking vendors offer. Research which service providers other companies in your industry prefer to use, and seek reviews and recommendations from experienced GPS users.
Opioid Overdose Meds May Be Coming to Your First Aid Kit
Efforts are afoot to create new laws and regulations that would require California employers to include the opioid overdose medication Narcan in their first aid kits.
The National Safety Council (NSC) recently asked the Cal/OSHA Standards Board to create new regulations requiring construction sites and general industry workplaces to stock medications that can reverse opioid overdoses.
On the legislative front, two state assembly members have introduced bills that would require workplace first aid kits to include naloxone hydrochloride, the substance that can reverse overdoses.
More than 83,000 people died of an opioid overdose in 2022 in the U.S., including nearly 7,000 Californians, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Workplace overdose deaths jumped 500% between 2011 and 2021 and overdoses account for 9% of workplace deaths nationally. In California, overdoses accounted for 18% of workplace deaths in 2021.
Naloxone, sold under the brand names Narcan and RiVive, is available in an over-the-counter nasal spray or as an injectable.
These medications temporarily reverse overdoses from prescription and illicit opioids, are not addictive and are not harmful to people when administered.
In its Dec. 8 petition to Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board, the NSC asked it to add naloxone to the list of required items in both construction sites as well as general industry workplaces.
“With the number of workplace overdose deaths on the rise, opioid overdose reversal medication is now an essential component of an adequate first-aid kit,” wrote Lorraine M. Martin, president and CEO of the NSC. “The inclusion of an opioid overdose reversal medication requirement in rules 3400 and 1512 would help California combat the opioid crisis by ensuring worksites are appropriately equipped to respond to such an emergency.”
She also called for training to use the medication.
Legislation
Two bills are in play.
AB 1976: Authored by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), this bill would require first aid kits on job sites to include Narcan. It would require the Standards Board to draft enabling regulations by Dec. 31, 2026.
AB 1996: Authored by Assemblyman Juan Alanis (D-Modesto), this measure would require operators of stadiums, concert venues and amusement parks to stock Narcan. It would not require Cal/OSHA to create new regulations as the measure is aimed at helping members of the public.
The takeaway
In light of the opioid overdose epidemic, more and more employers and operators of facilities that cater to the public have started stocking naloxone. With opioid overdoses so prevalent in U.S. workplaces (18% in California alone), the simple addition of this over-the-counter medication can save the life of a worker.
Narcan is available over the counter for around $40 at most major retail pharmacies. It’s a simple and inexpensive addition to a first aid kit for any employer. It would be good practice to keep one in your safety kit … just in case.
Meanwhile, if any of these efforts are codified, we’ll let you know.
Use Technology to Prevent Losses and Manage Risks
Businesses are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to manage risks and improve their workplace safety.
An increasing number of applications for these devices — matched with other technologies — can help companies prevent losses, reduce the chances of workplace accidents and manage risk.
There are also a number of innovative apps that allow businesses to identify, report and address safety issues, security risks and other problems remotely.
This technology can make life easier for a company’s risk manager or human resource officers, adding another layer of protection.
Onsite systems
Mobile devices can now connect to business security and utilities systems. Many security equipment vendors offer apps that give business owners instant information when they’re away from the premises.
For example, the system may send a text alert to a smartphone if a security camera picks up sudden movements. Other systems communicate via apps that will send alerts to you on your phone in similar situations.
Other products may stream videos from multiple security cameras to a smartphone app, enabling the owner or personnel to keep an eye on the premises during off hours. This real-time information can help business owners limit the size of losses.
For example, a system might send a text alert when it detects a leak in the building’s plumbing system. Once alerted, the building owner can shut off the water remotely or in person, thus limiting the extent of the damage.
Video from cameras that monitor the premises can also be saved and used in helping businesses and police recover stolen property. A coffee manufacturer in Portland, Oregon, implemented a system like this.
Weeks after installation, the company recorded video of a burglar stealing thousands of dollars in equipment. The owners downloaded the video, sent it to the local police and posted it on social media channels. The video produced a full criminal investigation, arrest and conviction.
Risk management apps
There are several noteworthy applications on the market that businesses can use to manage their risks and workplace safety. The apps make it easy for employees to communicate with management about possible hazards that could lead to injuries in the workplace, particularly for employers with multiple locations or far-flung operations.
All of the following are available for both the iPhone and Android operating systems.
RiskReporter — This app is designed to help risk managers keep track of their organization’s potential risks. Users can record risk-related events as they occur and e-mail them to supervisors, all the while noting suggested risk-control measures and action plans.
Origami Mobile — The app enables risk professionals, employees and contractors to conduct job site audits and inspections and report incidents from locations nationwide even in instances where Wi-Fi is unavailable.
Users are able to detect and report workplace operational hazards and behavior trends, monitor effectiveness of safety programs, gather and leverage real-time incident data and provide coaching and training services to workers.
Kizeo Forms —This app allows users to customize components of the app specifically to their workplace. Its main function is the ability to report incidents from remote locations. Features include geolocation and the ability to fill out data from remote customer locations without internet.
The app also includes features like:
- Remote near-miss reporting
- Remote security log
- Remote risk assessment
- Remote check of personal protective equipment
- Ergonomics inspection.
Risk Assessor —This app lets you create detailed safety reports from your phone or tablet. You can brand up the reports with your company details and create a bespoke hazard and control list to suit your business.
Return-to-Work Programs Can Keep Workers’ Comp Claim Costs Down
One of the proven ways to reduce the cost of a workers’ comp claim is to get the injured worker back on the job whenever it is safe to do so.
Preferably, employers should offer some type of modified work duty if they are still recovering from their injury and if that injury impedes them from performing the work they did before the accident.
If workers wait until they are completely healed before returning to work, the cost of a claim with $9,000 in medical expenses, for example, can quickly balloon to tens of thousands of dollars as they draw indemnity benefits to replace their lost wages from not working.
Not only that, but an extended absence can lead to employees becoming disaffected from the workplace and increasingly unmotivated to return.
Fortunately, a strong return-to-work program offers a path back into the workforce through light duty and transitional work. To keep costs in check, no workers’ comp program should be without such a program.
If you have an RTW program or are considering starting one, here are the top 12 things you should consider, courtesy of the Institute of WorkComp Professionals:
- Understand your state laws about returning an injured worker back to the job and the benefits they are entitled to after taking on transitional or light duty.
- Create an RTW program that outlines the steps the company will take to help a worker get back on the job as soon as it’s feasible after a workplace injury. Discuss transitional duty and light duty in the program documentation and distribute copies of it to your staff.
- Be creative in identifying temporary alternative jobs. Appoint an employee-management committee to create temporary alternative jobs. Injured employee jobs should be meaningful, not demeaning or demoralizing — and for sure should not be punitive.
- If you have an injured worker, visit various worksites or departments of your company to identify tasks that are similar to the employee’s existing job.
- Provide the treating physician with job descriptions for any temporary transitional duty and the employee’s regular work.
- Obtain medical restrictions from the medical provider and a release, so that you can put them in a job that will not strain or risk reinjuring them. Be proactive and prepared for the release. Don’t wait to have it in hand before you begin your process — a delay of even a few days costs you money.
- Encourage treating medical providers to approve temporary alternative duty for injured employees.
- Communicate regularly (at least once a week) with injured employees returning to work for a temporary alternative duty position. During this time, therapy and treatment may still continue.
- Inform the worker’s supervisors about the injured individual’s physical limitations from the injury and make sure they don’t push them too hard. Closely follow the restrictions outlined by the doctor, or you risk upsetting the worker, or worse, reinjuring them.
- Continue to pay the injured employee at their regular rate of pay. Consider doing so even if the employee is working partial hours. This will help you avoid paying lost-wage benefits and, in many states, reduce future settlements. It also builds employee morale.
- Keep the employee engaged by asking them on a weekly basis about the transitional duty, to identify obstacles or ascertain if they feel they can do more.
- Provide feedback to the physician regarding the progress the injured employee is making at the temporary alternative duty position, to make sure the physician is getting both sides of the story. It also conveys the concern you have for your injured employees.
The takeaway
If done correctly, an RTW program can help your worker get back on the job faster, help them feel like they are still part of the team, improve morale — and reduce your workers’ comp premiums.
Tips for Safeguarding Your Baby Boomer Construction Workers
The average age of construction workers is now in the 40s. Baby boomers — people born between 1946 and 1964 — represent 40% of the construction industry workforce, according to the Center for Construction Research and Training.
The nature of construction work presents many hazards for workers, many of which may not appear until late into a person’s career. Research suggests that long-term construction work impacts an individual’s musculoskeletal system.
Also, any time an older worker suffers a workplace injury, they are more likely to be out of commission — and the road to recovery is longer.
Because of the physical demands of the work, construction workers have to be healthier than the general population, but the same physical demands cause workers with injuries or illness to leave the industry.
Some 10% of construction workers do not return to work after an injury, and those with a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), lung disease or other serious injury are more likely to retire on disability than workers with the same conditions in less physically demanding types of work.
Compared to office workers, construction workers are also less likely to have health insurance and they have an increased likelihood of developing a chronic disease as they age. Their odds also increase for developing lung disease, stroke, back problems and arthritis.
Risk factors for older workers
Lower-back injuries are a common injury experienced among construction workers. Also, as people age, they naturally lose strength and muscular endurance, which could have an effect on their ability to carry heavy loads. They may also lack the flexibility of younger workers and experience trouble working in awkward positions, making them more prone to a workplace injury.
Physical workload is an important determinant of work ability among construction workers, and in turn work ability is highly predictive of disability among such people. A construction worker between the ages of 45 and 54 with a low work ability index and severe low-back pain has a 40-fold increased probability of disability retirement compared to a construction worker without those risk factors.
And if they are injured, it can take someone older than 40 twice as long to recover from a typical injury.
A study of U.S. construction roofers found that workers over 55 had lower physical functioning, and were more likely to have both a chronic medical condition and an MSD.
The study found that older age, reduced physical function, and lack of job accommodation among these roofers were each predictive of early retirement.
What you can do
The study also found that construction roofers who had received job accommodation for an MSD or a medical condition were four times less likely to retire than workers with similar medical status but without accommodation.
Some form of job accommodation was offered to more than 30% of the workers in the study, and many of the accommodations were relatively simple, such as allowing more time to accomplish a task or changing the work schedule. But, few employers provided new tools or equipment.
Using the proper tools and work practices is important. Employers should also recognize the importance of job rotation among workers to help prevent repetitive-motion injuries.
Shifting focus from hazardous to safe work practices will help reduce injuries and keep older and more experienced employees safe and healthy on the job.
Common excuses
Some of the common fallback excuses among baby boomer workers include:
- “I don’t need help!” — Some older workers won’t ask for help when lifting a heavy load that they think they could have easily hoisted when they were younger. This risks injury.
- “Deal with the pain!” — This old-school belief is that pain is part of the job, and that whining about it is for sissies. But if something hurts, the worker should stop and tell their supervisor.
- “I already know how!” — Many veterans are resistant to change in work processes or in using tools.
- “Get it done fast!” — A mentality of getting the job done quickly without following proper safety procedures, which can lead to injuries.
Cal/OSHA Publishes Model Workplace Violence Prevention Plan for New Law
Cal/OSHA has published a model Workplace Violence Prevention Plan to help California employers comply with a new law requiring that they have in place a workplace violence plan.
The model is designed to provide structure for employers to create their own plans. Businesses have the option to use the model plan, create their own or use another plan template. Alternatively, they may incorporate workplace violence prevention into their current injury and illness prevention plan.
The new requirements are the result of SB 553, which was signed into law last year in response to increases in workplace violence incidents around the country.
Cal/OSHA has posted the model plan and a fact sheet for general industry here. The model plan is written for a “broad spectrum of employers,” and companies will need to revise it and add their own information to address the specific needs of their workplace.
Cal/OSHA notes that employers who plan to use the model, should identify an individual or individuals to be responsible for implementing the plan, and ensure that they:
- Review the full requirements of the new law (Labor Code sections 6401.7 and 6401.9).
- Review the requirements for each of the elements found in the model plan and fill in the parts that will focus the plan on their particular workplace.
- Obtain the active involvement of employees and their authorized employee representatives in developing and implementing the plan.
- Make the plan available and easily accessible to affected employees, authorized employee representatives, and representatives of Cal/OSHA upon request.
Cal/OSHA has also created a page on its website that is dedicated to the new law and provides guidance for employers to follow. It recommends that whomever you appoint to implement the plan familiarize explore the page for further guidance.
Employers should not just fill in the blanks, save the file in the company database and forget about it. The law also requires you to train your staff on the details of the plan to ensure they know what to do in case of an incident or if they want to report a threat of violence in the workplace.
To ensure the plan is effective requires planning, evaluating the workplace, putting in place procedures and training.
The legal requirements
The law requires that an effective workplace violence prevention plan:
- Identify who is responsible for implementing the plan.
- Involve employees and their representatives in its creation.
- Include details for how to accept and respond to reports of workplace violence.
- Prohibit employee retaliation.
- Include details for communicating with employees regarding workplace violence matters.
- Lay out instructions for responding to actual and potential emergencies.
- Require the employer to develop and provide effective training. Employees must be provided with initial training and then an annual refresher.
- Require the employer to identify, evaluate and correct workplace violence hazards.
- Require the employer to post incident response and investigations.
Getting started
Employers who are unsure how to proceed with a workplace violence prevention plan should visit the Cal/OSHA website and download the model plan. The same page has a fact sheet that provides further guidance on:
- How to create the plan.
- How to create and maintain a workplace violence log.
- How to train employees on the plan.
- How to comply with the law’s record-keeping requirements.
How to Prevent Silica Exposure in Construction
There are a number of construction segments that are exposed to crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and even death.
Workers who typically have the largest exposure to silica include those in:
- Cement and concrete or stucco operations,
- Abrasive blasting,
- Jack hammering,
- Rock and well drilling,
- Brick and block cutting, and
- Tunneling operations.
What are the dangers?
Crystalline silica is a dangerous dust that is often inhaled when it circulates in the air after certain construction activities.
It has been classified as a human lung carcinogen. It reacts with tissue in the lungs to create scarring or fibrotic nodules around the silica particles and may result in silicosis.
Silicosis may result in breathing difficulty, tuberculosis — and possibly death.
Exposure ranges from cumulative (over many years of exposure) to acute (exposure to high concentrations of contaminated air in short periods). Acute silicosis is identifiable by fever, shortness of breath, and cyanosis (bluish colored skin).
Silicosis is incurable and may be progressive even after dust exposure has ceased.
The danger is that silica particles are so small — about 1/100th the size of a grain of sand — and it’s impossible to detect by smell or sight. In fact, the particles are so small they can only be measured using air sampling equipment.
What you can do
It’s incumbent on you as a construction employer to ensure that your workers are not exposed to silica dust, not only for the safety of your workforce, but also your workers’ comp costs.
Here’s what OSHA recommends you do to protect workers from exposure to crystalline silica:
- Engineering controls — mechanical ventilation for removal of the contaminated air.
- Replace crystalline silica materials with safer substitutes whenever possible.
- Use of NIOSH-approved respirators.
- Wear only a Type CE abrasive blast supplied air respirator with a pressure demand valve for abrasive blasting.
- Practice wet-dust suppression measures.
- Isolation/enclosure/ventilation of dusty processes.
- Use handheld grinders with a shroud and vacuum.
- Use wet grinding/cutting methods.
- Wear aprons or coveralls and disposable clothing.
- Combine the use of more than one control measure.
- Conduct environmental monitoring.
- Educate and train workers and supervisors.
- Proper housekeeping measures should always be in place.
One of the main ways that silica dust particles can get kicked up is after a job is finished and dust has accumulated on the floor, fixtures, machinery and inventory.
Dry sweeping can spread the dust around once again, so it’s recommended that you:
- Use vacuum cleaners to collect dust.
- Wet down the area prior to cleaning up.
- Never use an air supply to blow dust off of work clothing.
- Remove dust-contaminated clothing at the worksite to minimize transportation and relocation of the dust.
Silica dust can have long-term effects on the health of your employees, so you need to do all you can to prevent exposure. For specific techniques in various high-hazard industries, you can read this booklet by OSHA.
Safe and Sound: Safety Tips for Heavy Equipment Operation
A jobsite crawling with bulldozers, cranes, scrapers and tractors can sometimes feel like a danger zone. However, with the proper heavy equipment safety guidelines in place, you can reduce risk and ensure your workers head home unscathed every day.
There are three main ingredients to safe heavy equipment operation: safe equipment, proper training and a safe attitude, and constant awareness of all jobsite activities.
If heavy equipment operators are armed with these three tools, they’ll have no problem playing it safe. Read on to learn more about these and other essential safety factors for operating heavy equipment on the worksite.
Use dependable equipment
OSHA puts a heavy emphasis on the safety features of heavy equipment. But, there’s much more to keeping equipment safe than just inspecting the machine’s safety features. After all, countless things can go wrong with this complex equipment, and these problems can lead to some major risks on the jobsite.
It’s extremely important to create customized inspection checklists for each unique piece of equipment. Safety experts recommend that heavy equipment operators conduct a pre-operational walk around and pre-start-up (in-cab) inspection before starting work to ensure the following are all working properly:
- Service, emergency and parking brakes
- Headlights
- Taillights and backup lights
- The horn.
Of course, these are just a few of the items that should be included on the checklist. You should create customized checklists for each piece of equipment based on both OSHA guidelines and the information provided in the equipment operating manual.
Steer clear of jobsite dangers
Heavy equipment operators should be aware of all jobsite activities so they can avoid potential dangers. That’s why it’s critical for equipment operators to walk through site activity checklists each day.
Here are a few obstacles and activities for operators to stay on the lookout for:
- Overhead lines: Many fatal occupational injuries occur due to contact between large jobsite equipment and overhead lines. That’s why equipment operators must exercise extreme caution when working near overhead power lines.
Workers should assume that all overhead lines are energized unless electrical utility authorities have indicated otherwise, and that they are visibly grounded and appropriately marked. OSHA provides specific requirements for the safe use of equipment near overhead lines.
- Barricades: Barricades must be used on any worksite where heavy equipment is in operation. These barricades help to notify workers where equipment is in use so that they can stay out of the area and avoid serious injury.
- Hand signals: If a crane is operation on a jobsite, the crane operator and the signaler must know the hand signals that are required by OSHA. These hand signals can be used for other types of equipment, as well.
Ensure safety with well-trained workers
A jobsite is only as safe as its workers. That’s why it’s so important to employ only well-trained, safety-conscious workers for work at a heavy equipment site. You should also conduct regular training, such as tailgate sessions before a shift starts.
According to OSHA requirements, jobsites, materials and equipment should undergo frequent and regular inspections by “competent persons” designated by the employer. It takes training to be a competent worker.
It’s important to train your employees on proper equipment inspection and operation safety. After all, your workers’ lives could depend on it. For more information, visit the OSHA website at www.osha.gov.