Meeting Related

Electrical, Meeting Related, OSHA Related

June’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz: Team SAFER,

Are you ready for the weekend?  Any weekend warriors out there?  If yes, please use ladders and hand and power tools properly, utilize personal fall arrest (or restraint) when exposed to fall hazards, keep 10’ away from overhead power lines (call National Grid to coordinate outage, and wear PPE when exposed to noise, flying objects, chemicals, etc.

If you are driving a motor vehicle, wear your seat belt, do not drink and drive, pull over if you are fatigued, stay out of left lane, except to pass, adhere to speed limit, etc. This weekend, local and state police have special enforcement activities including checkpoints.

The next meeting is June 1, 2016 from 8-10 am. Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com with SAFER in subject line.

The main topic is NFPA 70E.

The agenda for the June meeting follows:

Lessons learned from Ken Mastrullo, Principal Consultant at MES Consulting Service Inc.  Ken has worked for NFPA and OSHA and has a plethora of information related to this topic.  At NFPA, Ken was a Senior Electrical Specialist and served as the Secretary to NFPA 70E, etc.  Ken has also served as the Electrical Technical Expert for OSHA-Region 1.

The following information is provided by the NFPA:  http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=70e

Here is a trade magazine article:  http://www.ishn.com/articles/101319-how-osha-will-enforce-nfpa-70e-2015

And OSHA interpretations: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24617 ; https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=interpretations&p_id=25540 ; https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25557 .

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

May Meeting Announcement

May’s meeting is May 4, 2016 from 8 to 10am at the New England Institute of Technology, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI.

The main topic is Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP) Safety

There is little question that MEWP’s have and will continue to improve worker productivity as access to elevated work space can be immediate.  That being said, the use of MEWP’s does require planning, training, evaluation, and operation by competent person, for example.  The absence of anyone of these critical elements can result in mishap – see link to examples:  OSHA Aerial Lift Accident Search Results .

This month, Mike Flanagan, New England Territory Sales Manager for Terex, will speak to the group about MEWP’s, specifically, Genie products.

For example, consistent with OSHA interpretation dated April 20, 2012, Genie has provided guidance on how elevated basket can be used as anchor or restraint point.

Join the Building SAFER in RI for an interactive round table discussion on this subject and more, and to enjoy calories and coffee with your fellow safety professionals.

Crystalline Silica, Meeting Related, OSHA Related

April Meeting Update #2

Additional information on Silica from Bob Kunz:

“Team,

As a followed to the April 2016 SAFER meeting on Silica, please find the following:

I hope this helps answer questions”.

 

Attached is ANSI.Z87.1.2003. Table E-1 is being removed from 1926.102 at the end of the month.

SAFER wishes to thank the following people for providing great information on the latest changes to the silica standard and how to prepare and get ready to meet the new requirements that go into effect 14 months from now:

  • John Goins, OSHA Compliance Officer
  • Bob Kunz, Dimeo Construction & SAFER Chairman
  • Linda Peacock, HILTI North America

SAFER Also thanks New England Institute of Technology for providing the meeting room and GT Safety for sponsoring the continental breakfast.

The focus of the meeting was the new OSHA standards related to silica for Construction and General Industries.

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica – Final Rule effective 6-23-2016

Construction compliance by 6-23-2017 and General Industry  compliance by 6-23-2018

As you may be aware, OSHA published the final rule for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica on 3-23-2016.  OSHA has developed a web page that contains the final rule, fact sheets, question and answer white paper, for example – see link:  https://www.osha.gov/silica/index.html .

The new permissible exposure level (PEL) for construction is 50 µg/m3, which is the equivalent of 5 grains of sand in 264 gallons of water (approximately five 55 gallon drums).

We will discuss the final rule, to ensure that your firm is prepared to comply with the requirements codified within same.  Compliance with the final rule, may require:

  • Development of written plan or program
  • Employee qualification |surveillance | training
  • Equipment and tool evaluation
  • Objective data acquisition | evaluation

The increased conversation concerning silica within the community may impact insurance program considerations, as well.

 

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

March Meeting

The next meeting is Wednesday, March 2, 2016, from 8-10 am. It will be held at NEIT, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI. A Continental breakfast, starting at 7:30am, is sponsored by E.W. Audet & Sons.

TOPICS:

Public Agency Crisis Response

Every day there are men and women in our community that put on a uniform. They do this unselfishly, as part of a team for the benefit of our community. As part of this team, they may respond to a motor vehicle crash, a flooded basement, a lost grandparent, or even a life threatening incident. They are our public agency responders (i.e. fire fighters and police officers). This month, two agencies will pull back the curtain, to discuss several events, as follows:

Bryant University Smithfield Campus
1 Sept 2015
78,000 SF Building Under Construction Collapses
Chief Robert Seltzer, Town of Smithfield Fire Department
Chief Rick St. Sauveur, Jr., Town of Smithfield Police Department

See hyperlinks to OSHA Regional News Release and OSHA Citations (right click, then open)

URI Kingston Campus
4 April 2013
‘Active Shooter: Lessons Learned and Worksite Challenges’
Lt. Kenneth Olsen, URI Police Department

Meeting Related

February’s Meeting

February’s meeting will be held Feb 3, 2016 from 8-10am with a continental breakfast sponsored by the OSHA Providence Area Office. The topic is “OSHA Inspections and You”.
 
Please join your safety colleagues for an informative roundtable discussion pertaining to  OSHA inspections.  This informative discussion will provide foundational information and best management practices which can be applied to any industry.  The following related resources are provided by OSHA:
 
OSHA Publications –
 
As a follow up to last month’s meeting, we are very fortunate to present a guest speaker, as follows:
 
Jamie Tessler, Project Manager
Occupational Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory 
Bouvé College of Health Sciences 
Northeastern University
 
Jamie, will discuss two research projects related to leadership training and subcontractor prequalification.  Both projects are funded through the CPWR.  The researcher team at Northeastern University have been involved in other CPWR research projects, for example: B-SAFE – see link to the B-SAFE manual at this location: http://www.northeastern.edu/b-safe/ .
 

Fleet, Meeting Related

January’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

 

Team SAFER,

Next Wednesday’s meeting announcement is below.  Following the meeting a FREE training opportunity.  We hope you can join us. Have a happy and healthy new year! NOTE:  Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com for meeting and training.  Your RSVP for the training session will ensure that a meal is available.

January 6, 2016

 

8-10AM: TOPIC – Safety Climate/Culture and the ABCs of Drug Testing

Let’s bring the new year on a platform of transformational opportunity:

  1. 1. Leadership – The Center to Protect Workers Rights (CPWR) held a “Safety Culture and Climate in Construction…” workshop in 2013.  In my opinion, the recommendations and conclusions developed at the end the workshop offer a bridge between condition and behavior based safety.  The CPWR has developed an assessment tool for the construction industry – perhaps your firm will find it beneficial.
  2. Substance Abuse Testing – If your firm operates a heavy fleet, performs road construction in RI, or maintains a drug (and alcohol) free workplace program testing may be a part of the overall program.  The USDOT, State of RI, OSHA? for example set parameters for testing.    Did you know that OSHA views post-accident testing (not permitted in RI) as a potential violation of OSH Act Section 11 (c)? Are you familiar with these parameters?

SPONSOR: ATMED Occupational Medicine

 

11AM-1PM: TOPIC – USDOT Supervisor Training for Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol and Drugs

Does your firm have a drug and alcohol free workplace policy that includes reasonable suspicion testing? Does your firm have a fleet of vehicles with CDL drivers regulated by the USDOT?  If yes, plan on attending the second half of the Jan 2016 meeting.  Wayne Estes, PA-C, Director of Occupational Medicine at Atmed Occupational Medicine will be providing training as required under 49 CFR 382.603.

Note:  This presentation is being videotaped. Attendees will be asked to sign a waiver so that the material can be incorporated into a training presentation for Atmed and Dimeo.

Do you now the signs and symptoms of alcohol or substance abuse?  While you may not have professional responsibilities, do you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, friends….? Do you think you would be better prepared to help someone if you could identify the signs or symptoms?  If yes, please consider attending.

If you are on the fence about the Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol and Drugs training please consider these articles:

 

NOTE:  Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com for meeting and training.  Your RSVP for the training session will ensure that a meal is available.

SPONSOR: Lunch provided by Dimeo Construction

Meeting Related

December’s Meeting Announcement

December’s meeting will be held Dec 2, 2015, 8-10 am, at the East Greenwich Campus of New England Institute of Technology, at 1 New England Tech Blvd, East Greenwich, RI 02818.

The topic will be “Distracted Driving”. Gerry Sousa, the Executive Director of the National Safety Council of Western New England will lead a discussion on distracted driving.  OSHA provides a web page dedicated to this subject – see link: https://www.osha.gov/distracted-driving/ .  The  National Safety Council indicates that 1 of 4 vehicle crashes involved a cell phone – see link to resource page: http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/distracted-driving.aspx?var=mnd .

The sponsor is Bob Renzi of North American Crane and Rigging.

Please RSVP to Bob Kunz bkunz@dimeo.com.  Use SAFER in subject line.

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

November Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

Team SAFER,

We hope that you can make it to this month’s meeting! Both, Pat Griffin, the Director of the OSHA Providence Area Office, and Kim Stille, the Administrator of OSHA Region I will be with us. Please extend an invitation to a colleague. All RSVPs to bkunz@dimeo.com.

The meeting will take place from 8 AM-10 AM at the New England Institute for Technology, Post Road, Warwick, RI.

TOPIC: OSHA Meet and Greet | Update | SAFER Alliance Renewal

Kim Stille, the Administrator of OSHA Region I, will provide an overview of her vision for the region, as well as provide an opportunity for questions and answers.

Pat Griffin, the Director of the OSHA Providence Area Office, will, along with the SAFER Steering Committee, sign the SAFER Alliance Agreement (a 2-yr renewal) then speak about local activity, including initiatives.

There will be an opportunity to meet both, Kim Stille and Pat Griffin within the meeting schedule.

SPONSOR: Cardi Corporation (Cardi) is sponsoring a continental breakfast starting at 7:30 AM.

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

October’s Meeting Announcement

The next SAFER meeting will be held October 7th from 8-10 AM. The main topic will be – Emergency Prevention and Planning.

This month our speaker will provide insightful information concerning 29 CFR 1926.24 Fire Protection and Prevention, 29 CFR 1926.34 Means of Egress, and 29 CFR 1926.35 Employee Emergency Action Plans in the context of temporary work locations (i.e. construction sites).

The following OSHA Publication – Principal Emergency Response and Preparedness and OSHA Publication – How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations
provide an overview of expectations and useful information.

Does your firm have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)? If not, perhaps you will find the CDC Emergency Action Plan Template to be a useful starting point.

The Hart Companies (HART) is sponsoring the meeting.

Confined Space Entry, Meeting Related, OSHA Related

First Meeting of the 2015-2016 Season

From Bob Kunz: Team SAFER,

Where did the summer go!

Next Wednesday, September 2, 2015, is the start of the 2015-16 SAFER meeting calendar.

In consideration of the continued interest, we will begin the new calendar where we left off with further discussion on the new OSHA Confined Space in Construction standard. The discussion will be orientated towards the written program (thanks to Rick Devine for saving me on this) and rescue coordination/preparation. To close the meeting, we will explore crane operation using the attached Link-Belt RTC 8050 Series II information (please print a copy for class). The exploration will place you within a group setting to assess six (6) operational scenarios.

Dimeo Construction will sponsor the meeting.

Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com, or Ed Conway at Conway.Edward@dol.gov .

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Link Belt RTC 8050 Series II Specificatons and Annual Inspection Report