Page 505 - Construction Waterproofing Handbook

SAFETY 14.3
General safety and health provisions
General safety and health regulations include specific requirements for first aid and safety
training of personnel. Minimum standards for first aid equipment, including adequate fresh
drinking water and sanitation facilities, must be at job sites and readily accessible.
Emergency numbers, such as those for hospitals, must be posted in a conspicuous place.
Illumination levels, sound levels, and requirements for protection of chemical gas vapors
and dirt are specifically regulated. These provisions also include standards for handling
and removal of asbestos.

Personal protection
The OSHA regulation section on personal protection contains specific requirements for
personnel safety and storage of fire hazardous materials. Requirements include hard hats,
eye and face protection, and respiratory protection. Fire protection and firefighting equip-
ment must be provided at all projects where hazardous materials or systems are being used.
Specific regulations cover the types of fire extinguishers required and storage require-
ments for fire-rated materials. These materials are referred to as red label materials,
because of the red warning labels attached. Common waterproofing systems requiring
warning labels include sealants, solvents, and deck coatings.

Signs, signals, and barricades
Regulations for signs, signals, and barricades are for the safety of construction personnel
and pedestrians near or on a construction site. Signs warning of specific dangers are regu-
lated as to size, lettering, and colors. Barricades are required to deter the passage of unau-
thorized pedestrians or vehicular traffic into a dangerous area.

Material handling, storage, and disposal regulations
Material handling, storage, and disposal regulations cover requirements during material
use and storage at job sites and the proper disposal. Also regulated are lifting and rigging
equipment used to transport materials vertically, and the means by which materials are
placed into appropriate refuse containers. Specific regulations for disposing of hazardous
materials are governed by the Environmental Protection Agency, not OSHA.

Ladders and scaffolding
Ladders and scaffolding constitute an important part of OSHA standards, as an issue caus-
ing frequent accidents and accidental deaths. The size, type, construction, and placement
of ladders are specifically detailed. No ladder should be permitted at or used on a con-
struction site that is not clearly marked as OSHA-approved. Ladders used for access to
roofs or other landings must extend 36 in above the landing and be tied securely to struc-
tures to prevent slippage or displacement during their use.
Suspended or swing-stage scaffoldings, which present a dangerous working condition,
should be carefully inspected. Both scaffold construction and its rigging must conform to
safety regulations set forth by OSHA. (See Figs. 14.2–14.4.)
Mechanics must wear a safety harness (safety belts are no longer acceptable) securely
attached to a structural building component. Attachment must be independent of scaffold-
ing rigging and be tied to building items such as structural columns. Plumbing stack pipes,