Disaster Site Worker Safety

1. Disaster Site Worker Safety Module 11 Safe Work Practices: Material Handling Heavy Equipment Confined Space Demolition

2. Objectives • Describe precautions to take when moving materials manually and mechanically. • Identify PPE that may be used for personal protection when moving materials. • List safety considerations when physically lifting materials. • List indicators of unstable structure integrity. • Describe how implementation of an Incident Command System can assist in minimizing exposure to structural collapse hazards. • List some confined spaces that may be created by a disaster incident.

3. Introduction • Handling and storing materials involve diverse operations such as: • Hoisting tons of steel with a crane. • Driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks. • Carrying bags or materials manually. • Stacking palletized bricks or other materials such as: • Drums • Barrels • Kegs • Lumber

4. Standing Orders • Distributed to everyone • Posted at Command Post • Posted at access points • Reviewed

5. Example of Standing Orders • Eating, smoking, and drinking prohibited within the work zone. • Lighters and matches are not allowed in the work zone. • Check in at the access entry point before entering the work zone. • Always work with your buddy.

6. Moving, Handling, and Storing Materials • Employees should know and understand the potential hazards associated with the task. • Employees should be aware of accidents that may result from the unsafe or improper handling of equipment. • Employers and employees should examine their workplaces to detect any unsafe or unhealthful: • Conditions. • Practices. • Equipment.

7. Moving, Handling, and Storing Materials • Workers frequently cite the weight and bulkiness of objects that they lift as major contributing factors to their injuries. • 450,000 workplace accidents result in back injuries, on the average, annually.

8. Potential Hazards for Workers • Falling objects • Improperly stacked materials • Various types of equipment • Strains and sprains from lifting loads • Fractures and bruises caused by being struck by materials or by being caught in pinch points • Cuts and bruises caused by falling materials

9. Precautions to Take Moving Materials Manually • Workers should attach handles or holders to loads • Workers should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment • Use proper lifting techniques

10. PPE • Hand and forearm protection, such as gloves, for loads with sharp or rough edges • Eye protection • Steel-toed safety shoes or boots • Metal, fiber, or plastic metatarsal guards to protect the instep area from impact or compression

11. Precautions to Take When Moving Materials Mechanically • Avoid overloading equipment. • Let the weight, size, and shape of the material being moved dictate the type of equipment used. • Make sure equipment is rated for the weight of the load being moved.

12. Precautions to Take to Avoid Storage Hazards • Keep storage areas free from accumulated materials. • Place stored materials (inside buildings that are under construction) at least 6 feet from hoist ways, or inside floor openings and at least 10 feet away from exterior walls. • Separate non-compatible materials.

13. Safety Measures for Cranes • Equip all cranes that have adjustable booms with boom angle indicators. • Provide cranes with telescoping booms with some means to determine boom lengths. • Post load rating charts in the cab of cab-operated cranes.

14. Safety Measures for Cranes • Check the load chart in the cab • Frequently inspect • Ensure area of travel is clear • Never lift people

15. Heavy Equipment Safety • Traffic patterns • Right-of-way • Equipment signals • Blind spots around operating heavy equipment

16. Heavy Equipment No-Zones Man lift Semi-truck and trailer Mobile hydraulic crane Refuse truck HiVac truck Rubber tire backhoe Bulldozer Dump truck Front-end loader School bus Street sweeper Bobcat/Skidsteer Straddle lift truck High Reach RT forklift 3 Ton forklift Cushman 10 Ton forklift EL-PAR 17 Ton forklift

17. Check overhead power lines

18. Chains Metal mesh Synthetics Rigging Equipment Slings • Types of slings covered are those made from alloy steel chain, metal mesh, natural or synthetic fiber rope, and synthetic web

19. Bird Caging Crushing Kinking Safe Use of Slings • Remove immediately damaged or defective slings from service • Do not shorten slings with knots or bolts or other makeshift devices • Do not kink sling legs

20. Powered Industrial Trucks • 35,000 Related Injuries a Year • Inattention • Distraction • Excessive speed • Poor driving habits • Lack of training

21. Circumstances of Injury • How Most Injuries Occur • Overloading causing turnover • Load instability causing turnover • Obstructions in the path of travel or lift • Using forklift outside of design limitations • Striking a pedestrian

22. Visibility; stay in line-of-sight of equipment operators. Understand and use correct hand signals. Identify area of work operations. Know path of equipment operation. Use hearing protection appropriate to the task around operating equipment. Use appropriate PPE around operating equipment. Avoid being under a boom when a load is being hoisted. Be aware of the swing radius of operating equipment. Safety Issues for All Equipment

23. Structure Collapse

24. Introduction • Workers at all stages of operation must be familiar with the safety hazards. • Effective operations at a structural collapse can only be possible if disaster site workers aware of: • Hazards involved. • Methods necessary to mitigate the hazards.

25. The types of risk and hazards to which they will be exposed Building construction types and characteristics The manner of building collapse Indicators of compromised structure integrity Types of voids and areas of survivability Personal protective safety equipment Safety hazards that may be present at disaster sites that involve CBRNE agents Safe zones and escape routes Optimum Level of Safety

26. Building Instability • The risks include: • Falling material and flying objects • Secondary collapse of unstable structures • Fire and explosion • Fall or tripping hazards from uneven surfaces • Exposure to smoke, dust, and particulates • Excessive noise

27. Electrical Hazards • Downed power lines • Energized power grids • Damaged connection boxes • Displaced power transformers and controls

28. Hazardous Material Exposure • Direct exposure from an area that is contaminated during a collapse • Indirect exposure from moving water or a cloud/vapor plume moving through or beyond the collapsed area

29. Performing Work While at Risk • Some of the most dangerous work you will encounter is work performed in a collapsed or unstable structure. • You may be exposed to hazards for which you may have little or no training. • Lack of experience will make it impossible to recognize all of the safety hazards or to know what actions to take to eliminate the hazards.

30. Demolition • Demolition is a highly specialized field requiring a wide range of technical and engineering expertise. • Engineered demolition plans are required for every project. • Engineered shoring and bracing plans are required. • The complete demolition of buildings and other structures requires continuous inspections.

31. Demolition/Collapse Differences • Unstable, partially collapsed, or totally collapsed structures • A different, extended, or unusual chain of command • An extended pre-job, or pre-task orientation period • Unexpected, unknown, undocumented hazardous material

32. Demolition/Collapse Differences • Higher than normal PPE requirements • Blocked or unsafe access to work areas • Unexpected/unknown holes or voids • Debris created non-standard confined spaces

33. Demolition/Collapse Differences • Much more frequent occurrences/conditions that create slip, trip, and fall hazards • Higher levels of decontamination generally required • Environmental/weather considerations not normally present • Special considerations necessary for biological needs (sanitation, eating, drinking, etc.)

34. Demolition/Collapse Differences • Higher than normal levels of stress and psychological pressures • Higher levels of urgency (leading to inadvertent/unnoticed lessening of safety/PPE considerations) • The need for emergency, or contingency plans for rescue of workers injured or trapped while working post-disaster

35. Types of Structure Collapse • V-Shaped • Pancake • Lean-to • Cantilever

36. V-shaped Collapse

37. Pancake Collapse

38. Lean-to Collapse

39. Cantilever Collapse

40. Walking and Working Surfaces • Openings • Stairs • Ladders • Scaffolds

41. Overhead and Underground Utilities • Underground • Law in most states requires call before digging • Overhead • Power lines are the greatest above-ground utility hazard

42. Electrical Accident Prevention • Call before you dig • No conductive jewelry • Allow minimum clearances when working with overhead lines • Qualified • Unqualified

43. Tools • Proper maintenance • Regular inspection • Safe work practices

44. Energy Sources • Lockout/Tagout

45. Work Practice Controls • Proper work techniques • Employee training and conditioning • Regular monitoring • Feedback • Adjustment • Modification • Maintenance

46. Lifting Techniques • Size up the load before trying to lift it. • Bend the knees. • Lift with your legs and not your back. • Do not twist or turn you body once you have made the lift. • Make sure you can carry the load to where you need to go before attempting to move it. • Set the load down properly. • Always push, not pull, objects when possible

47. Special Case Problems • Vacuum trucks • Elevated tanks • Compressed gas cylinders • Ponds and lagoons • Tanks and vaults

48. Drum Hazards • Look for: • Labels • Drum type • Deterioration • Bulging • Pressurized

49. Confined Space • Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere • Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant • Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped • Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards

50. Confined Space Emergencies • The employer must ensure that rescue service personnel are available and trained in the proper use of personal protective equipment, rescue equipment, and trained to perform assigned rescue duties. Other Disaster Site Considerations