Whenever we work around power, we need to identify the risk and have a plan in the tailboard to eliminate that risk.  The OSHA Construction Standard (Part CC) includes separate minimum clearances for cranes and the Mechanized Equipment Standard (Part O) is for all other equipment (excavators, concrete pumper booms, loaders, etc).   The Crane Standard minimum clearance chart is easier to use since it does not involve a calculation to compute the minimum clearance:

Reference:  OSHA Construction Standard 1926.1408 (H)

In addition to recognizing, the daily tailboard should include provisions to prevent violating these clearances, as considered in the Crane Standard.  Such provisions might include:  a dedicated spotter with direct communication to the operator, marking delineation, or barriers to prevent operations from entering into a restricted zone.   Other helpful measures include:  ”High Voltage Overhead” signage and protective covers on the conductors (installed by power company).

For crane work, we have a tailboard form that includes these specific clearance criteria: Pre-Lift Checklist.  A major difference between the Crane Standard and the Mechanized Equipment Standard is that cranes can not be operated under power lines if the boom is capable of reaching into the minimum clearances.

Occasionally, demolition becomes necessary for an apparently abandoned utility that  isn’t indicated as such on any contract document.  It is reasonably safe for us to assume that utilities designated on the drawings as demolish or remove have some type of approval from the utility owner.  Without that implied permission, we need to request permission from the utility owner to demolish their property.  ECI’s Utility Demolition Permit was developed to verify the utility owner’s permission and to establish basic de-energization requirements.

From ECI’s Safety Manual:

26 Utility Demo Protocol

27 Utility Demo Form

The East Alburgh Swing Span is a 100-year-old movable swing span bridge which was upgraded and automated by Engineers Construction, Inc. of Williston, VT.  The swing span is part of the East Alburgh Trestle, a 3,800-ft-long wood railroad trestle on Lake Champlain in northwestern, Vermont.  The trestle is owned by the New England Central Railroad, a division of RailAmerica, and serves as a critical link between the Canadian National Railroad and the NECR.  The swing span allows commercial, recreational, coast guard, and border patrol boats to pass through the trestle on their way to and from Missisquoi Bay.

Prior to automation, the bridge tender would be dispatched to manually open the swing span with a hand crank.  The swing span automation involves the controls and mechanical equipment so that the railroad dispatcher can open and close the swing span remotely from St. Albans, Vermont.  The approximately 3-minute opening process requires the automated release of the miter rails, retraction of the support wedges, and rotation of the 102-ft-long steel thru-girder bridge.  The closing process is just the opposite.  The automation is a complex system of navigation warning lights, horns, marine vessel messages, video cameras, timers, relay switches, limit switches, actuating motors, turning motors, braking mechanisms, alignment devices, verification sensors, submarine cables, backup power with automatic transfer switches, and other components.  Boaters should be aware that the bridge will swing soon after the alarms sound and that all boats should stay clear.

During the navigation season (May 15 to October 15) the swing span will remain open for navigation (aligned with the navigation channel).  The swing span will close (align with tracks) for train traffic and will return to the open position after a train passes.  Outside of the navigation season, the swing span will remain aligned with the tracks and will be opened on an on-needed basis for boat traffic, as indicated on the electronic LED message sign.

The swing span automation was part of a $6M public/private partnership to upgrade the 100-year old trestle.   The project funding included $4,853,568 from the Federal Railroad Administration and $1,139,178 from the New England Central Railroad.

The process involves an exothermic reaction (reaction that yields energy) between aluminum powder and copper oxides.  The reaction is triggered with a spark to a magnesium booster that develops sufficient heat to start the reaction.  The molten copper rapidly reaches temperatures of around 1,400 degrees C and penetrates around the copper wire to form a bond.  Exothermic welding is also used in splicing rail, only at a much larger size and different metal compositions.

The important safety concerns include:

• Proper PPE:  safety glasses, gloves, leather boots
• Clearing the area of flammable materials;  keep fire extinguisher handy
• Inspect Molds:  clean, dry, proper size, in good condition (replace when worn).
• Protecting the materials from moisture (a drop of rain can cause a violent and dangerous reaction)
• Keep unused shots separated from the one being ignited (particularly important for railroad shots)
• Storing all welds in cool, dry locations and in properly labeled boxes.
• Keeping a copy of the MSDS sheet on file and on site.

When possible, use only totally contained electrically triggered welds such as the Cadweld Plus or Harger UltraShot.  When using the old-style torch/spark-ignited powder shots and the thermite rail shots, additional PPE is necessary including face shield and welding gloves (consider  jacket & chaps).  Additional fire protection measures are also necessary on rail shots because of the size of the shots and since it may not be possible to completely clear the are of flammable materials (e.g., timber cross ties).

Harger UltraShot being fired off on an ECI Project

Thermite Rail Weld

Harger Ultra Shot

Revised 5/3/12  kap

http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/

A good start to a healthy cardiovascular system involves:

• Avoid tobacco products
• Exercise aerobically for 30 minutes on a daily basis
• Visit your doctor and get regular screening for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes
• Eat a healthy balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight

Helical piers and anchors are special fabricated steel products that are screwed into the ground to achieve vertical and lateral capacity. Sometimes grout is added to the process to provide additional skin friction in the soil.  Helical anchors have been used in the utility industry for several decades to anchor guy wires for utility poles and towers.  More recently, the helical piers have become a widely accepted deep foundation system suitable for nearly any type of structure.  The low mobilization and installation costs for helical piers has made it economical for small and light-duty applications such as for home construction, solar racking, underpinning, and pedestrian bridges. Additionally, the potential for large capacity (up to 400 tons) makes helical piers an appropriate deep foundation for any structure where traditional driven or drilled piles are being considered.

For more information on helical piles please visit Ideal’s website:  http://idealfoundationsystems.com/ or call ECI at 802-863-6389.

Some additional details are also available on our Helical Foundations webpage:  http://www.engineersconstruction.com/services/helical-foundations/

For smaller loads (under a 1,000 lbs.) it is generally acceptable to use 2 ratchet straps for load securement.

The regulations are complicated, so if you don’t know the rules purtaining to securement of your load, refer to one of the following references:

• Ask the safety department, Kim, Scott, Luc, or other qualified driver, or
• Refer to the DOT Cargo Securement Regulations reference on the ECI Document Library (www.engineersconstruction.com/employee-portal/document-library)

OSHA has a “Safety & Health Information Bulletin” on wood chippers:  OHSA on Wood Chippers

The basic safety precautions for safe operation of a wood chipper includes:

• Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the operators manual including safe practices for feeding the chipper.
• Prior to use, inspect the chipper.  Verify that the emergency shutdown systems are operational and that all guards are in place and secure.
• Wear the proper PPE, including gloves, forestry helmet, boots
• Use the manufactures lock-out procedures whenever working on the equipment

Of the fatalities referenced in the OSHA Bulletin, one occurred because the operators glove cuff got caught in the brush and another occurred while using a chipper with a winch system that got caught in the cutter drum and recoiled back at another worker.

The changes are described on the following webpage: Hazard Communication Standard

Major changes to the Hazard Communication Standard

• Hazard classification: Provides specific criteria for classification of health and physical hazards, as well as classification of mixtures.
• Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers will be required to provide a label that includes a harmonized signal word, pictogram, and hazard statement for each hazard class and category. Precautionary statements must also be provided.
• Safety Data Sheets: Will now have a specified 16-section format.
• Information and training: Employers are required to train workers by December 1, 2013 on the new labels elements and safety data sheets format to facilitate recognition and understanding.

One of my favorite references for all types of biological hazards is the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website.  Check out their feature on ticks at:

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/

If a tick attaches to you, follow the procedure on the CDC website.  They recommend using tweezers:  grab the tick as close to your skin as possible, pull upward with a steady pressure (no jerking or twisting), if the head breaks off attempt to remove it, clean the bite area with soap/water/alcohol.  Follow up with a doctor if a rash or fever occurs within several weeks.

http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html