Tying Off and Safety Nets Training Guide
(Taken from the "Tailgate Meetings that Work : A Guide
to Effective Construction Safety Training" series) |
|
Robin Baker, Robert
Downey, Mary Ruth Gross, Charles Reiter
Labor Occupational Health Program
(LOHP) School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley Ca.
These tailgate/toolbox
talks were developed for use under California OSHA regulations. The
complete set is available from the Labor Occupational Health Program
at UC Berkeley. For ordering information, visit the website (www.lohp.org)
The American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
has adapted these talks to apply to federal OSHA regulations. To contact
ACGIH, visit its web site (www.acgih.org). |
Before you begin the meeting...
- Does this topic
relate to the work the crew is doing? If not, choose another topic.
- Did you read
this Training Guide and fill in the blanks where the
appears? (To find the information you need, look over the Safety Walkaround
Checklist for this topic.)
Begin: How
many times have you heard people make excuses for not tying off or using
safety nets? Maybe you've heard comments like these:
- "Tying off is
dangerous, because you can't move out from under an incoming load."
or
- "Nets are too
expensive, and they're dangerous to install."
Tying off and nets
may have their problems, but think for a minute of the alternative --
a fall without protection. It's not a risk worth taking.
You or a crew
member may want to add a personal story about tying off or safety nets.
ASK
THE CREW THESE QUESTIONS:
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After each question,
give the crew time to suggest possible answers. Use the information following
each question to add points that no one mentions.
1. When and where
should you tie off?
- It depends on
the kind of work being done and the kind of surface. Cal/OSHA says that
if there are no guardrails, you should tie off:
|
Point out
locations:_________________________________
_________________________________________________
|
2. If it's not
possible to tie off, what should you do?
- If tying off
isn't practical for some reason, we must use safety nets instead.
On this job, we'll be
using nets --
|
Point out
locations:_________________________________
_________________________________________________
|
- Safety nets should
be placed no more than 25 feet below the work area.
- Nets should extend
at least 8 feet beyond the building or structure you're working on.
- No work can proceed
unless the necessary fall protection is in place.
3. What if it's
actually more dangerous to put up a net than to do the job without it?
- That can happen.
If a job is short and installation of a net would be more hazardous
than the work, you can go without the net. However, Cal/OSHA says you
must work under immediate and competent supervision.
|
Supervision
will be the responsibility of: ___________________ |
4. If you use
fall protection equipment like a safety belt, harness, or lanyard, what
do you need to check?
- Make sure you're
using the right equipment for the job. For example, keep in mind
that harnesses give better protection than safety belts.
- Be sure your
equipment is safety-approved. Look for a label showing that it
meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety requirements.
- Use the equipment
according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Be sure everything
is in good condition. Don't use the equipment if it isn't. For
example, make sure that latches on belts are working properly, and that
drop lines are not frayed or worn.
- Remove from
service any safety belt, lanyard, or drop line that has been subjected
to a load in actual use (in other words, if it has broken someone's
fall).
5. Where should
you place the anchor end of a lanyard?
- Anchor it at a
level no lower than your waist. That way, you limit any fall to a maximum
of four feet.
- Anchor it to a
substantial structural member, or to a securely rigged catenary or pendant
line.
- Don't anchor
it to a pipe
. 6. What are
some of the requirements for a drop line?
- A drop line (and
its anchorage) must be able to support at least 5400 lbs.
- If a drop line
is subject to fraying or rock damage, it must have a wire rope center
Explain:
Most of the safety measures we've talked about are required by Cal/OSHA.
We have to take these precautions—it's the law. I have a Checklist of
the Cal/OSHA regulations on tying off and safety nets. If you'd like to
know more, see me after the meeting.
(Only if applicable.)
Besides the Cal/OSHA regulations, we have some additional company rules
about tying off and safety nets.
|
Discuss
company rules: ______________________________
_________________________________________________
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Ask: Do
you have any other concerns about tying off or safety nets? Do you see
any problems on our job? (Let the steward answer first, if there is
one.)
What about other
jobs you've worked on? Have you had any experience with tying off or safety
nets that might help us work safer on this job?
GENERAL
SAFETY DISCUSSION
|
This is a time
to discuss all safety concerns, not just today's topic. Keep your notes
on this page before, during and after the safety meeting.
Are you aware
of any hazards from other crews? Point out any hazards other crews
are creating that this crew should know about. Tell the crew what you
intend to do about those hazards.
Do we have any
old business? Discuss past issues/problems. Report progress of
investigations and action taken.
Any new business?
Any accidents/near misses/complaints? Discuss accidents, near misses,
and complaints that have happened since the last safety meting. Also recognize
the safety contributions made by members of the crew.
Please remember,
we want to hear from you about any health and safety issues that come
up. If we don't know about problems, we can't take action to fix them.
To complete the
training session:
- Circulate Sign-Off
Form.
- Assign one
or more crew member(s) to help with next safety meeting.
- Refer action
items for follow-up. (Use the sample Hazard Report Form in the
Reference Section of this binder, or your companys own form.)
Date Prepared:_________________________ |
By:____________________ |
Project
Name/No.______________________ |
Location:_______________ |
NAMES
OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THIS SAFETY MEETING
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Tailgate
Meetings That Work : Collection
Published in June, 1994 by: Labor Occupational Health Program, School
of Public Health, 2515 Channing Way, University of California, Berkeley,
CA 94720. Phone: (510) 642-5507.
Permission is granted to duplicate these materials for non-profit educational
purposes, provided that copies are not offered for sale.
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