Tools & Safety Equipment

Tools and Safety Equipment 1 Table of Contents Section Page I. Tools 03 II. Housekeeping 13 III. Personal Protective Equipment 16 Tools • Non-Powered • Electric • Air Powered • Battery Powered • Powder Actuated • Gas Powered ‒ Tools should never be modified. Operation must be performed exactly as manufactured. 3 Non-Powered Hand Tools • Impact tools such as chisels, wedges, or drift pins are unsafe if they have mushroomed heads. • Wrenches with sprung jaws should be taken out of service. • Wooden handled tools should be inspected periodically to make sure they are not splintered, cracked, or loose. 4 Electric Tools • Electric tools are difficult to guard completely • They are subject to more abuse than stationary tools • Cords must be inspected regularly • These tools should be unplugged/battery removed for all maintenance procedures. 5 Double Insulated Tools • NFPA 70 permits double insulation for portable tools • Third wire grounding is not necessary for double- insulated tools. • Double insulation works by isolating the tool’s internal electric components from the outer housing. 6 Circular Saw Safety Tips • Set the blade’s depth to no more than 1/8” to ¼” greater than the thickness of the material • Avoid binding the blade and causing a “kickback” • Release the trigger if the saw binds or stalls • Never pull the saw out of a cut until the blade stops 7 Battery Power Batteries are not interchangeable. Use batteries and chargers from the original manufacturer. Always transport and store lithium-ion batteries as instructed in the owner’s manual. Inspect batteries regularly for signs of damage, such as crushing, cuts, or punctures. Do not use a battery that has received a sharp blow, has been dropped, or is damaged. Never modify, disassemble, or tamper with a battery. Use safe battery disposal procedures when discarding. 8 Pneumatic Tools (Nail Guns) • Make sure the nose guard safety spring is functioning properly • Don’t hook up the power source until it is time to nail • If the tool has to be carried while under power, stay away from the trigger and never carry against the body • Safety glasses are a must! • For Framers; – Keep the off hand out of the way – Never nail beyond your reach – Keep the gun properly aligned with the work – Be aware of surroundings and fellow workers 9 Powder-Actuated Tools • Only employees who have been trained and certified in the operation of the particular tool shall be allowed to operate • Must be tested each day prior to use • If it doesn’t pass inspection, it must be removed from service • All required PPE must be worn • Unfired caps should not be left in the gun or lying around • The loaded tool should never be left unattended 10 Gas Powered Tools • Types include leaf blowers, trimmers, mowers, and chainsaws. • Follow manufacturers recommendations for service intervals and safe use. • Take special care during refueling. – Give the equipment adequate cool down time. – Use only approved containers for fuel storage. – Never smoke during refueling. 11 Safe Work Practices Checklist • Always follow manufacturer recommendations regarding maintenance and safe use. • Inspect all tools prior to the start of work; – Guards in place and working – All power cords in safe working condition – Timely replacement of blades, bits, etc. • Never bypass a safety feature. • Never modify a tool beyond its intended use. • Use all required personal protective equipment . 12 Housekeeping • Debris should be gathered and removed from site daily, weekly, as often as needed. • Plan for disposal of scrap, waste and surplus materials. • Keep the work area and all equipment tidy. • Designate areas for waste materials and provide containers. • Keep stairways, passageways, ladders, scaffold and gangways free of material, supplies and obstructions. 13 Housekeeping • Secure loose or light material that is stored on roofs or on open floors. • Keep materials at least 5 feet from openings, roof edges, excavations or trenches. • Remove or bend over nails protruding from lumber. • Keep hoses, power cords, welding leads, etc. from laying in high traffic areas. • Ensure structural openings are covered/protected adequately (e.g. sumps, shafts, floor openings, etc.) 14 Housekeeping • Do not permit rubbish to fall freely from any level of the project. • Use chutes or other approved devices to remove materials. • Do not throw tools or other materials. • Do not raise or lower any tool or equipment by its own cable or supply hose. 15 Personal Protective Equipment • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be maintained and provided by the employer when necessary, as of May 15, 2008. • OSHA now requires employers to pay for personal protective equipment used to comply with OSHA standards. • The PPE employers must provide is not specified, but the rule does identify what must be paid for. • Employers cannot require workers to provide their own PPE and the worker’s use of PPE they already own must be completely voluntary. • If an employee provides his/her own equipment, the employer is still responsible to make sure it is adequate and well maintained. 16 Personal Protective Equipment • Employers must do the following when providing PPE: – Assess the hazards of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards. – Identify and provide appropriate PPE for employees. – Train employees in the use and care of the PPE. – Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged equipment. – Periodically review, update and evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE. 17 Personal Protective Equipment • Items Employers must pay for: – Metatarsal foot protection – Rubber boots with steel toes – Non-prescription eye protection – Prescription eyewear inserts/lenses for full face respirators – Goggles and face shields – Fire fighting PPE (helmet, gloves, boots, proximity suits, full gear) – Hard hats – Hearing protection – Welding PPE 18 Personal Protective Equipment • Items Employers are not required to pay for: – Steel-toe boots – Prescription safety eyewear if worn off the job site. – Non uniform work clothes including long-sleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots. – Weather protection clothing, including winter coats, jackets, gloves, parkas, rubber boots, hats, raincoats, ordinary sunglasses, and sunscreen. – Lifting belts. – Intentionally lost or damaged the PPE. 19 Definitions • PEL – Permissible Exposure Limit – Regulatory limits on the concentration of a substance in the air. – Based on an 8-hour time weighted average • STEL – Short Term Exposure Limit – The maximum concentration of a chemical or dust to which workers may be exposed continuously for up to 15 minutes without danger to health • TWA – Time Weighted Average – The average exposure to a contaminant/condition (ex: noise) to which workers may be exposed without adverse effect per 8-hour day or 40-hour week 20 Definitions • TLV – Threshold Limit Value – The level at which a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects. – Values are reported in units of parts per million (PPM) or milligrams per cubic centimeter (mg/m³) of air 21 Definitions • TLV, 3 Types – (TLV-TWA) Time Weighted Average • Average exposure during an 8-hour day or 40- hour work week – (TLV-STEL) Short Term Exposure Limit • Spot exposure for a duration of 15 minutes, that cannot be repeated more than four times per day – (TLV-C) Ceiling • Absolute exposure limit that should not be exceeded at any one time 22 Definitions • Physical agents and chemical substances have TLV’s • OSHA regulatory exposure limits (PEL) are mostly based off TLV’s published in 1968, many are not considered sufficiently protective. • NIOSH publishes Recommended Exposure Limits (REL) which are more current and more stringent 23 OSHA PEL vs. NIOSH REL Substance OSHA PEL NIOSH REL TWA TWA Carbon Dioxide 9000 mg/m³ 9000 mg/m³ Silica 30 mg/m³ 6 mg/m³ Asphalt Fumes None 5 mg/m³ Cadmium 0.005 mg/cm³ None 24 Respiratory Protection • Construction and Industry Standards are identical • Employer must choose the right application for the job. 25 Structure of the Lung • Air enters through mouth and nasal passages • Alveoli are responsible for carrying oxygen to the blood stream • Oxygen diffuses into blood and is exchanged for carbon dioxide 26 Equipment Selection • Assigned Protection Factor (APF) – Expected level of employee protection • Maximum Use Concentration (MUC) – Maximum concentration from which an employee can be protected from when wearing a respirator • Respiratory hazards may be present in the workplace in different forms Dust and Fiber Mists Fumes Vapors Gases Biological Hazards 27 Respiratory Protection Dust Masks are for Respirators are Self Contained nuisance dusts made to filter Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) is suitable for only. harmful atmospheres that are contaminants from both oxygen deficient the air. and contain harmful contaminants. 28 Respiratory Protection • Employees that have to wear respirators must receive the following: ‒ Pulmonary Function Test ‒ Respirator Fit Testing ‒ Education on devices capabilities ‒ Storage, cleaning, and regular inspection procedures ‒ Regularly monitored work area and conditions 29 Respirator Fit Testing • Quantitative ‒ A pass/fail test to assess respirator fit. ‒ Relies on the individual's response to the test agent. (recognizable scents) • Qualitative ‒ Assesses a respirator’s effectiveness by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. 30 Respirator Fit Testing 1. Adjust straps and other connecting or fitting

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