Need help, heard today that OSHA is going to start inspecting residential jobs in our area( Louisville, KY) soon, and would like some suggestions and maybe seperation of fact/rumors. Will all non-factory cord ends result in a violation? No shorts( surely not true)? Steel toed boots hurt, besides my $$$ Red Wings are new no cash to replace them for awhile. Any input is appreciated.
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Usually....and that can mean a lot of things.... what I've seen and heard of OSHA on residential sites is that they don't focus so much on electrical cords and boots, but more on things like guard rails, fall arrest protection, hardhats and safety glasses. CYA by covering stairholes and window openings or put rails across them. Keep the wallbrackets w/out rails in the truck. Wear a harness if you're on the roof. And mark the perimeter of your deck with orange paint 4' in from the edge as a warning before the walls go up.
Also, check out OSHA's website to get more ideas.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and shorts and tanktops are definately a "no-no".
Edited 5/31/2005 4:50 pm ET by dieselpig
Exactly what i was gonna say there.... I've had OSHA toll upon a high end residential job I was trimming out.
Make sure your table saw has a huard on it if it's out (although it renders it useless for most ripping!!). If there's no guard, make a little sign that says "FOR RABBITS & DADOS ONLY!" and be on the lookout!
I was busted by an OSHA guy ripping cedar trim down with no guard, altough we had a nice safe setup. we were still fined. I looked up to see some stranger taking photos of me working. i stopped and asked if I could help him, he replied "no carry on"!
Non factory cords / plugs are ok but no exposed wires / torn cords.
Railings are a must on staging / wall brackets. Even railings running into the house at the ends. Wooden planks must have 2 planks per bracket, btackets must be no more than X feet apart. I forget the max. distance between jacks. It works out around about 3 jacks per plank.
Keep the jobsite clean.
Work smart.
Carpenter / Builder, Rhode Island
diamond... when did you see OSHA in RI ?
i haven't heard of them in years.... curious..
they were big time in the the '90's, but lately haven't heard a peep out of them
is this a new thing ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hey mike this was in Newport last summer ('04). I was trimming the new house beside the Chanler, at the top of the hill at first beach, on the Cliffwalk. The one with the Ceramic tile roof and Stucco walls.
The guy said he was driving by and seen an extension ladder going up to the roof so thought he'd stop by and have a look. I know this is b/s because there was no extension ladder out at the time.
Carpenter / Builder, Rhode Island
Maybe someone can shed some light on this.
Someone told me, that if OSHA shows up, they do not have the express authority to just walk onto the jobsite and start poking around, IF it's a residential sight owned by the/a homeowner, you can tell them they can't come in, give them a contact number of someone in the office to have them meet them there for a walk through?
Also from what I've heard, OSHA always finds a violation of some sort and issues a fine if they show up, I can understand that they would be able to find a violation on even the safest of jobsites, wondering if anyone has had them show up and NOT been fined for something.
We've had them show up and not issue fines plenty of times.
Regarding them having or not having "express authority to just walk onto the jobsite and start poking around". You can take them to a trailer to review your onsite hazmat communication pogram, your MSDS sheets, your subs' safety progams,etc (you do have all of that stuff on site, right?), while someone goes out and tidies the site up (or sends everyone home)- in other words, delay them for a reasonable amount of time. If you decide you're not going to let them on site, or that person who's phone number you give them to call isn't readily available. you've just opened yourself up to a world of pain, brother! Let the man see what he wants to see, be cooperative, plead ignorance and "yessir" "nosir" him, correct things as he finds them, and you'll likely be just fine.
Your best bet is to run a safe site to begin with- OSHA or no OSHA, a lot of the stuff I see on residential sites is just plain stupid, and guys deserve to get hurt or killed if they go to work under such conditions. If it's not safe, tell the boss- if he won't change it, walk- it's far better to be looking for a job than looking for a headstone.....
Bob
No onsite hazmat communication pogram, MSDS sheets, or subs' safety progams kept onsite.
We do have sub saftey info and hazmat procedures signed by employees in the office though. Are they required to be onsite? never seen it before, at least not on smaller residential remodels.
I'm sure they would find a frayed cord, or someone with out a hardhat, no gaurd on a table saw etc though.
CAG-
All that stuff should be on site, and available for anyone to read. MSDS sheets are pretty useless if an employee can't access them to see what the hazards of working with a material are. How can he protect himself properly otherwise?
Find your local OSHA office and pick up a copy of Part 1926, which is the CFR section for Construction. It should be free, and it's useful information to have. A lot of it won't really apply to remodels (like the parts on tower cranes, etc), but most of it will. It's worth taking a look at.
Bob
General question - can OSHA 'do' anything if the owner is the only person working on the jobsite? I.e. can you be fined for safety violations if you are in the process of building your own house?
Good question.... I wish I had an answer.
I'll give it a bump.... maybe someone knows this one. I'm curious. I would guess that it wouldn't apply if you were working solo on your own home in a homeowner capacity. But if you had a trade related business and actively working at that trade.... Hmmmmm. It would take a real ball breaker, heartless mamma-jamma to bust you for that, though.
I'd probably bury him in the backyard before I let him walk onto my own property and write me a ticket.
We had OSHA come through a country club we were trimming out and they got on us about eye protection. Threatened fines and what not. However he walked right past the three story grand stairway without any rails at all to give me a hard time when I was cutting MDF and my glasses were up on my forehead.
Working alone on your own house, you can hang by one foot off of an ice-covered 18/12 roof, and OSHA can't do a thing about it. The "O" stands for "Occupational"- they're looking to protet workers from the conditions that their employment may subject them to- not protect stupid people from themselves at home.
Bob
From experience(industrially-not home construction),circa 2002. If OSHA shows up for an inspection,fines will be levied.Unless you or your employer has invited them-in which case they will make you comply within a timeframe prior to re-inspection,but not cite,unless you haven't complied.
They will always find something.
We had $178,000 worth of fines (small business) which were reduced on appeal,by how much I'm not sure.The cold saw not having a guard was $2,000.Salty.
If you aren't an employer don't worry about it.
Everyone off today or what?
Shout out to Andy C. Namaste my friend.
http://www.hay98.com/
Was supposed to start a new frame today.... no lumber delivered. Tool maintenance, a little paper work, a nap and some Breaktime. Red Sox are on in 2 1/2 hours. Wife is working a double.
Niiiiiiiiiiicccccccceeeeeee.
Have to work tomorrow and have butt-loads of yardwork at our new house to do on Sunday, so I'm enjoying it today. Yerself?
Slowed the heck down. Everyone already had fourty in so we got Friday off. It's gonna be scary slow this summer. I won't know what to do with only 40 hours a week.
Shout out to Andy C. Namaste my friend.
http://www.hay98.com/
NO you are exempt from provisions of OSHA
if osha shows up, somebody getting a ticket. period
Brownbagg,
That may be the case if they were called to the site due to a workmans comp claim or if somebody (a former employee?) called and alerted them of discrepancies..
I've been at too many job sites where they just inform or assist a the manager/ owner to comply. Some of it depends on your attitude and some of it depends on the circumstances..
I've seen them simply cut defective extension cords in half, especially if it's a cheap 14 or 16 gauge cord when they should be using a 10 guage cord.. (they are actually doing the owner a favor in that the voltage drop you get with those thinner cords burns out tools quickly)
I've been to jobsites where almost everything was in compliance and they just commented on any discrepancies with no formal warning at all.. I went to one jobsite shortly after an accident injury and verified that the operator had been properly trained and licensed and the required paperwork had been filed and on record.. The monthly safety meetings had been conducted and documented.
The inspector showed up and you could tell that he expected to find fault.. after less than15 minutes he agreed that every thing seemed correct and went out to the jobsite and walked around.. 20 minutes later he came back and complimented the owner on everything and left.. No ticket, no warning..
ignorance is bliss... thanks for the heads-up...
i'll ask aroundMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Oh yeah, and shorts and tanktops are definately a "no-no".
If you have "my new carpenter's helper", then these must be immediately be taken off.
At least when the OHSA inspector arrives.
At least he will not be able to notice any violations.
"Well, at least she isn't wearing shorts or a tank top, so I don't see any violations." If it is not specifically prohibited, then it is permitted.
~Peter :)
Why the deal over shorts? Everybody wears shorts.
Thanks for the quick responses. We do run a pretty safe site, MSDS on site, jobs cleaned frequently... I was mainly worried about some of the absurd sounding rumors and having to wear a harness when I am running LOTS of crown and ceiling treatments. Our remodeling days are for the most part behind us, i.e. I haven't been on a machine in a long time and most of the framing tends to be fixing the framers slop , or just blocking. I will put the guard back on the table saw and make sure my hard hat is on site instead of on a hook in my kitchen (wife wants it gone too). Sixty inspectors? What is that costing us in the big picture? Less than injuries or less than piontless lawsuits?
Biggest violation is roasting hotdogs over a bonfire containing asbestos insulation while hurling your father's used circular saw blades into the side of the barn.
(I'm pretty sure that's an inside joke if you're who I think you are. Just talked to Barry about that on Sunday.)
R.e. the scaffolding/ harness issue, I work for a big chemical company, so we have OSHA on the brain at all times. The rule for us is you can do pretty much whatever so long as your feet are no more than 6' off the ground (i.e. only use a 6' step-ladder). Above 6' you have to wear a harness, and I think that you also have to be tied off if you are "working". I know that seems obvious, but there's some weird rule that has kept me from ever having to tie off, although I've worn a harness many times. Of course, I never "work" at work. union shop & I'm an enginerd.
Here's what I know. They've added about 60 inspectors in KY and are looking at more residential sites than usual. I know of several roofers and framers that have been cited. From what I've heard from them, the inspectors have been reasonable but firm. If your job looks suspect from the street and they drive by, you're going to get a visit. If it looks like you're complying, they'll keep on driving.
Proper use of fall and eye protection are at the top of the list. Extension cords in good condition are important regardless of OSHA. Steel toed shoes on a roofer are as necessary as a snorkle on a fish and the inspectors realize this. The ground man needs a hard hat. The guy that's dropping stuff on him doesn't.
Go to the OSHA site, read up and use good common sense. Chances are you won't get cited and you'll be safer.
Hey Mister Sushi, you forgot to cook my fish.
"Am I dead or alive? What's this? Linoleum? I must be in hell." -The Salton Sea
BradR
If you use a forklift on the jobsite make certain that the operator has a proper license for it.. It' called a class seven rough terrain forklift operators licencse and has been required since Novemenber of 1999.. Thus they are likely to give little slack in this area.. Call the company that sold/ rented you the forklift to find out if they certify operators.. Some owners are all ready set up as instructors and thus can certify all the operators themselves..
If you have a licences issued by another owner it's void unless you are working for that owner, another words they don't transfer..
I've been hit twice in the last six months for 3500$ a pop. Both times it was fall protection. After the fine the OSHA guy gave me a number for a free consultation service. I didn't call, I guess I have an authority complex, strange for a nail banger, but when I got nailed again I called. A guy came out walked the job showed me things I needed to do and said he'd be back to check in a couple of weeks, where upon we'd repeat the process. He said now I am working with him and would not be fined by others or him. He just wanted to help me make a safe job. If you have a big job this is the way to go. Call them at ground break and get them on your side, Make them a friend and not a worry. The people who fined us seemed like all they wanted to do was give a fine, believe me they find something, As we know, at least I hope I can say that, some days its easy to comply others near impossible. Hard hats are neccessary when someone is in danger of a head injury from something falling. They have to witness a violation. In the course of a day maybe most of the day your ok but as soon as someone walks out of or around the building under any situation with someone working above, he's in violation. So if you need one its best to just get in the habit of wearing one. The steel toe issue is nothing to worry about As far as I know replacenent ends are ok as long as they are grounded. The cords might be inspected for nicks in the insulating skin. For us its fall protection. we working on a building 60 ft high, with four mezzanine levels. Scaffold with two lifts need a hand rail. A step ladder can't be leaned, ever. The six foot rule of thumb mentioned is good advice. Safety rails between 36" and 42" with another rail midway. Saftey glasses: I used to never wear them. Now I wear them every day all day. But again just because you not wearing them does not mean your in voilation. The violation must be witnessed. On an open ended deck, you can be a hundred feet, any distance back from the edge and if you do not have a harness your in violation. We use these harness's that have some stretch, I can't think of the name now, but by Miller, and we have some 11' and 9' retractable lanyards. All this and almost every day I see my people in violation. I also hear people complain, "They (OSHA) are making things impossible." but right behind me I"m watching a job go up built by Clark Const. and the have a load of guys like 30 or 40, I have 11, and they are never in violation. So I figured I can make the transition. At this point four months after starting to really try to be compliant with OSHA for the first time all I can say is some days are easier than others.
Edited 6/3/2005 5:54 pm ET by quicksilver