Goals & Objectives

• Define what “short duration crew safety” is.

• Review policy to address common problems facing small crews.

• Provide practical tools & solutions for all aspects of small crew safety.

What are Short Duration Crews and what is Short Duration Safety?

Short Duration Crews: Usually crews of two to three employees that are tasked with completing service/repair type work, roof repair or punch list items

Short Duration Safety: Creating a program which recognizes and address the many complexities this work creates for employee safety.

Small crew doing multiple small repairs in center of large roof.

DIFFERENCES SHORT DURATION CREW PRODUCTION CREW

CREW SIZE: Two – three men Larger crews

SCOPE:“Search and repair”, sometimes over

multiple locations Large scale, “Rip-replace” or

new roof installation

PRE-PLANNING:Very little - job often seen by crew same

day as repairs. Crew must determine safety setup upon arrival

Significant pre-planning from bid-completion. Project setup

for safety prior to start.

JOB LENGTH:Very short, from 20 minutes to a couple

days generallyFrom a few days to a few

months.

MATERIAL HANDLING:

In vast majority of cases no forklift or crane. Material often brought up by

hand.

Loading and unloading is pre-planned. Forklift and/or crane

often used.

FALL PROTECTION:Must recognize hazards and implement

safety “on-the-fly”

Usually implemented prior to crew arrival. Pre-planned well

in advance.

OVERSIGHTVery Little, difficult to see due to short duration and smaller jobs requires less

management involvement

More frequent by company and owner/GC

Short Duration Crew vs. Production Crews

Short Duration Crew

• NOTE:

While in general Short Duration Crews are considered to be 2-3 person leak investigation & repair / maintenance crews, this program and procedures can also be utilized when performing:

Snow Removal OperationsDisaster Roof Blow-off ReplacementsSheet Metal Crews

Scenario 1 Ladder Fall – Small Crew

• The service employee was climbing a ladder to ascend a

rooftop that was approximately 20’ in height.

• The employee was carrying a bucket of roofing screws in

his right hand. The bucket was estimated as weighing

15-20 pounds.

• As the employee reached the top of the ladder he lost his

grip and fell approximately 14 feet to the ground below.

• The employee suffered two fractured vertebrae that

required surgery, a hairline fracture of his hip, and two

cracked ribs.

Scenario 1 Ladder Fall – Small Crew

• Group Discussion:

1. What were some of the potential causes to this accident?

Possible answers include:

• Carrying material up the ladder; • lack of plan or policy to safely get material up to the roof; lack of

training; • lack of supervision, • crew rushing and took shortcut

CHOICES

This company expects you to comply with Safety Policy ALWAYS!

Scenario 2 Fall over Parapet

Scenario 2 Fall over Parapet

A two-man maintenance crew was replacing a canopy roof.

Crew beginning to install EPDM membrane on the canopy. Safety monitoring system used.

One employee went to the ground to retrieve roller pads & handles to spread adhesive.

Second employee went to get a 5 gallon bucket of glue which was on the main roof.

While retrieving the glue, the employee noticed the wind had begun to blow the rubber off of the canopy roof.

The employee decided to catch it before it blew off. While doing so, he tripped over the 16” parapet wall, bounced off the canopy, landing on the ground 10’ below.

Suffered broken shoulder, and cracked ribs. Claim costs approx. $175,000.00

Scenario 2 Fall over Parapet

• Group Discussion:

1. What were some of the potential causes to this accident?

Scenario 2 Fall over Parapet

Possible answers include: • Lack of fall protection – safety monitor ineffective for this type roof and

left the work area; • failure to secure loose material; • lack of supervision/oversight; • failure to comply with policy; • lack of training in fall protection options

CHOICES

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY: When in question, STOP & CALL!

Issues Facing Small Crews

1. Communications

2. Access

3. Roof Inspections

4. Loading Roof

5. Fall Protection

6. Material Inventory

1. Communications

• Work hazards minimized & clients satisfaction

improved with good communications.

• Starts in office when client calls.• Intake information will be obtained and sent to crews whenever feasible. • Review office intake sheet.

• Once onsite:• Meet with point of contact.• Always act in professional manner. • Review extent of problem with contact, discussing potential access points

and work details. • Photograph, if permitted, extent of damage.

• Crew foreman must determine safest point of access.

• May be a fixed ladder or stair hatch at facility or portable ladder brought by crew.

• Owner provided ladders/stairs are not always the safest choice.

• Are they compliant? USE LADDER SAFETY TRAINING• What hazards must you walk past to get to them?

2. Access

LADDER FALL – CHOICES?• Two-man crew tasked with a small repair atop

apartment complex.

• Rather than haul ladder up multiple floors of stairs they used facilities ladder.

• Ladder was the fly section of an extension ladder which was taken apart. No feet were on the ladder.

• Employee carried material up ladder, which was not footed or secured, when the ladder slipped.

• Serious injuries to head and back. Employee will never work in construction again.

Ladder slid on tile floor as employee was ascending

CHOICES

Choose to put your safety training into action!

2. Access

• As close as possible is not always the safe choice!

• Ensure ladders are set up away from public exposures as much as feasible.

• Keep away from vehicular exposures as much as feasible.

• Barricade when necessary. • Consider roof hazards such as skylights. Could a

different access point separate us from those hazards?

• TWO MAN LADDER SETUP • Required that whenever two or more employees are

onsite, that ladder setup and breakdown require two employees.

• One employee foots ladder while second climbs and secures. Reverse during ladder removal.

Photo of barricaded ladder. Could barricade be wider? Could

setup be further from door?

Aerial View

• Should you set up ladder close to work area which happens to be a loading dock and building access point?

• Should you set up ladder in rear of building away from exposures but further from the work area?

3. Roof Inspections

• When possible, investigations begin inside the building.

• When looking for areas of the leak/damage, be on the lookout for areas of suspect decking.

• Push up ceiling tiles using a 6’ stepladder and use a flashlight to inspect underside of deck.

Metal Deck: look for heavy rust or areas that appear to be rotten or sagging. Deck may be repainted.

Gypsum Deck: look for signs of water saturation. Broken or cracked panels. Avoid dropping rolls.

Tectum Deck: beware of sagging deck, water saturation and cracks. Avoid dropping rolls.

Wood Deck: look for rotted areas and cracks.

Concrete Panels: look for spalling and cracks.

Poured Concrete: Generally not a problem. Look for openings from removed equipment which may be improperly covered and/or hidden.

• 1926.500 Subpart M – Fall Protection

• Exception: The provisions of this subpart do not apply when employees are making an inspection, investigation, or assessment of workplace conditions prior to the actual start of construction work or after all construction work has been completed.

We need to first inspect the roof to determine the location of the repair, the hazards, and how to protect ourselves.

Rooftop “inspections” are exempt from fall protection requirements under certain conditions.

MUST BE before construction activities begin or after they have been completed.

Investigations ONLY! Use of tools other than simple measurements is not permitted under exemption. Fall protection must be established first.

3. Roof Inspections

• The purpose is to evaluate location of problem/work that needs to be performed, what safety controls are going to be needed, or evaluate finished work.

• Initial inspections / assessments are permitted to take place without fall protection prior to or after construction operations ONLY.

• Measurements and other non-distracting work is permitted. Once the general location and scope of work/safety needed is determined, exploratory work such as obtaining roof samples/cuts, or shoveling ballast stone to find a leak, etc. is not permitted under this exemption.

• BE SMART! DON’T TAKE CHANCES. INSPECT FOR MOSS OR OTHER SLIPPERY SURFACES. IF TIE OFF IS POSSIBLE, USE IT.

3. Roof Inspections

CHOICES

• During roof inspections;

• do you need to get close to the roof edge? CHOOSE SAFE!

• has construction work started elsewhere? CHOOSE SAFE!

• Do you need to use tools and/or equipment? CHOOSE SAFE!

While OSHA grants an exception, DON’T ABUSE IT! When in

question, tie off!

4. Loading Roof

• Fall protection is still required

• Safety monitor is not approved for hoisting area

• Try and find a good load location while completing the roof inspection

• Safe location for roof loading is not always closest location to work area.

• Backpacks are a great means of getting your initial fall protection, small tools & material to the roof.

• Backpacks should never be overloaded. Pay close attention to ladder weight rating and make sure not to exceed it.

• Make sure to have clearance behind you so backpack does not get hung up on tree limbs, ladder cage, etc.

Backpacks being used to Transport Materials/Equipment to the Roof

4. Loading Roof

• Pull Material to Roof: Bring up initial fall protection in backpack and utilize to tie off and pull material to the roof.

• Always set yourself up in “fall restraint” rather than “fall arrest” when pulling items up to the roof.

Fall restraint means your lanyard is tight enough to prohibit you from

falling whereas fall arrest stops you after the fall occurs.

Employee properly tied off in Fall Restraint while hoisting materials through roof hatch

Picture of Fall Restraint Set-up in Hoist Area

4. Loading Roof Ladder-vators

Easy to set from the ground.

Cost effective

>

• Ladder derricks / pulleys• Some companies find these very effective.

• Provide mechanical advantage, small and lightweight.

• Concerns with ladder derricks:• Fall protection required. Photo shows

possible violation as no fall protection is visible.

• Crew must remember to secure the ladder when done with the derrick. An unsecured ladder could lead to an accident.

• Bucket used to hoist in this picture not the best idea. Dirt slings or similar rated device should be used in lieu of hoisting bucket by the handle.

4. Loading Roof

5. Fall Protection

• Fall protection training is required for all employees exposed to fall hazards. This presentation provides options for fall protection for small crews, and is not meant to cover all fall protection regulations, requirements, nor be used as a substitute for fall protection training.

• Fall protection system must be determined by competent person onsite.

• Recommended solutions include:• Warning line systems• Fall restraint systems

5. Fall Protection• Warning line systems

• Each service crew MUST be equipped with a minimum of (4) stanchions and 200’ of flagging.

• Even if working away from the roof edge, crews should bring system to the roof and surround their work area.

• Allows both employees to perform roofing activities within warning line system.

Warning line systems

OSHA requires an access path be created from ladder into the warning line area.

Issue with warning lines

1. Must be maintained well. Poorly sagging warning lines display a lack of care for safety.

2. Require a “walk-path” be created from the ladder into the work zone established by the warning lines.

5. Fall Protection

Work area set with warning lines so both can work freely within.

Proceed directly to work area from the ladder. If possible, create access path with additional flags/stands from ladder.

• Fall Restraint Systems

• Anchors in a way that you cannot fall!

• Requires YOU to set up and use it properly.

• Fall restraint anchors need to support only 1,000 lbs. Anchor can be attached above insulation providing competent person evaluates. Differs from fall arrest as they must withstand 5K pounds and anchors must be attached to substrate in most cases.

• Providing rope kept tight enough so roofer can never fall, compliance is obtained.

5. Fall Protection

Fall arrest anchor must be installed into substrate per

manufacturers requirements

Fall restraint anchors can be installed atop roof system as

it only needs to support 1,000 lbs.

5. Fall Protection• Proper Roof Anchor Installation is Critical

• ALWAYS refer to manufacturers installation guidelines.

Common Guardian Fall Protection “Temper Reusable Anchor”

Fall Arrest Installation Guidelines for Temper Anchor

1.Must install flush against substrate.2.For installation on wood and into truss or support beam: Use (12) #12 two inch screws (6 per side) in center column or (12) 16d 3.5 inch nails (6 per side) in center column. 3.For install into field (not over truss or support) use (32) #12 two inch screws (16 per side).4.For install onto metal and into field: use (16) screws (8 per side), 6 in center column and 1 in center row right and left of center column. Recommends using Hilti Kwik-pro self-drilling screws. 5.DO NOT overtighten. Deemed over tightened if sheathing breaks or is squeezed out from under fasterers.

5. Fall Protection

• Mobile Fall Protection

• Cobra life-link single – man fall cart.

• Both workers of a two man crew can tie off to this at the same time. One of the edge in fall arrest and the second with a tighter lanyard in fall restraint.

• Light enough to be broken down and brought to the roof.

Those using any fall protection cart must have training in, and comply with the manufacturers instructions.

• Safety Monitoring Systems

• Should be used as a last resort ONLY with approval of management.

• Frequently violated system.

• Monitor must perform no other duties that take his/her attention away from monitoring. Difficult to do with a two/three man crew.

• On roofs greater than 50’ in minimal dimension, must be used in conjunction with a warning lines.

5. Fall Protection

You are NOT permitted to utilize a Safety Monitor without direct

authorization from management for each individual situation!

• Safe Distance

• Crews are permitted to work without fall protection when no fall hazards exist within 50’ of the area of work.

• Case by case, competent person must assess.

• 49 feet and 11 inches IS NOT 50’. Fall protection must be in place when less than 50’ from a fall hazard.

• Travel path from ladder to work area should be limited and not expose to fall hazards.

5. Fall Protection

• Holes & Skylights

• Safety monitors are not permitted at all.

• Fall restraint often not possible.

• Covers or netting amongst the best protection measures.

• Warning lines can be used if placed 15’ from the skylight hazard. Tie off necessary if beyond warning lines exposed to hole/skylight.

• Use warning lines to separate work from skylight hazards where possible.

5. Fall Protection

Fall Protection Flow Chart

• Review flow chart for decision making provided with training packet.

• Designed to provide clear instructions from the inspection process thru fall protection selection.

Daily Job Safety Analysis

• Must be performed at the start of each project.

Complex Projects - #1

• New curb installation.

• Skylights throughout roof about 30’ apart.

• Only viable access on far side of roof requiring employees to walk a few hundred feet to the far corner for work detail.

• Curb install about 15’ from roof edge but only a couple feet from a skylight. Other skylights were as close as 15-30 feet from work area.

• Crew made poor choices. Foreman tied off in “fall restraint” (as pictured to the right). Helper employee did not tie off at all.

• Fall restraint protected employee from roof edge however did not protect from skylight hazard.

Complex Projects - #1

CHOICES

• If you cannot figure out a way to implement tie off, CALL THE OFFICE!

• Do not CHOOSE to continue without fall protection!

• Solutions:• No way to cover all skylights. Employees instructed to walk

across roof in middle of skylights keeping approximately 15’ from them. Only backpacks with fall protection was carried.

• Employees then attached roof anchors in “fall restraint” to pull material up from edge near work area. Eliminates need to remove roofing down to substrate to install fall arrest. 15’ distance from skylights maintained.

• Skynets were pulled up and immediately placed over 2 skylights in the work area. Remaining material then pulled up.

• Once skynets were in place, employees could work in true fall restraint.

Complex Projects - #1

6. Small Crew Safety Inventory

• Small crews should have an inventory checklist for safety items.

• Common for violations to occur because crew did not have necessary safety items when they got to the job.

• “If you can’t do it safely, DON’T DO IT AT ALL!”

6. Small Crew Safety Inventory

(2) Full Body Harnesses (2) 3' Shock Absorbing Lanyards (2) Rope grabs (2) 50’ vertical lifelines (at least,

100’ lifelines should be available if needed)

(2) Retractable lanyards w/carabineers.

(2) 30’ cross arm straps (2) 6’ cross arm straps (2) Roof anchors (4) Fold Up Flagstands (at

minimum) 200 Linear feet of Warning line One Roll of Caution Tape One Roll of Danger Tape First Aid Kit Shoe booties

Safety Monitor Vest(s) Clear Safety Glasses Smoked Safety Glasses Impermeable Gloves Leather Gloves Hard Hats At Least One Fire Extinguisher

(10 LB ABC) Disposable Earplugs (1) 50' Pull-up Ropes (1) 100’ Pull-up Rope (2) Backpacks Hazard Communication Manual Safety & Loss Control Manual Flashlight Camera

Small Crew Compliance Quiz – True or False

Small crews are exempt from OSHA standards because the job only lasts a few minutes?

Small crews must follow the same safe work practices as production crews?

Small crews need to carry additional safety equipment because every job is a little bit different?

Knowing what size ladder is required to access the roof is good information to have before getting to the jobsite?

Small crews don’t have to worry about deteriorated deck because two people are lighter than a whole production crew?

QUESTIONS?