8-Harris Health Construction Safety Guidelines.pdf

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY GUIDLINES

OF

HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM

Patrick M. Casey, AIA, ACHE SVP, Facilities Construction & Systems Engineering

Harris Health System 4800 Fournace Place, Bellaire, TX 77401

January 18, 2023 Version 1.0

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY GUIDELINES

These Safety Guidelines are not meant to replace any requirements of the Contract, Safety Precautions, Site Specific Safety Plans, or any other contractual obligations the Contractor may have with regard to Safety. It is simply meant as a guide for projects under the Owner Controlled Insurance Program, or related to Harris Health Bond Funded Construction Projects.

These guidelines are intended to make workers aware of any potential hazards that they may encounter while they are on the construction site. By being aware of these hazards and following these guidelines, it is the intention that this will prevent any of the workers from suffering any accidents or injuries.

The project area is considered to be a construction site. As such, all personnel entering the project area must comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements and the “Site Specific Safety Plan” that has been established by the controlling contractor and approved by Harris Health Facilities. OSHA requirements are published in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subtitle B Chapter XVII Part 1926-safety and health regulations for “Construction”. All personnel will go through a “Site Specific Safety Orientation” before they are allowed to access the site. For applicable Bond Funded Projects, contractors must also comply with the Harris Health System Policy, “Skilled Trade Protections for Bond- Funded Construction Contracts.” This Policy is included as Exhibit A to these guidelines.

Each construction Contractor of record (Prime Contractor) has the ultimate responsibility for developing and enforcing the health and safety programs necessary for its assigned project site.

All subcontractors will be required to work under any project specific health and safety guidelines that may have been set forth by their own site-specific health and safety plan. The Prime Contractor still has the ultimate responsibility to ensure that all health and safety guidelines are being followed. The Prime Contractor or Harris Health Facilities reserves the right to remove anyone or any contractor from the project site that refuses to work within the guidelines of the “Site Specific Safety Plan”.

The term “Safety and Health Plan” or “Safety Plan” in this document refers to the Prime Contractor’s Project Specific Safety and Health Plan. The Safety Plan is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of safety procedures. It is meant to be used as a guideline that outlines the general safety activities, procedures, and reporting requirements that are to be implemented. The site-specific safety plan should include [but not limited to] all of the applicable sections of 1926 that will relate to the scope of work on the project. The site-specific safety plan should also describe any and all areas in which it will go over and beyond the OSHA requirements. All subcontractors that are working on Harris Health construction projects must have their own health and safety plan in place, as well. These plans must comply with all of the general requirements and regulations for health and safety following all local, state, and federal guidelines.

All workers that are working on Harris Health construction projects are responsible for having knowledge of the health and safety guidelines and being alert to hazardous situations and practicing good sound judgment in the performance of their duties. This will hold true even if specific health and safety rules may have been omitted from the health and safety plan. All subcontractors are responsible for following all of the requirements of the health and safety plan.

All workers are required to understand and follow all health and safety guidelines while they are on the job site of any Harris Health construction project.

The Site-Specific Safety Plan should be prepared and submitted to Harris Health Facilities for their approval, prior to the start of any work.

The Safety Plan shall be viewed as a “Living Document” that must be updated and made current in the event that any changes occur. This will include changes in scope of work, changes in conditions, a change in contract numbers, or any changes in the health and safety regulations.

Orientation for workers regarding “The Site-Specific Safety Plan” shall be presented in both English and Spanish.

REGULATORY AGENCIES

The primary agency with safety authority for the project is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA requirements are published in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subtitle B Chapter XVII Part 1926-safety and health regulations for construction. The OSHA regulations will be viewed as the “minimum standard” for the safety program.

SAFETY ACTIVITIES – ADMINISTRATIVE

Upper management of the contractors will be expected to take an active role in the safety program for all Harris Health construction projects. Their involvement may include, but not limited to:

1. 100% total support for the safety program and those that implement it on a daily basis.

2. Attendance at job wide Safety Meetings and other safety events.

3. Setting the example for safety.

SAFETY MEETINGS

Safety meetings will be routinely conducted in order to review any past activities, plans for new or changed operations, to review pertinent information on any specific task-related hazards, and to remind job personnel of the importance of safety. These safety meetings should be conducted on a regular basis in order to keep employees informed as to any changes that are made to the work activities. These meetings should also address any schedule changes that may have been made. This would be a good time for any questions or concerns to be brought up as well as discussing any safety issues that may have occurred on the job site. This may be in the form of a lessons learned discussion. Documentation shall be maintained as to when and where these safety meetings occurred. The documentation should also state who was in attendance at these meetings. A brief summary as to what was discussed in the meeting shall add to the documentation.

Subcontractors shall conduct documented safety meetings for their employees on a weekly basis as a minimum. Copies of these meetings shall be submitted to and maintained by the prime contractor.

SAFETY TRAINING AND EDUCATION

All workers shall be given the proper health and safety training needed in order for them to perform the specific job functions and to have an awareness of health and safety for the overall project.

This training shall be the responsibility of the contractor that hired the workers. Refer to Exhibit A for details for training requirements required under the Bond funded construction projects.

At least one employee from every subcontractor shall be trained in First Aid and CPR. This will ensure that in the event of any job site injury or accident, an immediate response will be available.

Any additional training shall be provided that is deemed necessary for the performance of any specific tasks based upon current requirements. All supervisors on the project should be trained with respect to their job title and responsibilities in order to maintain a safe and healthy working environment. Refer to Exhibit A for details for training requirements required under the Bond funded construction projects.

Postings of OSHA and other applicable safety regulations and requirements shall be placed on project bulletin boards where they will be able to be read at any time by all workers associated with the project. These postings will have information not only on health and safety requirements, they will also have information on rights that the workers have to a safe work environment.

SAFETY INSPECTIONS

The safety plan shall provide for frequent safety reviews of the job site. A formal documented safety inspection of the project shall be conducted weekly at a minimum. This inspection is to ensure compliance with the safety plan. These reviews shall be conducted by qualified personnel, and they will be documented. All health and safety deficiencies shall be corrected as soon as possible. There may be some specific circumstances that may require a separate safety evaluation.

FIELD INSPECTOR

Harris Health Facilities may have a designated field inspector for the project. This field inspector is the authorized representative for Harris Health and will be assigned to inspect and observe any and all parts of the project. Other responsibilities of the field inspector are to observe the Prime Contractor and the subcontractors during all construction activities. The field inspector will also observe that the health and safety plans are being implemented and followed as set forth in the project-specific Health and Safety Plan.

If the field inspector should observe an apparent violation of a safe work practice, then he or she shall immediately contact the safety manager or the designated competent person. The field inspector has the authority to direct the Contractor to stop work on a specific activity or work area at no additional cost or time extension to the contract, if the activity or location appears to place any person(s) in a potentially dangerous situation. Any such verbal notification to the Contractor shall immediately be documented in writing. Copies will be sent to both the Contractor and to Harris Health’s safety representative.

REPORTING

All accidents must be reported to the Prime Contractor as soon as possible. A complete, written, comprehensive report will be required from each incident and shall be turned in to the project safety representative within 24 hours of the event. All major accidents must be reported directly to OSHA if:

1. There is a fatality to any worker on the project.

2. There are three or more persons that are admitted to the hospital as a result of a single incident on the project.

All accidents must be reported immediately. Reporting procedures shall be outlined in the Safety Plan. This procedure shall identify the personnel that are to be contacted and also their phone numbers for making the appropriate reporting. When making the initial report make sure that the following information is given:

• The name of the person(s) involved in the accident.

• The extent of the injuries or exposure.

• The name and location of the medical facility where the injured workers were transported.

Report not only injuries and exposures but also fires, spills, near misses, unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, suspicious activities, violations of the drug/alcohol program and deaths must be reported immediately.

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS OF WORKERS

All personnel that are going to be involved in the project shall be physically, medically, and emotionally qualified to perform their job functions. Medical monitoring shall be conducted when required by law and whenever an accident or an injury has occurred. Under no circumstances shall any worker be discriminated against based upon a disability that he or she may have. This statement is found in 28 CFR Part 36, the Americans with Disabilities Act.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG FREE WORKPLACE

All personnel that will be working on Harris Health construction projects are required to maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace. At no time while on the job or on the job site shall any employee be under the influence of any alcohol, narcotics, intoxicants, or any form of mind-altering substance. Any contractor or subcontractor who is aware of any individual using the aforementioned substances shall take all necessary actions in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. Employees may be required to submit to a drug screen before they are allowed to work on the project. Employees may also have to submit to a drug screen if they are injured, involved in property damage, called for random or for suspicion.

All firms engaged on Harris Health construction projects reserve the right to test anyone at any time for any reason. Refusal to cooperate with the drug screen will be grounds for immediate removal of the worker from the project.

SAFETY ACTIVITIES-JOB SITE

Some safety activities may be more applicable to a specific job. These activities include the knowledge of specific project safety requirements, the use of PPE, the safe operation of vehicles, and proper hazard communications and emergency response actions. Also, to be included in this is the knowledge of where the assembly areas are located and the routes to get to these assembly areas in case there is an emergency, and the employees are told to evacuate the area in which they are working. All workers shall familiarize themselves with any alternate routes that may need to be used in order to get to their assembly areas in the event that their primary route is blocked and inaccessible.

SITE SPECIFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES

Safety procedures that are associated with specific activities will be covered in the Contractor’s construction health and safety plan. The Contractor shall identify all activities that are associated with the project. The Contractor shall also describe any safety procedures that may be applicable to the activities. The health and safety plan will be reviewed by Harris Health Facilities.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays a very important part in the prevention of injuries and accidents. PPE can range from (1) every day, low level of protective equipment, to

(2) a high level of fully encapsulating equipment. The type of PPE that is needed depends upon the job site and the tasks that are to be performed. The Prime Contractor, subcontractor, and the individual employee shall make a careful examination of the task or tasks that are to be performed in order to determine the proper PPE that is to be worn. All personnel that will be working on, visiting, and/or performing inspections on the program shall be advised as to the proper PPE that is to be worn, regardless of their actual participation in the work that is being done. In general, the following types of PPE shall be made available to all personnel that may be working on or visiting at the job site:

• Head protection (Hard Hat)

• Safety vests with reflector striping or other safety clothing

• Eye protection Safety glasses

• Safety shoes, if required

• Safety gloves, if required

• Hearing protection, if required

In all cases, the Contractor shall post signs that will direct personnel as to the use of specific PPE, such as in the following cases:

• The site shall have signs posted that will instruct personnel on the use of hard hats. All hard hats must conform to the American National Standards Institute Code ANSI Z89.1.

• All areas where generators, jack hammers, and any loud equipment or vehicles are in use, shall have signs posted requiring the use of proper hearing protection.

• The Contractor shall have available on-site hard hats, safety glassed, gloves, and hearing protection for any visitors that have a need to come onsite.

SAFE OPERATIONS OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ONSITE

All vehicles shall be operated in a safe manner in order to prevent any injury to personnel or damage to equipment. Onsite vehicles will only be operated by individuals that have a valid driver’s license that is applicable to the vehicle being operated.

Equipment such as forklifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts, and other construction equipment shall only be operated by trained, competent persons. Contractors will be expected to have proof of training for their operators on site. Daily, documented safety inspections shall also be the responsibility of the operators.

HAZARD COMMUNICATIONS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

According to the community Right-to-Know Act, all persons that are on or off of the job site have the right to have access to information as to the hazardous materials and substances that are going to be used or may be encountered in the workplace. All hazardous and regulated chemicals shall be labeled, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) shall be available if it is applicable.

All emergency telephone numbers, and reporting instructions shall be posted in a location that is clear for all personnel to easily read. A reliable means of communication shall be provided to personnel on the job site in order to reach outside emergency responders.

FIRST AID AND MEDICAL SERVICES

The job site shall be equipped with a first aid kit and other emergency equipment, supplied by the Prime Contractor and/or the subcontractor. Emergency transportation of an injured employee to a doctor or to a hospital must be available. Maps, phone numbers, and street address to the closest emergency medical facility and/or hospital shall be made available in the Emergency Action Plan. This information shall be posted in a clear, accessible location and be made available to all employees.

Other directives for first aid and medical treatment may be required as part of the controlled insurance program agreement with the insurance provider.

ON-SITE FIRE PREVENTION

The Contractor safety plan shall specify a fire protection and prevention plan. This plan will meet 29 CFR 1926 Subpart F. The Contractor shall ensure that there is clear access to all available firefighting equipment and that it is maintained in at all times in good working order. All firefighting equipment that is on site shall be conspicuously located and shall be free of any obstructions that may impede access to the equipment.

Fire protection will include the provision of a water supply, fire extinguishers, and other equipment.

Also, the proper training and/or education should be given to those employees that may be dealing with hot work. Fire prevention should include the identification of ignition sources, proper storage of equipment and materials, storage of flammable materials and combustible liquids in an approved manner. The intention of this is to prevent any fires from starting. Signs shall be placed around storage and use areas for flammable and combustible materials. These signs shall be placed in such a manner that they are easily seen, and they are clearly legible.

Contractor shall be prepared to provide a “fire watch” for any operations where sparks, slag or ignition sources have been created. The fire watch shall be required during the operations and 30 minutes, as a minimum, in the work area after the operation has ceased.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Guidance for all electrical safety procedures may be found in the National Electrical Code. Any wiring that is live shall be guarded or de-energized in order to protect all persons from accidentally coming into contact with live wiring. The Contractor shall ensure that proper lockout and tag out procedures are followed.

GFCI protection will be required on all 120 volts, 15- and 20-amp circuits without exception. This protection shall also be required on “house power” welding machines and generators.

Hot electrical work shall be avoided. If it is deemed necessary to do hot work approval must be granted by the project safety manager, prime contractors safety director and the owner of the electrical contractors’ firm. A MOP, a JHA, and all processes will be reviewed before permission is granted.

WEATHER RELATED SAFETY

Guidance for all weather-related safety of workers, including but not limited to, extreme heat, cold weather or any adverse weather conditions shall be included in the project Safety Plan.

This includes provisions for keeping workers safe from heat related and/or cold related illnesses throughout the execution of their work. During extended periods of adverse weather conditions, the Prime Contractor shall provide accommodations to the workers as deemed necessary. This may include a project specific Heat Awareness Plan when temperatures reach over 90 degrees (temperature or heat index).

ROUTINE SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND TRAINING

Routine safety inspections and training activities will be documented to include the date, scope of the inspection or training, person(s) that are performing the inspections or training, persons that are in attendance, and the name and signature of the person that is preparing the report. All inspection reports and training records shall be kept on file by the Contractor.

WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIMS

The Contractor must provide a “Certificate of Coverage” to the owner that shows statutory worker’s compensation insurance coverage for all of the employees that will be working on the project, for the duration of the project. All subcontractors must also have a “Certificate of Coverage” verifying Workers Compensation Coverage. These “Certificates of Coverage” shall be presented to Harris Health prior to the start of any work activities. These “Certificates of Coverage” must be reviewed and approved prior to the start of any work activities. For projects enrolled in the Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP), the contractor will coordinate with the OCIP Administrator to meet this requirement.

SKILLED TRADE PROTECTIONS FOR BOND-FUNDED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

All advertised competitive procurements and contracts for construction projects meeting the applicability requirements set forth by the Harris Health Workers Protection Policy shall include provisions mandating: (1) a minimum of either a $15/hour wage or a wage that meets the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act, whichever is higher; (2) a minimum of 10% of total project hours be completed by individuals enrolled or graduated from an approved apprenticeship training program; and (3) the usage and tracking of employer safety records, including OSHA Safety Training of every individual who works on the job site. The entire policy for Skilled Trade Protections for Bond-Funded Construction Contracts is attached as Exhibit A.

HARRIS HEALTH FACILITIES ENGINEERING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In addition to these Safety Guidelines, Harris Health Facilities Engineering requires all workers to follow “Harris Health Facilities Engineering Policies and Procedures for Building Construction and Related Work” for any work being performed in the active Harris Health Facilities. When applicable, these policies and procedures are required when work is being performed within existing Harris Health Facilities. The entire “Harris Health Facilities Engineering Policies and Procedures for Building Construction and Related Work” is attached as Exhibit B.

End of Construction Safety Guidelines

Attachments:

Exhibit A Skilled Trade Protections for Bond-Funded Construction Projects

Exhibit B Harris Health Facilities Engineering Policies and Procedures for Building Construction and Related Work