S02 - 013526 Safety Requirements.pdf

Sheridan VAMC November 27, 2022 Building 28 Upgrade; 666-20-110

Sheridan, WY 02-01-17

Safety Requirements 01 35 26 -1

SECTION 01 35 26

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.1 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

1.2 DEFINITIONS

1.3 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

1.4 PRECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE

1.5 “SITE SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER” (SSHO) and “COMPETENT PERSON”

(CP)

1.6 TRAINING

1.7 INSPECTIONS

1.8 ACCIDENTS, OSHA 300 LOGS, AND MAN-HOURS

1.9 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

1.10 INFECTION CONTROL……………………………………….……………………………………………….…………………………….8

1.11 FIRE SAFETY

1.12 FALL PROTECTION

1.13 SCAFFOLDS AND OTHER WORK PLATFORMS

1.14 CRANES

1.15 CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

1.16 WELDING AND CUTTING

1.1 LADDERS

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SECTION 01 35 26

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS:

A. Latest publications listed below form part of this Article to extent referenced. Publications are referenced in text by basic designations only.

B. American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE):

A10.1-2011...........Pre-Project & Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning

A10.34-2012..........Protection of the Public on or Adjacent to Construction Sites

A10.38-2013..........Basic Elements of an Employer’s Program to Provide a Safe and Healthful Work Environment American National Standard Construction and Demolition Operations

C. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM):

E84-2013.............Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials

D. The Facilities Guidelines Institute (FGI):

FGI Guidelines-2010Guidelines for Design and Construction of

Healthcare Facilities E. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

10-2013..............Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers 30-2012..............Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code 51B-2014.............Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting and Other Hot Work 70-2014..............National Electrical Code 70B-2013.............Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment

Maintenance 70E-2015 ............Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace 99-2012..............Health Care Facilities Code 241-2013.............Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations F. The Joint Commission (TJC)

TJC Manual ..........Comprehensive Accreditation and Certification Manual

G. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 10 CFR 20 ...........Standards for Protection Against Radiation

H. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

29 CFR 1904 .........Reporting and Recording Injuries & Illnesses

01 35 26 -3

29 CFR 1910 .........Safety and Health Regulations for General Industry

29 CFR 1926 .........Safety and Health Regulations for Construction Industry

CPL 2-0.124..........Multi-Employer Citation Policy I. VHA Directive 2005-007

1.2 DEFINITIONS:

A. Critical Lift. A lift with the hoisted load exceeding 75% of the crane’s maximum capacity; lifts made out of the view of the operator (blind picks); lifts involving two or more cranes; personnel being hoisted; and special hazards such as lifts over occupied facilities, loads lifted close to power-lines, and lifts in high winds or where other adverse environmental conditions exist; and any lift which the crane operator believes is critical.

B. OSHA “Competent Person” (CP). One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings and working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to employees, and who has the authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them (see 29 CFR 1926.32(f)).

C. "Qualified Person" means one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training and experience, has successfully demonstrated his ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.

D. High Visibility Accident. Any mishap which may generate publicity or high visibility.

E. Accident/Incident Criticality Categories:

No impact – near miss incidents that should be investigated but are not required to be reported to the VA;

Minor incident/impact – incidents that require first aid or result in minor equipment damage (less than $5000). These incidents must be investigated but are not required to be reported to the VA;

Moderate incident/impact – Any work-related injury or illness that results in:

1. Days away from work (any time lost after day of injury/illness onset);

2. Restricted work;

3. Transfer to another job;

4. Medical treatment beyond first aid;

5. Loss of consciousness;

6. A significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, even if it did not result in (1) through (5) above or,

7. Any incident that leads to major equipment damage (greater than $5000).

These incidents must be investigated and are required to be reported to the VA;

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Major incident/impact – Any mishap that leads to fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye as a result of contractors’ activities. Or any incident which leads to major property damage (greater than $20,000) and/or may generate publicity or high visibility. These incidents must be investigated and are required to be reported to the VA as soon as practical, but not later than 2 hours after the incident.

F. Medical Treatment. Treatment administered by a physician or by registered professional personnel under the standing orders of a physician. Medical treatment does not include first aid treatment even through provided by physician or registered personnel.

1.3 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS:

A. In addition to the detailed requirements included in the provisions of this contract, comply with 29 CFR 1926, comply with 29 CFR 1910 as incorporated by reference within 29 CFR 1926, comply with ASSE A10.34, and all applicable [federal, state, and local] laws, ordinances, criteria, rules and regulations. Submit matters of interpretation of standards for resolution before starting work. Where the requirements of this specification, applicable laws, criteria, ordinances, regulations, and referenced documents vary, the most stringent requirements govern except with specific approval and acceptance by the

Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer Representative.

1.4 PRECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE:

A. Contractor representatives who have a responsibility or significant role in implementation of the accident prevention program, as required by 29 CFR 1926.20(b)(1), on the project shall attend the preconstruction conference to gain a mutual understanding of its implementation. This includes the project superintendent, subcontractor superintendents, and any other assigned safety and health professionals.

1.5 “SITE SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER” (SSHO) AND “COMPETENT PERSON” (CP):

A. The Prime Contractor shall designate a minimum of one SSHO at each project site that will be identified as the SSHO to administer the

Contractor's safety program and government-accepted Accident Prevention

Plan. Each subcontractor shall designate a minimum of one CP in compliance with 29 CFR 1926.20 (b)(2) that will be identified as a CP to administer their individual safety programs.

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B. Further, all specialized Competent Persons for the work crews will be supplied by the respective contractor as required by 29 CFR 1926 (i.e.

Asbestos, Electrical, Cranes, & Derricks, Demolition, Fall Protection, Fire Safety/Life Safety, Ladder, Rigging, Scaffolds, and

Trenches/Excavations).

C. These Competent Persons can have collateral duties as the subcontractor’s superintendent and/or work crew lead persons as well as fill more than one specialized CP role (i.e. Asbestos, Electrical, Cranes, & Derricks, Demolition, Fall Protection, Fire Safety/Life

Safety, Ladder, Rigging, Scaffolds, and Trenches/Excavations).

D. The SSHO or an equally-qualified Designated Representative/alternate will maintain a presence on the site during construction operations in accordance with FAR Clause 52.236-6: Superintendence by the Contractor.

CPs will maintain presence during their construction activities in accordance with above mentioned clause. A listing of the designated

SSHO and all known CPs shall be submitted prior to the start of work as part of the APP with the training documentation and/or AHA as listed in

Section 1.8 below.

E. The repeated presence of uncontrolled hazards during a contractor’s work operations will result in the designated CP as being deemed incompetent and result in the required removal of the employee in accordance with FAR Clause 52.236-5: Material and Workmanship, Paragraph (c).

1.6 TRAINING:

A. The designated Prime Contractor SSHO must meet the requirements of all applicable OSHA standards and be capable (through training, experience, and qualifications) of ensuring that the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.16 and other appropriate Federal, State and local requirements are met for the project. As a minimum the SSHO must have completed the OSHA 30-hour

Construction Safety class and have five (5) years of construction industry safety experience or three (3) years if he/she possesses a

Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or certified Construction Safety and Health Technician (CSHT) certification or have a safety and health degree from an accredited university or college.

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B. All designated CPs shall have completed the OSHA 30-hour Construction

Safety course within the past 5 years.

C. In addition to the OSHA 30 Hour Construction Safety Course, all CPs with high hazard work operations such as operations involving asbestos, electrical, cranes, demolition, work at heights/fall protection, fire safety/life safety, ladder, rigging, scaffolds, and trenches/excavations shall have a specialized formal course in the hazard recognition & control associated with those high hazard work operations. Documented “repeat” deficiencies in the execution of safety requirements will require retaking the requisite formal course.

D. All other construction workers shall have the OSHA 10-hour Construction

Safety Outreach course and any necessary safety training to be able to identify hazards within their work environment.

E. Submit training records associated with the above training requirements to the Contracting Officer or Government Designated Authority for review for compliance with contract requirements in accordance with

Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT DATA AND SAMPLES 15 calendar days prior to the date of the preconstruction conference for acceptance.

F. Prior to any worker for the contractor or subcontractors beginning work, they shall undergo a safety briefing provided by the SSHO or his/her designated representative. As a minimum, this briefing shall include information on the site-specific hazards, construction limits, VAMC safety guidelines, means of egress, break areas, work hours, locations of restrooms, use of VAMC equipment, emergency procedures, accident reporting etc... Documentation shall be provided to the

Resident Engineer that individuals have undergone contractor’s safety briefing.

G. Ongoing safety training will be accomplished in the form of weekly documented safety meeting.

1.7 INSPECTIONS:

A. The SSHO shall conduct frequent and regular safety inspections (weekly) of the site and each of the subcontractors CPs shall conduct frequent and regular safety inspections (weekly) of their work operations as

01 35 26 -7 required by 29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2). Each week, the SSHO shall conduct a formal documented inspection of the entire construction areas with the subcontractors’ “Trade Safety and Health CPs” present in their work areas. Coordinate with, and report findings and corrective actions weekly to Contracting Officer.

1.8 ACCIDENTS, OSHA 300 LOGS, AND MAN-HOURS:

A. The prime contractor shall establish and maintain an accident reporting, recordkeeping, and analysis system to track and analyze all injuries and illnesses, high visibility incidents, and accidental property damage (both government and contractor) that occur on site.

Notify the Contracting Officer as soon as practical, but no more than four hours after any accident meeting the definition of a Moderate or

Major incidents, High Visibility Incidents, or any weight handling and hoisting equipment accident. Within notification include contractor name; contract title; type of contract; name of activity, installation or location where accident occurred; date and time of accident; names of personnel injured; extent of property damage, if any; extent of injury, if known, and brief description of accident (to include type of construction equipment used, PPE used, etc.). Preserve the conditions and evidence on the accident site until the Contracting Officer determine whether a government investigation will be conducted.

B. Conduct an accident investigation for all Minor, Moderate and Major incidents as defined in paragraph DEFINITIONS, and property damage accidents resulting in at least $20,000 in damages, to establish the root cause(s) of the accident. Complete the VA Form 2162 (or equivalent), and provide the report to the Contracting Officer or

Government Designated Authority within 5 calendar days of the accident.

The Contracting Officer will provide copies of any required or special forms.

C. A summation of all man-hours worked by the contractor and associated sub-contractors for each month will be reported to the Contracting

Officer monthly.

D. A summation of all Minor, Moderate, and Major incidents experienced on site by the contractor and associated sub-contractors for each month will be provided to the Contracting Officer monthly. The contractor

01 35 26 -8 and associated sub-contractors’ OSHA 300 logs will be made available to the Contracting Officer as requested.

1.9 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE):

A. PPE is governed in all areas by the nature of the work the employee is performing. For example, specific PPE required for performing work on electrical equipment is identified in NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical

Safety in the Workplace.

B. Mandatory PPE includes:

1. Hard Hats – unless written authorization is given by the Officer in circumstances of work operations that have limited potential for falling object hazards such as during finishing work or minor remodeling. With authorization to relax the requirement of hard hats, if a worker becomes exposed to an overhead falling object hazard, then hard hats would be required in accordance with the OSHA regulations.

2. Safety glasses - unless written authorization is given by the

Contracting Officer in circumstances of no eye hazards, appropriate safety glasses meeting the ANSI Z.87.1 standard must be worn by each person on site.

3. Appropriate Safety Shoes – based on the hazards present, safety shoes meeting the requirements of ASTM F2413-11 shall be worn by each person on site unless written authorization is given by the

Contracting Officer Representative in circumstances of no foot hazards.

4. Hearing protection - Use personal hearing protection at all times in designated noise hazardous areas or when performing noise hazardous tasks.

1.10 INFECTION CONTROL

A. Infection Control is critical in all medical center facilities.

Interior construction activities causing disturbance of existing dust, or creating new dust, must be conducted within ventilation-controlled areas that minimize the flow of airborne particles into other residential areas. Exterior construction activities causing

01 35 26 -9 disturbance of soil or creates dust in some other manner must be controlled.

B. An AHA associated with infection control will be performed by VA personnel in accordance with FGI Guidelines (i.e. Infection Control

Risk Assessment (ICRA)). The ICRA procedure found on the American

Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) website will be utilized.

Risk classifications of Class II or lower will require approval by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). Risk classifications of Class III or higher will require a permit before beginning any construction work. Infection Control permits will be issued by the

Sheridan VA Infection Control Service. The Infection Control

Permits will be posted outside the appropriate construction area.

More than one permit may be issued for a construction project if the work is located in separate areas requiring separate classes. The primary project scope area for this project is: Class I, however, work outside the primary project scope area may vary. The required infection control precautions with each class are as follows:

1. Identify these areas where dust and contamination might be generated and work with Medical Center personnel to achieve desired level of isolation suited to the scope of risk involved.

5. Other considerations.

1. Class I requirements:

a. During Construction Work:

1) Notify the Contracting Officer Representative

2) Execute work by methods to control raising dust from construction operations.

b. Upon Completion:

1) Clean work area upon completion of task

2) Notify the Contracting Officer Representative

2. Class II requirements:

a. During Construction Work:

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1) Notify the Contracting Officer Representative

2) Provide active means to prevent airborne dust from dispersing into atmosphere such as wet methods or tool mounted dust collectors where possible.

3) Water mist work surfaces to control dust while cutting.

4) Seal unused doors with duct tape.

5) Block off and seal air vents.

6) Remove or isolate HVAC system in areas where work is being performed.

b. Upon Completion:

1) Wipe work surfaces with cleaner/disinfectant.

2) Contain construction waste before transport in tightly covered containers.

3) Wet mop and/or vacuum with HEPA filtered vacuum before leaving work area.

4) Upon completion, restore HVAC system where work was performed

5) Notify the Contracting Officer Representative

3. Class III requirements:

a. During Construction Work:

1) Obtain permit from the Contracting Officer Representative

2) Remove or Isolate HVAC system in area where work is being done to prevent contamination of duct system.

3) Complete all critical barriers i.e. sheetrock, plywood, plastic, to seal area from non-work area or implement control cube method (cart with plastic covering and sealed connection to work site with HEPA vacuum for vacuuming prior to exit) before construction begins.

Install construction barriers and ceiling protection carefully, outside of normal work hours.

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4) Maintain negative air pressure, 0.01 inches of water gauge, within work site utilizing HEPA equipped air filtration units and continuously monitored with a digital display, recording and alarm instrument, which must be calibrated on installation, maintained with periodic calibration and monitored by the contractor.

5) Contain construction waste before transport in tightly covered containers.

6) Cover transport receptacles or carts. Tape covering unless solid lid.

b. Upon Completion:

1) Do not remove barriers from work area until completed project is inspected by the Contracting Officer Representative and thoroughly cleaned by the VA Environmental Services Department.

2) Remove construction barriers and ceiling protection carefully to minimize spreading of dirt and debris associated with construction, outside of normal work hours.

3) Vacuum work area with HEPA filtered vacuums.

4) Wet mop area with cleaner/disinfectant.

5) Upon completion, restore HVAC system if effected where work was performed.

6) Return permit to the Contracting Officer Representative

4. Class IV requirements:

a. During Construction Work:

1) Obtain permit from the Contracting Officer Representative

2) Isolate HVAC system in area where work is being done to prevent contamination of duct system.

3) Complete all critical barriers i.e., sheetrock, plywood, plastic, to seal area from non-work area or implement control cube method (cart with plastic covering and sealed connection to work site with HEPA vacuum for vacuuming prior to exit) before construction begins.

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Install construction barriers and ceiling protection carefully, outside of normal work hours.

4) Maintain negative air pressure, 0.01 inches of water gauge, within work site utilizing HEPA equipped air filtration units and continuously monitored with a digital display, recording and alarm instrument, which must be calibrated on installation, maintained with periodic calibration and monitored by the contractor.

5) Seal holes, pipes, conduits, and punctures.

6) Construct anteroom and require all personnel to pass through this room so they can be vacuumed using a HEPA vacuum cleaner before leaving work site or they can wear cloth or paper coveralls that are removed each time they leave work site.

7) All personnel entering work site are required to wear shoe covers.

Shoe covers must be changed each time the worker exits the work area.

b. Upon Completion:

1) Do not remove barriers from work area until completed project is inspected by the Contracting Officer Representative with thorough cleaning by the VA Environmental Services Dept.

2) Remove construction barriers and ceiling protection carefully to minimize spreading of dirt and debris associated with construction, outside of normal work hours.

3) Contain construction waste before transport in tightly covered containers.

4) Cover transport receptacles or carts. Tape covering unless solid lid.

5) Vacuum work area with HEPA filtered vacuums.

6) Wet mop area with cleaner/disinfectant.

7) Upon completion, restore HVAC system where work was performed.

8) Return permit to the Contracting Officer Representative

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C. Barriers shall be erected as required based upon classification

(Class III & IV requires barriers) and shall be constructed as follows:

1. Class III and IV - closed door with masking tape applied over the frame and door is acceptable for projects that can be contained in a single room.

2. Construction, demolition or reconstruction not capable of containment within a single room must have the following barriers erected and made presentable on hospital occupied side:

a. Class III & IV (where dust control is the only hazard, and an agreement is reached with the Resident Engineer and Medical Center)

- Airtight plastic barrier that extends from the floor to ceiling.

Seams must be sealed with duct tape to prevent dust and debris from escaping

b. Class III & IV - Drywall barrier erected with joints covered or sealed to prevent dust and debris from escaping.

c. Class III & IV - Seal all penetrations in existing barrier airtight

d. Class III & IV - Barriers at penetration of ceiling envelopes, chases and ceiling spaces to stop movement air and debris

e. Class IV only - Anteroom or double entrance openings that allow workers to remove protective clothing or vacuum off existing clothing

f. Class III & IV - At elevators shafts or stairways within the field of construction, overlapping flap minimum of two feet wide of polyethylene enclosures for personnel access.

D. Products and Materials:

1. Sheet Plastic: Fire retardant polyethylene, 6-mil thickness meeting local fire codes

2. Barrier Doors: Self Closing fire-rated solid core wood in steel frame, painted

01 35 26 -14

4. High Efficiency Particulate Air-Equipped filtration machine rated at

95% capture of 0.3 microns including pollen, mold spores and dust particles. HEPA filters should have ASHRAE 85 or other prefilter to extend the useful life of the HEPA. Provide both primary and secondary filtrations units. Maintenance of equipment and replacement of the HEPA filters and other filters will be in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Exhaust Hoses: Heavy duty, flexible steel reinforced; Ventilation

Blower Hose

6. Adhesive Walk-off Mats: Provide minimum size mats of 24 inches x 36 inches

7. Disinfectant: Hospital-approved disinfectant or equivalent product

8. Portable Ceiling Access Module

E. Before any construction on site begins, all contractor personnel involved in the construction or renovation activity shall be educated and trained in infection prevention measures established by the medical center.

F. A dust control program will be established and maintained as part of the contractor’s infection preventive measures in accordance with the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Healthcare

Facilities. Prior to start of work, prepare a plan detailing project-specific dust protection measures with associated product data, including periodic status reports, and submit to COR for review for compliance with contract requirements in accordance with

Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT DATA AND SAMPLES.

G. Medical center Infection Control personnel will monitor for airborne disease (e.g., aspergillosis) during construction. A baseline of conditions will be established by the medical center prior to the start of work and periodically during the construction stage to determine impact of construction activities on indoor air quality with safe thresholds established.

H. In general, the following preventive measures shall be adopted during construction to keep down dust and prevent mold.

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1. Contractor shall verify that construction exhaust to exterior is not reintroduced to other residential areas through intake vents or building openings. HEPA filtration is required where the exhaust dust may reenter other residential areas.

2. Exhaust hoses shall be exhausted so that dust is not reintroduced to the medical center.

3. Adhesive Walk-off/Carpet Walk-off Mats if required by the COR shall be used at all interior transitions from the construction area to occupied medical center or residential areas. These mats shall be changed as often as required to maintain clean work areas directly outside construction area at all times.

4. Vacuum and wet mop all transition areas from construction to other residential areas at the end of each workday. Vacuum shall utilize

HEPA filtration. Maintain surrounding area frequently. Remove debris as it is created. Transport these outside the construction area in containers with tightly fitting lids.

5. The contractor shall not haul debris through patient-care areas without prior approval of the Resident Engineer and the Medical

Center. When, approved, debris shall be hauled in enclosed dust proof containers or wrapped in plastic and sealed with duct tape. No sharp objects should be allowed to cut through the plastic. Wipe down the exterior of the containers with a damp rag to remove dust.

All equipment, tools, material, etc. transported through occupied areas shall be made free from dust and moisture by vacuuming and wipe down.

6. There shall be no standing water during construction. This includes water in equipment drip pans and open containers within the construction areas. All accidental spills must be cleaned up and dried within 12 hours. Remove and dispose of porous materials that remain damp for more than 72 hours.

7. At completion, remove construction barriers and ceiling protection carefully, outside of normal work hours. Vacuum and clean all surfaces free of dust after the removal.

I. Final Cleanup:

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1. Upon completion of project, or as work progresses, remove all construction debris from above ceiling, vertical shafts and utility chases that have been part of the construction.

2. Perform HEPA vacuum cleaning of all surfaces in the construction area. This includes walls, ceilings, cabinets, furniture (built-in or free standing), partitions, flooring, etc.

3. All new air ducts shall be cleaned prior to final inspection.

J. Exterior Construction

1. Contractor shall verify that dust will not be introduced into the other occupied areas of the building through intake vents or building openings. HEPA filtration on intake vents is required where dust may be introduced.

2. Dust created from disturbance of soil such as from vehicle movement will be wetted with use of a water truck as necessary

3. All cutting, drilling, grinding, sanding, or disturbance of materials shall be accomplished with tools equipped with either local exhaust ventilation (i.e., vacuum systems) or wet suppression controls.

1.11 FIRE SAFETY

A. Fire Safety Plan: Establish and maintain a site-specific fire protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1926. Prior to start of work, prepare a plan detailing project-specific fire safety measures, including periodic status reports, and submit to Contracting Officer for review for compliance with contract requirements in accordance with

Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT DATA AND SAMPLES. This plan may be an element of the Accident Prevention Plan.

B. Site and Building Access: Maintain free and unobstructed access to facility emergency services and for fire, police and other emergency response forces in accordance with NFPA 241.

C. Separate temporary facilities, such as trailers, storage sheds, and dumpsters, from existing buildings and new construction by distances in accordance with NFPA 241. For small facilities with less than 6 m (20 feet) exposing overall length, separate by 3m (10 feet).

01 35 26 -17

D. Fire Extinguishers: Provide and maintain extinguishers in construction areas and temporary storage areas in accordance with 29 CFR 1926, NFPA

241 and NFPA 10.

E. Dispose of waste and debris in accordance with NFPA 241. Remove from buildings daily.

1.12 FALL PROTECTION

A. The fall protection (FP) threshold height requirement is 6 ft (1.8 m) for ALL WORK, unless specified differently or the OSHA 29 CFR 1926 requirements are more stringent, to include steel erection activities, systems-engineered activities (prefabricated) metal buildings, residential (wood) construction and scaffolding work.

1. Fall protection while using a ladder will be governed by the OSHA requirements.

1.13 SCAFFOLDS AND OTHER WORK PLATFORMS

A. All scaffolds and other work platforms construction activities shall comply with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L.

B. The fall protection (FP) threshold height requirement is 6 ft (1.8 m) as stated in Section 1.16.

C. The following hierarchy and prohibitions shall be followed in selecting appropriate work platforms.

1. Scaffolds, platforms, or temporary floors shall be provided for all work except that can be performed safely from the ground or similar footing.

2. Ladders less than 20 feet may be used as work platforms only when use of small hand tools or handling of light material is involved.

3. Ladder jacks, lean-to, and prop-scaffolds are prohibited.

4. Emergency descent devices shall not be used as working platforms.

D. Contractors shall use a scaffold tagging system in which all scaffolds are tagged by the Competent Person. Tags shall be color-coded: green indicates the scaffold has been inspected and is safe to use; red indicates the scaffold is unsafe to use. Tags shall be readily visible, 01 35 26 -18 made of materials that will withstand the environment in which they are used, be legible and shall include:

1. The Competent Person’s name and signature;

2. Dates of initial and last inspections.

E. Mast Climbing work platforms: When access ladders, including masts designed as ladders, exceed 20 ft (6 m) in height, positive fall protection shall be used.

1.14 CRANES

A. All crane work shall comply with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC.

B. Prior to operating a crane, the operator must be licensed, qualified or certified to operate the crane. Thus, all the provisions contained with Subpart CC are effective and there is no “Phase In” date.

C. Crane operators shall not carry loads

1. over the general public or VAMC personnel

2. over any occupied building unless

1.15 CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

A. All confined space entry shall comply with 29 CFR 1926, Subpart AA except for specifically referenced operations in 29 CFR 1926 such as excavations/trenches.

1.16 WELDING AND CUTTING

A. As specified in section 1.14, Hot Work: Perform and safeguard hot work operations in accordance with NFPA 241 and NFPA 51B. Coordinate with

Contracting Officer. Obtain permits from Contracting Officer and/or other Government Designated Authority at least 24 hours in advance.

Designate contractor's responsible project-site fire prevention program manager to permit hot work.

1.17 LADDERS

A. All Ladder use shall comply with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart X.

B. All portable ladders shall be of sufficient length and shall be placed so that workers will not stretch or assume a hazardous position.

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C. Manufacturer safety labels shall be in place on ladders

D. Step Ladders shall not be used in the closed position

E. Top steps or cap of step ladders shall not be used as a step

F. Portable ladders, used as temporary access, shall extend at least 3 ft

(0.9 m) above the upper landing surface.

1. When a 3 ft (0.9-m) extension is not possible, a grasping device

(such as a grab rail) shall be provided to assist workers in mounting and dismounting the ladder.

2. In no case shall the length of the ladder be such that ladder deflection under a load would, by itself, cause the ladder to slip from its support.

G. Ladders shall be inspected for visible defects on a daily basis and after any occurrence that could affect their safe use. Broken or damaged ladders shall be immediately tagged "DO NOT USE," or with similar wording, and withdrawn from service until restored to a condition meeting their original design.

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