Let's talk about what makes a fire and what we can do to prevent one. Fire can be compared to a triangle. Three sides are necessary to make a triangle and three ingredients are necessary to cause a fire. These are heat, air, and fuel. If any one of these three sides is missing, there can be no fire.   HEAT Heat, the first side of the fire triangle, can come from many sources. It can be generated by sparks from welding operations, discarded cigarette butts, electrical shorts, frayed wiring, friction from power tools, and hot exhaust pipes.  FUEL Fuel, the second side of the fire tr... » Read more

Roofing

Posted 03/24/15 10:20:27 AM

Temporary stair railings and guard rails are not a special luxury for select jobs—they are REQUIRED BY LAW ON ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS to protect workers like you from falls. Since falls from upper levels account for such a high percentage of construction accidents, both stair railings and guard rails should be built in conjunction with the building progress, NOT PUT OFF to a later date, or as time permits. Because of their importance, don't cheat on quality—BUILD THEM RIGHT! A standard guard rail must be 42" high from floor to top of rail, its posts must not exceed 8' centers, it must have a midrail, and a 4" high toeboard strong enough to stop tools, materials, etc, from sliding or rolling over the edge. If a 4" toeboard is not sufficient to restrain adjacent materials, then paneling or screening should be used.... » Read more

Roofing

Posted 03/24/15 10:20:11 AM

Falls are one of the most common accidents on a job site.  On average, about 7,000 workers die each year form a fall.  As a roofer, we could fall walking on the job site, off the ladder going to the work area, fall off the edge of the roof or even through the roof. Who has seen or hear of a worker who sat on a skylight for a break, a drink or a smoke,  then the skylight breaks  and the worker falls to the concrete floor below.  Another hazard we face every day are floor opening.  These may exist for roof top units, roof access or other reasons.  But we don't need a skylight or a floor opening to fall through a roof.  We can over load a roof with materials and equipment until the structure gives way or we can start working on an ol... » Read more

Roofing

Posted 03/24/15 10:19:32 AM

TAKING SHORT CUTS IS COMMON PRACTICE Everyone  takes a shortcut at one time or another. Kids jump the fence instead of using the gate. Pedestrians cross streets between intersections. In many cases, a shortcut involves danger.   BREAK THE HABIT If you have the habit of taking dangerous shortcuts, break it. In our work it can be deadly.  An iron worker who tried to cross an opening by swinging on reinforcing rods slipped and fell 20' onto a concrete floor. If he had taken a few moments to walk around the opening, he'd still be tying rods.  AVOID DANGEROUS SITUATIONS... » Read more

Roofing

Posted 03/24/15 10:19:16 AM

It's a terrible thing to realize that hardly a work day goes by without a construction worker falling off a scaffold to his death. And those who survive scaffold falls are often crippled for the remainder of their lives. These tragedies are sometimes caused by faulty design or poor construction. But in most cases the basic cause is poor maintenance or improper use — something that you can do something about. Practical, foresighted people "keep both feet on the ground." And practical foresighted construction workers keep both feet on the scaffold. Here's how you can be sure to keep your feet there: ·... » Read more

Roofing

Posted 03/24/15 10:19:04 AM