Masonry Magazine December 1994 Page. 18
have each worker wear a hard hat and must:
- erect toeboards, screens or guardrails to prevent objects from falling.
- erect a canopy structure and keep objects away from the edge of the higher level, or
- barricade the area to which objects could fall and keep objects away from the edge of the higher level.
1926.502 Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices
The top edge of guardrails must be between 39 inches and 45 inches high.
Midrails, screen, mesh or intermediate vertical members must be installed between the top edge of the guardrail and the walking/working surface when there is no wall or parapet wall at least 21 inches high.
Guardrails must be capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds applied within two inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction.
With 200 pounds of downward force the top edge of the guardrail must not deflect to less than 39 inches.
Midrails, screens, mesh and intermediate vertical members must be capable of withstanding a force of at least 150 pounds applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the midrail or other member.
Guardrail must be surfaced in a way that will prevent punctures, lacerations and snags.
The ends of top rails and mid rails must not overhang terminal posts unless an overhang would not create a projection hazard.
Steel and plastic banding must not be used on top and mid rails.
Top and mid rails must be at least one quarter inch nominal diameter or thickness.
When guardrail is used in hoisting areas, a chain, gate or removable guardrail section must be placed across access opening when hoisting operations are not taking place.
When guardrails are used at holes they must be erected on all unprotected sides or edges.
When guardrails are used to protect holes which are used for passage of materials not more than two sides can be protected by removable guardrail.
Safety nets must be installed as close as possible, but not more than 30 feet below the walking/working surface.
Safety nets must extend outward from the outermost projection of the work surface (see regulations for distances).
Drop tests must be performed on safety nets by dropping a 400 pound 30-32 inch diameter bag of sand into the net from the highest walking/working surface (but not less than 42 inches).
When it is unreasonable to perform a drop test on a net, the employer or a designated competent person must certify that the net and net installation are in compliance with this standard.
Nets must be inspected at least once a week and defective nets and parts must be removed from service.
Effective January 1, 1998, body belts are not acceptable as part of a fall arrest system.
Lanyards and vertical life lines must have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds.
Personal fall arrest systems when stopping a fall must limit the maximum arresting force on the worker to 1,800 pounds when used with a body harness.
Personal fall arrest systems when stopping a fall must limit the
Construction Edges Up One Percent in July
THE VALUE of new construction contracts advanced one percent in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $285.3-billion, according to the F. W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill. The latest month's gain resulted from modest improvement for housing and nonbuilding construction (public works and utilities), as nonresidential building held steady at its heightened July amount.
The August report lifted the Dodge Index to 110 (1987 100), up from July's 109 with the Index showing slight expansion for the second consecutive month. Previously, during 1994's second quarter, the Index had slipped back 2 percent from its first quarter average due to a loss of momentum for single family housing. The modest upturn posted in July and August resulted from widespread strengthening across a variety of structure types the type of behavior typical of a maturing construction cycle.
Residential construction, at $123.7-billion, rose 2 percent in August, reflecting a one percent gain in the value of single family starts and a 10 percent increase for the much smaller multifamily segment. Single family housing is now about 15 percent below its level at the end of 1993, but it has demonstrated stability in the Dodge data over the past three months at a still healthy amount.
Regionally, housing activity in August expanded in the South Atlantic, South Central, and West, but retreated in the Northeast and Midwest.
Nonresidential construction, at $97.8-billion, stayed unchanged in August from its its strong July pace-the highest reported in 1994 to that point. The latest month showed a 5 percent advance for the institutional building sector, led by greater levels of school, hospital, and detention facility construction. However, commercial and industrial building fell back 4 percent due to a reduced dollar volume for warehouses and manufacturing plants. Of note, store construction managed to improve further on a particularly strong July.
At the end of 1994's first eight months, total construction on an unadjusted basis held a 7 percent lead over the same period a year ago. The breakdown by sector reveals how 1994's more balanced pattern of recovery is coming through-residential building was up 9 percent in the January-August period, followed closely by 7 percent improvement for nonresidential building. Nonbuilding construction showed a corresponding gain of 4 percent. By region, the West was up 13 percent during 1994's first eight months, trailed by the South Central, up 11 percent; the Midwest, up 8 percent; and the South Atlantic, up 7 percent. The Northeast continued to stand apart, with a 7 percent decline from its year-ago volume.
18 MASONRY-NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 1994