500 EM385-1-1 Construction Safety Hazard Awareness for Contractors Sections 1 - 6

06.J.04 Cold Stress Management Plan (CSMP).

1. Extended work duration in refrigerated rooms;
2. Work in cold environments taking into consideration heat loss from wind speeds (e.g., when air temperature or wind chill could drop below 40oF (4.4oC);
3. Extended bare-hand work in cold weather;
4. Working with hands or parts of the body in cold water for periods greater than 10-12 minutes or potential cold water emersion;
5. Working in snow or ice.

06.J.05

The CSMP must address:

1. Training on the signs, symptoms, and first aid for hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot;
2. Control and prevention measures to include PPE, engineering and administrative controls, eating, drinking, and safe work practices;
3. Conditions and limitations in which bare hand work can be performed;
4. Frequency. Air temperature and wind speed must be taken should be taken at least every 4 hours when the temperature drops below 20ºF (-6ºC) and wind speed exceeds 5 mph (8 kmph) or broadcasted wind chill factors may be used if the reading is within 10 miles of the location.

06.J.06

In cold environments the following guidelines must be followed to prevent cold- related injury.

1. Warming shelters should be made available nearby when the wind chill drops below 10ºF (-12ºC).
2. A change of clothing must be available if there is an opportunity for a worker to become wet.

4. Workers exposed to -15ºF (-26ºC) must use the work/warm-up schedule specified in the ACGIH TLVs/BEIs booklet.
5. If any extremity or body part is immersed in water where the air temperature is below 40ºF (4ºC), the employee must be required to change any clothing that became wet and to dry off in a warm area.
6. Environmental monitoring. As the wind chill drops below 20ºF (-7ºC), the air temperature and wind speed (wind chill index) must be monitored a minimum of every 4 hours or as warranted.
7. When the wind chill falls below 0ºF (-17ºC), the air temperature and wind speed must be monitored every 2 hours or more frequently if it drops below this level.

06.K Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD)Prevention.

06.K.01

06.K.02

When work activities that stress the body's capabilities are identified, the employer must identify it as a hazard in the APP or Project SOH Plan. The plan must incorporate processes that recognize cumulative trauma hazards, isolate causative factors, inform and train employees, provide and implement PPE and engineering controls, if appropriate.

06.K.03

Control measures to minimize hand-arm vibration (HAV) must include: use of anti- vibration tools and/or gloves; implementation of work practices that keep the employee's hands and body warm/minimize vibration coupling between employee and the vibration tool; application of specialized medical surveillance to identify personnel susceptible to vibration, and adherence to TLV guidelines as specified by ACGIH in "Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices". For USACE only, the evaluation must include:

1. Acceleration measurements made according to ANSI S2.70 or acceleration data from the manufacturer (ISO 8662) or an online HAV database that has collected tool specific data via ISO 5349. If using manufacturer's data, a safety factor of 2.0 should be incorporated and if using an online database, a safety factor of 1.25 is warranted.
2. Using an estimate or measurement for each individual piece of equipment used by an operator, a time weighted average of the vibration exposure must be determined. Detailed description of the proper method of completing the vibration evaluations is found in ANSI S2.70.
3. If the estimate or monitored HAV exposure is greater than 2.5 m/s2, then controls must be implemented in the following order: changing the process to use lower vibrating equipment; using anti-vibration handles, mounts, tension chains; limited tool usage; providing training or techniques such as tool speed and proper shut off times; and the use of anti-vibration gloves that meet ANSI S2.73.

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