513 EM 385-1-1 Chapters 23-29

Sections

27-8. General Requirements.

General Guidelines

Ensure all work adheres to the 6-foot fall protection threshold and that the structure can support construction loads as verified by a qualified person.
Implement controls to prevent employee exposure to hazards such as protruding steel or impalement risks, and prohibit working under suspended loads like concrete buckets.
Select and use appropriate PPE as per chapter 5 and establish barricades with clear postings to safeguard the public from potential work hazards, complying with MUTCD and ANSI/ASSP A10.34 standards.

Concrete Handling and Equipment

Ensure bulk storage bins have conical bottoms with mechanisms for material flow, equip concrete mixers with material-clearing devices and guardrails, and use nonconductive or insulated bull floats near energized conductors.
Install automatic shut-off controls on manually guided concrete troweling machines and equip concrete buckets with safety latches and designs preventing material accumulation.
Strengthen concrete pumping systems for overload, prevent concrete buggy handle extension beyond wheels, and securely connect tremies and similar conveyances.

Structural and Reinforcing Steel Safety

Stabilize steel structures like walls and columns using bracing, guying, welding, or other supports designed by an RPE, ensuring reinforcement steel has independent support systems.
Secure equipment connections used in plumbing-up, fasten turnbuckles to avert unwinding under stress, and arrange plumbing-up guys for accessible connections.
Implement measures to prevent wire mesh from recoiling.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

27-5. All concrete, masonry, roofing, and wood construction work must _____.

support twice indented load when hoisted

adhere to the 6-foot fall protection threshold

comply with the 4-foot fall protection rule

ensure guardrails are installed for work above 4 feet

You forgot to answer the question!

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 27-8 (a.–c).

27-8. General Requirements. (a.–c).

a.  General. (27-8.a)

(1)  For all work covered by this chapter, the fall protection threshold height requirement is 6 feet (1.8 m) (see chapter 21).

(2)  Do not place construction loads on a structure or portion of a structure unless the employer determines, based on information from a person who is qualified in structural design, that the structure or portion of the structure is capable of supporting the loads.

(3)  Do not allow employees to work above or in positions exposed to protruding reinforcing steel, fasteners, or other impalement hazards unless provisions have been made to control the hazard.

(4)  Working Under Loads.

(a)  Do not allow employees to work under concrete buckets, bundled material loads, or other suspended loads.

(b)  To the extent practical, route elevated concrete buckets and loads to minimize the exposure of workers to hazards associated with falling loads or materials from the loads. Keep vibrator crews out from under concrete buckets suspended from cranes or cableways.
        (c)  Do not allow anyone to ride on concrete buckets or other suspended loads.

(5)  Select and use PPE (as necessary for the work activity being performed
    according to chapter 5.

(6)  Where the work activities performed present a potential hazard to the public, set up and maintain barricades with proper postings to alert the public to the hazards according to the MUTCD and ANSI/ASSP A10.34, and any other state or local requirements.

b.  Concrete. (27-8.b)

(1)  Equipment.

(a)  Bulk storage bins, containers, or silos must have conical or tapered bottoms with mechanical or pneumatic means of starting the flow of material.

(b)  Equip concrete mixers having a 1 yd3 (0.8 m3) or larger loading skip with a mechanical device to clear the skip of material.  Also install guardrails on each side of the skip.  (See chapter 21)

(c)  Construct the handles on bull floats used where they may contact energized electrical conductors of nonconductive material or insulate them with a nonconductive sheath that provides equivalent protection.

(d)  Equip powered and rotating concrete troweling machines that are manually guided with a control switch that will automatically shut off the power whenever the operator removes their hands from the equipment handles.

(e)  Concrete buckets equipped with hydraulic or pneumatically operated gates must have positive safety latches or similar safety devices installed to prevent premature or accidental dumping.  Design the buckets to prevent material from accumulating on the top and sides of the bucket.

(f)  Provide concrete pumping systems using discharge pipes with pipe supports designed for 100% overload.

(g)  Concrete buggy handles must not extend beyond the wheels on either side of the buggy.

(h)  Secure the sections of tremies and similar concrete conveyances with wire rope or equivalent material in addition to the regular couplings or connections.

c.  Structural and Reinforcing Steel.  (27-8.c)

(1)  Brace, guy, weld, or otherwise support structural and reinforcing steel for walls, piers, columns, and similar vertical structures to prevent overturning or collapse. An RPE must design any support systems for reinforcing steel that are independent of other forms of shoring support systems.

(2)  Properly secure all equipment connections used in plumbing-up.

(3)  Secure turnbuckles to prevent unwinding while under stress.

(4)  Place plumbing-up guys and related equipment so that employees can get at the connection points.

(5)  Prevent unrolled wire mesh from recoiling.