New Hire s Training Please Read and Sign Each Page Print Name Please Circle the appropriate YES or NO per question. If your answer is yes to any of these questions, please provide documentation of said certification. If you have ANY experience write it in the space provided. (Example: You have 4 years of experience on Scaffolding. You also have 4 months experience using powder tools) Card Certification Amount of Experience First Aid/CPR Card YES NO Valid Driver License YES NO Respirator Fit Test Card YES NO Years of Experience Scaffold Training YES NO Years of Experience Fall Protection Training YES NO Years of Experience Powder Actuated Tool Cards YES NO Years of Experience Scissor Lift Card YES NO Years of Experience Aerial Cards YES NO Years of Experience Forklift Card YES NO Years of Experience
Personal Fall Arrest Systems When working on a surface from an elevated location you must be protected from falling. This can be accomplished through the use of guardrails, Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS) or other barriers. If a PFAS is used, you must know how to use it properly. A PFAS is used to limit free fall to 6 feet. It consists of an anchorage, connectors, a body harness, lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or combinations of these. The straps of the body harness are worn around the thighs, pelvis, waist, chest and shoulders to distribute the force of a fall and reduce the potential for injury. Do not use a body belt as a PFAS. It can only be used as a positioning device. The purpose of a positioning device is to hold you in place while you work on a vertical surface. It must limit a fall to two feet. The D-ring of the harness should be located on your back for connection to a lanyard. The lanyard is a flexible line of rope, wire rope, or strap. It may contain or be connected to a deceleration device. A deceleration device is a mechanism, which slows your fall reducing the force on your body. During the arresting of a fall, a lanyard will stretch. The additional stopping distance caused by a deceleration device or stretching of the lanyard may be very significant. Check the total distance with the vendor. The lanyard/deceleration device is connected to a lifeline or directly to an anchorage point. There are two types of lifelines. A vertical lifeline consists of a rope or cable for connection to an anchorage point. Each employee must have a separate vertical lifeline. A horizontal lifeline stretches between two anchorage points and serves as an anchorage for one or more lanyards or vertical lifelines. Always make sure the PFAS is suited to the work environment. The presence of acids, dirt, moisture, oil, etc., and their effect on the system, should be evaluated. Protect systems from damage, which may be caused by work operations such as chemical cleaning and sandblasting. Hot or cold environments may also have an affect on the system. Wire rope should not be used where an electrical hazard may be present. Inspect a PFAS before use. Check for distorted hooks or faulty hook springs; tongues unfitted to the shoulder of buckles; loose or damaged mountings; non-functioning pads; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes. Any part which has been altered, damaged or has other wear, such as cuts, tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching is defective. Defective systems must be tagged "Do Not Use", or destroyed. PFASs that have been subjected to a fall must be removed from service. Never mix parts of different systems. Not all parts are compatible. Any substitutions or changes to a PFAS should be fully evaluated by a competent person. Use an appropriate anchorage point. This is one of the most important aspects of a PFAS. Anchorage points must not deflect greater than 0.04 inches when a force of 2,250 pounds is applied. The following are anchorage points, which may be used. Anchorage points purposely built into the structure which were designed by a registered professional engineer or other qualified person. Steel members or I-beams may be used if an acceptable strap is available for the connection (a lanyard with a snap hook clipped onto itself may NOT be used). Guardrails or railings may be used if they have been designed for use as an anchor point. Masonry or wood members can only be used if the attachment point is substantial and precautions have been taken to assure that bolts or other connectors will not pull through. All anchor points should be checked by a qualified person and must meet OSHA standards.
Personal Fall Arrest Systems Use care when tying off. A knot in a rope lanyard or lifeline can reduce the strength of the system by 50% or more. When placed around an H or I beam, its strength may be reduced as much as 70 percent. Use material, which provides the proper protection such as a webbing lanyard or wire core lifeline. The angle of attachment to a horizontal lifeline can also reduce the strength. A sag angle of 15 degrees changes the force to about 2:1. At 5 degrees, it is about 6:1. Qualified persons must design horizontal lifeline systems. A final consideration is the location of the tie-off. Think of the path of a potential fall. Consider the hazards of obstructions. Use a tie-off, which reduces or eliminates swinging. If a fall does occur, rescue should begin as soon as possible. Injuries may have occurred. If an individual is suspended for a period of time, other injuries may occur from the restriction of blood flow to the body caused by the harness. Become familiar with all rescue procedures.
Scaffold Hazards While injuries might result from any number of activities associated with scaffold use, the most serous problems usually happen because of exposure to three main hazards: falls, being struck by falling objects and electrical shock. It is important to remember that many of the dangers you are exposed to at ground level may also be present on a scaffold. Even so, a great many injuries and deaths can be prevented by constantly guarding against the top three hazards. FALLS The most common reasons for falls from scaffolds are the lack of guardrails, scaffolds being improperly planked, or employees not using scaffolds properly. Plank related accidents occur when unsecured planks become dislodged or spaces on the platform allow a worker to fall through. Working outside of fall protection, or working when conditions are dangerous also lead to falls. Dangerous conditions include high winds and electrical storms. Devastating accidents also occur when scaffolds collapse because they were not constructed properly. You should not attempt to construct a scaffold unless you have been properly trained to do so, and then only under the direct supervision of a competent person. FALL PROTECTION Fall protection is required on any scaffold 10' or more above a lower level. Two systems used commonly by painting contractors, ladder jacks and pump jacks require the use of personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), which secure the employee to a lifeline. A guardrail system will serve as adequate fall protection for the majority of scaffolds used by painting and decorating employees. A guardrail system consists of, but is not limited to, toprails, midrails and posts. Toprails should be placed between 38 and 45 inches above the platform. midrails should be approximately halfway between the toprail and the platform. Guardrail systems must extend around all open sides of the scaffold. The side facing the work surface need not have a guardrail if it is less than 14" away. Any opening on a scaffold platform must be protected by a guardrail system. This would include access openings and platforms, which do not extend across the entire width of the scaffold. STRUCK BY FALLING OBJECTS When you work or pass beneath scaffolds you are prone to the hazards of falling objects. Equipment and materials may fall to the surface below. When working on the scaffold you may also be struck if there are others working above you. Anyone exposed to falling objects must wear appropriate head protection. The use of barriers, screens, mesh, nets and toeboards can help prevent objects falling on to workers below. PROTECTION FROM FALLING OBJECTS Painters and other workers exposed to falling objects while working on or near a scaffold are required to wear hardhats. In addition to hardhats, at least one other form of protection must also be provided. One way to protect workers from falling objects is to install a screen or mesh on the open sides of the scaffold. These must extend from the toprail to the platform. Other forms of protection include debris nets, catch platforms and canopy structures.
Scaffold Hazards Because many of these other methods are impractical for painting and decorating work, the use of barricades may be more appropriate. Properly placed, the barricades will prevent other workers from passing beneath the scaffold. Even in this industry, however, the most common form of falling object protection is a toeboard. These should be installed on all scaffold platforms above 10' and should be a minimum of 3 1/2" in height. ELECTRICAL SHOCK Electrical shock is especially dangerous because most scaffolds you will use are constructed from metal. The problem is escalated by the fact that the structures are rarely grounded. Scaffolds erected without the supervision of a competent person may be placed too close to live electrical wires. When scaffolds must be erected near power lines that can't be moved, protective barriers should be placed on the wires or they should be deenergized. Unqualified persons should not attempt such actions. ELECTRIC SHOCK PROTECTION When erecting or using a scaffold near power lines, the following guidelines have to be followed. The minimum approach distance for insulated lines less than 300 volts is 3 feet. For uninsulated lines less than 50 kilovolts (kv), the minimum approach distance is 10 feet. For any lines over 50 kv (insulated or uninsulated), the minimum approach distance is 10 feet plus 4 inches for every 1 kv over 50. These minimum approach distances include the scaffold, you (as far as you can reach), and any conductive materials you may be using. Scaffolds may be erected closer to power lines than the distances listed above, but only after contacting the utility company. The scaffold cannot be erected or used until the utility company has de-energized, moved, or covered the lines with protective barrier. Never attempt to perform any painting operations around electric lines where the hazardous energy has not been controlled.
Safe Scaffold Use Scaffolds may only be erected, moved, dismantled or altered under the direct supervision of a competent person qualified for such activity. Prior to using a scaffold, the maximum intended load that the scaffold is capable of handling should be determined. Just as important as knowing this limit, is knowing how much you, your equipment and paint and other materials weigh. If you are part of a painting crew that will be working on the scaffold, the combined weight should be determined before beginning work. Never overload a scaffold for any reason. Scaffolds should be inspected by a competent person before the beginning of each shift and after any occurrence, which could weaken a scaffold's structural integrity. During the inspection, look for visible defects such as improper or shifted planking. Any weakened or defective structural elements should be replaced. If they can't be replaced, the scaffold should not be used. Check guy wires and other elements intended to support the structure. Make sure that guardrails are in place and that the platform's surface is free of slipping and tripping hazards. Painting equipment, paints, tools and debris should not be allowed to accumulate on the scaffold. Materials should be neatly stacked and arranged to prevent tripping. You may not work on scaffolds exposed to high winds unless a competent person has determined that it is OK to do so. If it is determined that the work can be continued, you must use a PFAS (Personal Fall Arrest System). Windscreens may be used in place of the PFAS, but only if the scaffold is secured against the force of the wind. During electrical storms, work must be stopped and you must leave the scaffold. Avoid working with tools or materials, which could damage the scaffold. Standing on boxes, barrels, and ladders to extend your reach is prohibited. Climbing outside the guardrail without the use of a PFAS (Personal Fall Arrest System) and climbing the structure to access the scaffold platform are also prohibited. When using mobile scaffolds, be sure to lock the wheels before accessing the platform. NEVER propel the scaffold while on the platform, this increases the chance of toppling, and since the wheels can't be locked to do this, you increase your risk of being injured should the scaffold be jarred from below. Take the time to climb down from the scaffold, move the equipment and relock the wheels before climbing back up. If speed precautions are taken, others may move rolling scaffold while you ride on it. Consult the OSHA regulations, or your supervisor for more information. Manual force used to move the scaffold should be applied as close to the base as is practical, but no more than 5' above the supporting surface.
Voluntary Use of Respirators If the amount of a chemical in the air is below the WISHA permissible exposure limit for that chemical, respirators are not required. Nevertheless, some employees may be bothered by the odor or want to minimize their exposure to any level of chemicals in the air. Some employers will allow their employee to wear respirators even though they are not required by WISHA regulations Some employers will provide these respirators or employees may bring in their own respirators. If the respirators used are any type other than dust masks, the employer is still responsible for the correct use of these respirators. Respirators can in themselves cause adverse effects to persons with medical conditions such as heart or lung problems. Therefore a voluntary user of a respirator must complete the medical questionnaire and must be given the informational handout below. You should also make sure the respirator is not an unnecessary safety hazard that restricts vision, communication or movement. Important Information About Voluntary Use of Respirators Note.' "You" and "your" mean the employee in the following information. Respirators protect against airborne contaminants when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged, even When exposure to contaminants are below the exposure limit(s), to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to you. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards, even if the amount of hazardous contaminants (chemical & biological) does not exceed the limits set by WISHA standards. If your employer provides respirators for your voluntary use, or if you are allowed to provide your own respirator, you need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard. You should do the following' 1. Read and follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations. 2 Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the U S. Department of Health and Human Services, certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you. 3 Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter dust particles will not protect you against solvent vapor or smoke (since smoke particles are much smaller than dust particles) 4 Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else's respirator