~ ~ ~Maryland Society of Surveyors

Hunt Valley, Maryland

October 6, 2017

Presented by Gary R. Kent, PS

Safety and Health in

Surveying~ Make it Home each Night ~

I. Safety in General

✓ Safety Culture

✓ Personal Responsibility

✓ Resources

✓ Insurance, regulatory and client

considerations and metrics

Discussion Topics

II. Taking Steps to Mitigate Hazards

✓ Websites

✓ Training opportunities

✓ Job Hazard Analysis

✓ Weekly Tool Box talks

✓ PPE

✓ Emergency Action Plan

✓ Hazard Communication

✓ First aid and CPR

✓ OSHA 10 and 30 hour construction

safety

✓ Being aware

Discussion Topics

III. Some Outdoor Hazards✓ Field crews of one-person

✓ Cold Stress

✓ Heat diseases

✓ Lyme disease

✓ Giant hogweed

✓ West Nile

✓ Snakes

✓ Traffic

✓ Fall protection

✓ Trenches and excavation

✓ Confined space

✓ Blood borne pathogens

Discussion Topics

Safety in General

Culture of Safety

• If the company doesn’t or won’t, it is up to

you!

• Take personal responsibility

• The company can talk safety and provide

training and equipment, but it cannot force

you to have an attitude of safety

Why is it Important?

• Fines

• Problematic metrics/Insurance ratings

• Liability to third parties

• Your health and safety!

Resources

• OSHA OSHA

• State resources

• https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/stateprogs/

maryland.html

➢ On-site consultation program OSCP

Resources

Resources

OSHA Fact Sheet

Regulatory Issues

OSHA 300 Log – over 10 employees (see Appendix B)

Regulatory Issues

OSHA 300A Log – over 10 employees (see Appendix B)

Insurance Ratings

Experience Modification Rating (EMR)

• If workers comp premiums exceed $3,000/year

• Compares claims to other similar companies

• Based on claims related to illnesses & injuries that

result in treatment, time off or reassignment

• >1.0 = unfavorable

• Many clients rely heavily on EMR as a measure of

a company’s safety record

Other Metrics

Total Recordable Incident rate (TRIR)

• Total number of OSHA recordable injuries and

illnesses times 200,000 divided by number of hours

worked by all employees

• Another measure that many clients look at

Other Metrics

Days Away, Restrictions & Transfers (DART)

• Total number of OSHA recordable injuries and

illnesses resulting in lost or restricted days or job

transfer times 200,000 divided by number of hours

worked by all employees

• Typically less than TRIR

• Another measure that many clients look at

Mitigating Hazards

Training

• MOSH

• Hunt Valley office

• http://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/mosh/

Mitigating Hazards

Job Hazard Analysis (see Appendix C example)

• Project specific

• Identifies project’s specific safety considerations

• Outlines plan to mitigate or eliminate hazard

• Outlines responsibilities

Mitigating Hazards

Job Hazard Analysis

Mitigating Hazards

Job Hazard Analysis

Mitigating Hazards

Job Hazard Analysis

Mitigating Hazards

Weekly Tool Box Talk (see Appendix D example)

• Required by some clients as a company standard

• No more than 5 minutes

• Seasonal/relevant topics

➢ Back-to-school

➢ Winter driving

➢ Poisonous plants

➢ Incident review/analysis

• Job-related topics

➢ Scaffolding

➢ Working around water

• Sign-in sheet

Mitigating Hazards

Personal Protective Equipment

• Protective clothing, helmets, goggles, hearing

protection, etc.

• Designed to mitigate injury or infection

• Mandatory on many jobs

• OSHA Guide

➢ https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.html

Mitigating Hazards

Personal Protective Equipment

• Employers are generally responsible for:

➢ Performing a hazard assessment of workplace

➢ Identifying & providing appropriate PPE

➢ Training in use and care of PPE

➢ Maintaining and replacing worn/damaged PPE

➢ Periodically reviewing, updating, and evaluating

effectiveness of PPE program

Mitigating Hazards

Personal Protective Equipment

• Employees are responsible to:

➢ Wear PPE

➢ Attend training on PPE

➢ Care for, clean and maintain PPE

➢ Inform supervisor of need to replace or repair

Mitigating Hazards

Emergency Action Plan

• Address emergencies or unanticipated natural

events in an organized way

➢ e.g., fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, workplace

violence

• Provides organizational framework to expedite

response

➢ Reporting

➢ Evacuation

➢ Meeting areas

➢ Safe locations within buildings

Mitigating Hazards

Hazard Communication

• Ensure compliance with requirements of OSHA

relating to hazardous chemicals in workplace

• Written comprehensive plan addressing:

➢ Labeling of chemicals

➢ What to do when new chemicals are introduced

➢ When processes, job duties or locations change

Mitigating Hazards

Hazard Communication

• Virtually all materials are considered chemicals, but

exceptions include:

➢ Consumer products when used in workplace as

intended by manufacturer and exposure is not

greater than consumers would experience

➢ Tobacco, alcohol, cosmetics, OTC and

prescription drugs

➢ Hazardous waste, radiation, bio hazards are

separately regulated

• Typical survey-related chemicals include paint,

gasoline, oil, asphalt patch, sand

Mitigating Hazards

Hazard Communication

• Includes Safety Data Sheets (SDS) (formerly

material safety data sheets – MSDS) for any non-

excluded chemicals

➢ Properties

➢ Hazards

➢ Protective measures

➢ Safety precautions

➢ Handling, storing, transporting

Mitigating Hazards

Training

• First aid

• CPR

• OSHA 10 hour Construction

➢ What are the “Fatal Four?” ??

o Falls

o Electrocution

o Struck-by

o Caught-in or between

➢ PPE and lifesaving equipment

• OSHA Fatality reports

Mitigating Hazards

Training

• OSHA 30 hour Construction Safety and Health

• OSHA 10 plus…➢ Recordkeeping requirements

➢ Basic safety orientation

➢ Hazard communication

➢ Fire protection

➢ Materials handling and storage

➢ Hand and power tools

➢ Cranes and rigging

➢ Stairways and ladders

➢ Confined spaces

➢ Scaffolds

Outdoor Hazards

Be aware

Outdoor Hazards

The Lone Worker

• Parking safety

• Personal protection

• Animals

• Communication

• Hazard mitigation

Outdoor Hazards

Outdoor Hazards

Outdoor Hazards

Cold Stress

• Hypothermia - Symptoms

✓ Body temp drops to <95 degrees

✓ Fatigue

✓ Drowsiness

✓ Uncontrolled shivering

✓ Slurred speech

✓ Clumsy movements

✓ Irritable, irrational, confused

✓ Can happen even at 40 degrees if chilled,

particularly from water

Outdoor Hazards

Cold Stress

• Hypothermia - Treatment

✓ Call 911

✓ Move to warm dry area

✓ Remove wet clothing

✓ Do not leave alone

✓ Drink warm, sweet drinks – no caffeine or

alcohol

✓ Move arms and legs to create body heat

✓ Do not rub body or place in warm bath

Outdoor Hazards

Heat illnesses

• Heat stroke

• Heat exhaustion

• Heat syncope

• Heat cramps

• Heat rash

Outdoor Hazards

Lyme disease

• Bacterial infection transmitted by tick bites

• In 60-80% of cases, 1st symptom is a rash that:

➢ Occurs at or near site of bite

➢ Bulls-eye circle or solid red that grows larger

➢ Appears 3 days to 1 month after bite

➢ 2-6” in diameter

➢ Lasts 3-5 weeks

➢ May or may not be warm to touch

➢ Not painful or itchy

➢ May lead to multiple rashes

Outdoor Hazards

Lyme disease - Symptoms

• When rash appears, other mild symptoms may

appear

➢ Joint pain

➢ Chills

➢ Fever

➢ Fatigue

• Weeks, months or years later

➢ Severe fatigue

➢ Stiff neck

➢ Tingling or numbness in arms/legs

➢ Facial paralysis

Outdoor Hazards

Lyme disease – Prevention (repellents)

• Wear protective clothing

• Repellents (and related considerations)

➢ Concentration of product

➢ Where you will be; who you are

➢ How long you will be in the area of exposure

• DEET products – repel, but many considerations

• Botanical products – typically not as effective

• Permethrin products – kills, but use on clothing, not

on skin

Outdoor Hazards

Lyme disease - Treatment

• Early treatment with antibiotics typically result in full

recovery

• Chronic cases (post-treatment Lyme disease

syndrome) are more problematic and studies are

underway

Outdoor Hazards

Lyme Disease – Distribution

➢ MD – estimated 17,000 cases in MD in 2015

➢ #1 in the United States

➢ Only 10% reported

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed

• Introduced to U.S. in 1917 from Caucasus

mountains region of Europe/SW Asia

• Favors along rivers and streams – wet areas, but

will spread prolifically

➢ Waste ground

➢ Vacant lots

➢ Along railroads and roads

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed

• Up to 20 feet tall

• Matures in 2 years

• Highly toxic

➢ Severe inflammation

➢ Painful blisters

➢ Long-term or permanent sensitivity to light

➢ Scars

➢ Permanent blindness

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed pictures

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed pictures

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed - Precautions

• Do not touch with bare skin

• Do not touch bare skin with gloves or clothes that have

touched the plant

• Do not clear plants; call experts

• If clearing, stay back and do not use “weed-whackers” -

sap can splash up to 4 feet

• Apply sunscreen

• Carefully launder clothes

• Wash with water any equipment that has touched plant

• Keep water, soap and eye-wash near the work area

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed - Treatment

• Wash affected areas with soap and cold water as soon

as possible

• See a physician

• Keep affected areas out of sunlight for 48 hours

• Use topical steroids as soon as any reaction is

observed

• If sap gets into eyes, rinse with water; wear sunglasses

• Apply sun block liberally for a few years after exposure

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed distribution*

* www.wildfoodshomegarden.com

BUT has been documented in Western & Central MD and Wash DC area by U of M

Outdoor Hazards

Giant Hogweed distribution*

* Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health

BUT has been documented in Western & Central MD and Wash DC area by U of M

Outdoor Hazards

Venomous snakes – Maryland

• Timber rattlesnake

• Northern Copperhead

• How many snake bites typically annually in

the US?

• 7,000-8,000

• How many deaths?

• 5

Outdoor Hazards

Venomous snakes – bite symptoms

• A pair of puncture marks at the wound

• Redness and swelling around the bite

• Severe pain at the site of the bite

• Nausea and vomiting

• Labored breathing (in extreme cases, breathing

may stop altogether)

• Disturbed vision

• Increased salivation and sweating

• Numbness or tingling around your face and/or

limbs

Outdoor Hazards

Venomous snakes - prevention

• Do not try to handle a snake

• Stay away from tall grass and piles of leaves when

possible

• Avoid climbing on rocks or piles of wood where a

snake may be hiding

• Be aware that snakes tend to be active at night and

in warm weather

• Wear boots and long pants when working outdoors

• Wear leather gloves when handling brush and

debris

Outdoor Hazards

Venomous snakes - treatment

• Seek medical attention as soon as possible (911)

• Try to remember the color and shape of the snake,

which can help with treatment of the snake bite

• Keep still and calm

• Apply first aid if you cannot get to the hospital right

away

➢ Lay or sit down with the bite below the level of

the heart

➢ Wash the bite with soap and water

• Cover the bite with a clean, dry dressing

Outdoor Hazards

West Nile Disease

• Viral infection transmitted by mosquito bite

• Most people have no initial symptoms

➢ But if they appear, usually in 3-15 days

Outdoor Hazards

West Nile Disease - Symptoms

• Mild cases may include: fever, headache, body

ache, skin rash, swollen lymph nodes

• Severe cases may include: high fever, neck

stiffness, muscle weakness, altered mental status,

tremors, convulsions, paralysis, inflammation of

brain, coma

• Only 1 in 150 cases are severe, and death is rare;

recovery usually complete

Outdoor Hazards

West Nile Disease – Prevention

• No vaccine

• Use insect repellent

• Wear protective clothing

• Eliminate standing water

• Keep screens in good repair

Outdoor Hazards

West Nile Disease – Treatment

• Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections

Outdoor Hazards

West Nile Disease – Distribution

• 2016

➢ Nationally 2,000+ cases and 94 deaths

➢ Maryland – 6 neuro-invasive cases

Outdoor Hazards

Chikungunya

• Viral infection transmitted by mosquito bite

• Most people feel better within a week

• 2015, 895 cases nationally

• 2016, 175 cases nationally (all travel-

related)

• Locally spread cases in TX and possibly FL

Outdoor Hazards

Chikungunya - Symptoms

• Substantial joint pain

• High fever

• Headache

• Weariness

• Sometimes a rash

• Can be fatal

Outdoor Hazards

Chikungunya – Prevention

• No vaccine

• Use insect repellent

• Wear protective clothing

• Eliminate standing water

• Keep screens in good repair

Outdoor Hazards

Zika

• Viral infection transmitted by mosquito bite

Outdoor Hazards

Traffic Safety

• Planning/Job-site orientation

• Signage

• Barricades

• Safety gear (hard hats, high visibility vests -

reflective at night)

• Flaggers

• Vehicles (back-up alarms, strobe lights, place

cones)

• Training/Resources Maryland State Highway Administration

• Self-Awareness

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection

• Falls are the leading cause of death in construction

• OSHA Fatality report…

• https://www.osha.gov/dep/fatcat/dep_fatcat.html

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection – Required when…

• Generally when an employee could fall 6 feet or

more

➢ On a walking/working surface that has an

unprotected edge

➢ Working on construction leading edge

➢ May fall through a hole in walking/working surface

➢ Working on face of formwork or reinforcing steel

➢ Working on ramps, runways and other walkways

➢ Working at the edge of an excavation, well, pit, or

shaft

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection – Required when…

• Working above dangerous equipment (even at less

than 6 feet)

• Performing overhand bricklaying and related work.

• Performing roofing work

• Engaged in precast concrete erection (with certain

exceptions)

• Engaged in residential construction (with certain

exceptions)

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection – Options

• Personal fall arrest system

• Guardrails

• Safety net

• Fall protection plan where the above are not

feasible

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection - Personal fall arrest system

• No free fall more than 6 feet

➢ Braking system preferred

➢ Foot stirrups highly desirable

• A procedure for prompt rescue after a fall

• Inspected prior to each use

• No initial use until inspected by a competent

person

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection - Guardrails

• Top edge 39-45” above working/walking level

• Midrails, screen, mesh, intermediate vertical

members to prevent falls between top rail and

surface

• Wood, chain, wire rope ok as long as it

supports a person otherwise falling

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection – Safety nets

• Strong enough to support a falling employee

• Sufficiently small openings

• No more than 30 feet below working/walking

surface

• Outer edge between 8 and 13 feet from edge of

working/walking surface depending on distance

down to net

• Must be drop tested using 400 pound bag of

sand

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection – Fall Protection Plan

• Must:

➢ Be prepared by a qualified person, be site-

specific and be maintained up to date

➢ Be implemented under the supervision of a

competent person

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection Plan must…

• Document the reasons why conventional fall

protection systems (guardrail systems, personal fall

arrest systems, or safety nets systems) are

infeasible or would create a greater hazard.

• Include a written discussion of other measures that

will be taken to reduce or eliminate the fall hazard

for workers who cannot be provided with protection

from the conventional fall protection systems

Outdoor Hazards

Fall Protection Plan must…

• Identify each location where conventional fall

protection methods cannot be used

• Designate the controlled-access zones

• Include a safety monitoring system when no other

alternative method is implemented

• Include a statement which provides the name or

other method of identification for each employee

who is designated to work in controlled access

zones (no other employees may enter controlled

access zones)

Outdoor Hazards

Trenches and Excavation

• Work must at all times be under the immediate

supervision of a qualified person. Ask the general

contractor who their designated person is

• Safe access/egress must be provided (stairway,

ladder, ramp, etc.)

➢ Not more than 25 feet to access the egress

point in any trench or excavation deeper than 4

feet

➢ Equipment must be securely fastened in place

Outdoor Hazards

Trenches and Excavation

• ALL trenches and excavations over 5 feet in depth

must be protected from cave-ins unless they are

made entirely of stable rock

➢ Adequate sloping

➢ Shoring

➢ Shielding

➢ Benching

Outdoor Hazards

Trenches and Excavation

• If shoring or trench boxes - top must extend at

least 18 inches above the hole

• If hole > 6 feet deep, fall protection should be

installed around the perimeter

Outdoor Hazards

Trenches and Excavation

• For all excavations > 4 feet deep, adequate

precautions where oxygen deficiency or other

hazardous atmosphere exists

• Conduct air quality tests as often as necessary

Outdoor Hazards

Trenches and Excavation

• Spoil piles at least 2 feet back from the edge of the

hole

• Water accumulation into excavation must be

controlled before entering

• Tabulated data on the shoring equipment must be

onsite

• Precautions to ensure vibrating equipment and

vehicular traffic do not cause cave-in

Outdoor Hazards

Confined Space

• Defined by all three conditions:

➢ Large enough and configured so an employee

can enter

➢ Limited or restricted entry and exit

➢ Not designed for continuous occupancy

Outdoor Hazards

Confined Space

• Examples

➢ Manhole

➢ Pit

➢ Crawlspace

➢ Utility vault

➢ Storm drain

➢ Drilled shafts

Outdoor Hazards

Confined Space – Controlling the hazards

• Employees must leave the space immediately if a

hazard is detected

• Safe means of exit and entry must be ensured

• Verification that the space is safe for entry prior to

anyone entering it

• Continuous atmospheric monitoring unless it can

be shown that periodic monitoring is sufficient

• Early-warning system

• This is not an exhaustive list!

Outdoor Hazards

Permit-required Confined Space

• Defined by:

➢ All conditions of confined space

➢ And one or more of the following:o Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous

atmosphere

o Contains material with potential for engulfing an

entering employee

o Has an internal configuration such that an employee

could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly

converging walls or downward-sloping floor

o Contains any other recognized serious safety or

health hazard

Outdoor Hazards

Permit-required Confined Space

• Controlling the hazards:

➢ In addition to confined space requirements,

entry must involve an outside attendant who

continuously assesses the status of authorized

entrants

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens

• An infectious microorganism in human blood that

can cause disease in humans

• Examples include:

➢ Hepatitis B

➢ Hepatitis C

➢ HIV

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens

• 70,000 new cases of hepatitis B identified each

year

• Approx. 3 million people have hepatitis C

• 500,000 incidents of blood borne pathogens

exposure annually

• Biohazard labels and materials are designated by

an orange/red color coding

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens - Symptoms

• Hepatitis B and C

➢ Mild flu-like symptoms

➢ Jaundice

➢ Fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite

➢ Dark urine

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens - Symptoms

• HIV

➢ Weakness, fever, sore throat, nausea,

headaches, diarrhea, and flu-like reactions

• Both Hepatitis and HIV symptoms can appear and

abate without warning and may lie dormant in the

body for years

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens - Protection

• If exposure is possible on a worksite, employer

must implement an exposure control plan

➢ Outlines protection measures to reduce or

eliminate the hazards to employees

o Engineering and work-practice controls

o Ensure use of PPE clothing and equipment

o Training

o Medical surveillance

o Hep B vaccinations

o Signs/labels

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens - Protection

• Hand washing (OSHA required if risk of blood

borne pathogens exists or if potentially

contaminated items are encountered inadvertently)

• Clean faucet nozzle after washing hands

• Areas of contamination sanitized with bleach or a

similar disinfectant (Keyboards replaced if

contaminated)

Outdoor Hazards

Blood Borne Pathogens - Protection

• Avoid handling needles, broken glass, or sharp

objects that have blood on them

• Avoid placing any food items or drinks near the

location of an exposure event

• Workplace vaccinations to prevent hepatitis B

Summary

• The law requires that employers provide a

safe workplace

BUT

• Ultimately, it is up to you the worker to:

➢ Decide to take a serious attitude about safety

➢ Be aware of your surroundings

➢ Speak up

Questions?

Gary R. Kent, PS

The Schneider Corporation

8901 Otis Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46216

Phone - 317.826.7134

gkent@schneidercorp.com