16 minute read
Summing Up Safety
Tips and best practices for steel erection activity
Six times per year, SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee shares best practices and safety reminders for industry professionals. In 2021, the two most popular topics based on email engagement had to do with fall prevention and rigging. Each Safety Flash article contains additional resources for managers. Read the full content in the Safety Flash archive at seaa.net/news.
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1. Focus on Fall Prevention Training
By Mike Quinn, MAS Building & Bridge, Inc.
SEAA annually supports the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls. In 2021, SEAA launched a landing page of resources, which included 7 Tips from a Steel Erector on how to get most from your Stand-Down. According to 2019 BLS data, there were 1,066 fatalities in construction. Among structural iron and steel workers, the fatality rate is 26.3 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. While the data does not indicate how many deaths in the steel construction segment were caused by falls, this is a known risk. Working near leading edges and at height is part of the job of an ironworker. Get resources at seaa.net/standdown.
2. The No. 1 Rigging Mistake Taking Place on Construction Sites
By Scott Seppers, Trivent Safety Consulting
A common rigging mistake seen on the jobsite is failure to properly account for sling tension. Sling tension occurs when the slings are rigged at an angle; this directly affects capacity. The same misunderstanding of sling angle on capacity often happens when basket hitches are rigged to a single attachment point, whether the sling is vertical or at an angle from the center of gravity.
Photo Credit: Industrial Training International
3. Multiple Lift Rigging, What Can You Tree?
By Bryan McClure, Trivent Safety Consulting
Multiple Lift Rigging (Christmas-Treeing), is allowed only for steel erectors, and it’s important to know the criteria and regulations to perform safe lifting operations. To be in compliance with OSHA, steel erectors may “tree” steel beams, bar joists, and girders, but not other materials such as decking, pallets of CMU blocks, or portable toilets. Multiple lift rigging, when done properly, is a safe and effective method for decreasing the number of total crane swings and employee exposure on the steel while connecting.
4. Ladder Safety Tips
By Kevin Muldoon, Mazzella Lifting Technologies
The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) reports that more than 500,000 people in the United States are treated for ladder injuries and 300 people die every year. Ladder safety training is often overlooked, but remember when you climb a ladder you are placing yourself at height. Not to be taken for granted, if ladders are used regularly by employees, it’s a good idea to include ladder safety in daily safety meetings. . .
5. Preventing and Treating Heat-related Illness
By Jeremy McAllister, Gardner-Watson Decking
Heat-related illness can take on five forms—rash, cramps, syncope, exhaustion, and heatstroke. All employees should learn how to recognize a victim of heat-related illness. Preventative strategies include, establishing a shaded break area, providing ice, water/sports drinks, and issuing protective clothing/cooling towels. Companies can limit employee heat exposure through well planned work and rest schedules.
6. What You Need to Know About Crane Operator Evaluations
By Bryan McClure, Trivent Safety Consulting
In April 2019, the final piece of the OSHA Cranes & Derricks Standard 29CFR 1926.1400 came into effect. It requires employers to conduct evaluations of crane operators to ensure that they are certified and qualified. If an employer is not conducting evaluations of their crane operators, they are not in compliance with OSHA. •
2021 TRAINING AND SAFETY EXCELLENCE WINNERS
TRAINING
World Class
Premier
Shelby Erectors Ironworker Skills Institute
Gold
Gardner-Watson Decking
SAFETY
World Class
Cooper Steel Derr & Gruenewald Construction, LLC FM Steel, LLC High Plains Steel Services
Premier
Black Cat, LLC Gardner-Watson Decking Quality Steel Services
Gold
Pro Steel Erectors
Tracy Bennett is Managing Editor of Connector and Principal Partner of Mighty Mo Media Partners, a marketing consulting firm. Her technical expertise is in construction, lifting equipment, and workforce development.
FIRSTPutting Your PEOPLE
Award winners share safety trends and training tips
“We believe our people are our most important resource,” says Jason Farris of Cooper Steel.
As part of SEAA’s strategy to expand benefits for members, the Safety & Education Committee now annually recognizes member companies for implementation of craft training programs and achieving exceptional safety records. This is the second year for the awards. The next deadline to submit is March 1, 2022. Apply online at SEAA.net/
awards.
In 2021, five companies received the Craft Training Excellence award and nine companies received the Safety Excellence Award. In all, four of those companies received both awards, an indication of how inter-related training and safety are.
Profiled here are the companies that received World Class recognition, the highest level. See list of all winners (left).
Training Trends
Applicants are evaluated on the portability of credentials, availability of apprenticeship programs, training, and recruitment efforts. Evaluations are made in comparison to other companies of similar size, based on the number of ironworkers employed from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020.
Both award-winning companies are based in Colorado. Derr & Gruenewald Construction, LLC (DGC) employs about 150 people, while High Plains Steel Services has under 30 employees. Both companies also received World Class recognition for its safety records in 2020.
DGC, a member of Ironworkers Local 24, is based in Henderson, Colo, working primarily in the Midwest and Western United States. Established in 1977, DGC offers pre-construction, steel fabrication and erection, engineering and detailing services, as well as pre-cast concrete and metal decking construction. Among the company’s highest profile jobs to date are the Pepsi Center (now called the Ball Arena) in Denver, which is home to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. They also helped build the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, Calif.
Founded in 2012, High Plains Steel Services, LLC of Windsor, Colo., is an erector with full-service structural and miscellaneous steel fabrication and industrial coatings divisions, working primarily in the Rocky Mountain region. The company also owns and maintains its own fleet of cranes. In 2017, High Plains uses an NCCER Industrial Ironworker Apprenticeship Program, which is a registered and certified Department of Labor apprenticeship program.
Connector caught up with DGC’s Corporate Safety Director Ed Valencia and Kris McLean, President of High Plains Steel to ask about recent trends in training.
Accepting Award Nominations
National Awards Program
Join the prestigious list of past winners. Member Companies of all sizes recognized. Submission Forms for All Awards available at SEAA.net/awards
Q Industry-wide publicity for your company. Q Company profiled in Connector magazine. Q Awards ceremony presentation at SEAA
Convention & Trade Show. Q Winners invited to participate in Convention
Presentations.
Q 4 Contract Class Categories for Erectors Q NEW! Miscellaneous Metals Category for decking, fabrication, ornamental metals, etc. Q 24 month Topping Out Period. Jobs completed
Jan. 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 are eligible. Q Open to Union and Open-Shop SEAA Members in good standing. Q Winners selected by independent panel of judges.
SUBMISSIONS DUE JANUARY 28, 2022
CRAFT TRAINING Excellence
Q 3 Categories based on Number of Ironworkers employed Q World Class, Premier, and Gold Level Recognitions Q Based on training provided in the 2021 Calendar Year Q Open to Union and Open-Shop SEAA Members in good standing. Q Winners selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s
Safety & Education Committee Q NEW! $1500 in Craft Training Grants awarded to each
World Class winner.
SUBMISSIONS DUE MARCH 1, 2022
SAFETY Excellence
Q World Class, Premier, and Gold Level Recognitions Q Based on safety metrics for the previous year. Q Open to Union and Open-Shop SEAA Members in good standing. Q Winners selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s
Safety & Education Committee
SUBMISSIONS DUE MARCH 1, 2022
Sponsored by
Team members of High Plains Steel Services participate in pre-task meetings every day for both fabrication and erection activities.
What lessons did you learn in 2020 about virtual training? Valencia: Virtual training is a great way keep employees moving forward in safety performance, but employees still need face-to-face time and hands-on training for complete training. McLean: It works! However, not for every type of training. We have shifted from no virtual training to doing training that way 30 to 40 percent of the time. This saves both time and money, and it aligns with our focus on becoming 100% digital in other areas of our company. In 2020, we leveraged Tekla PowerFab and other software to become paperless in all aspects of management, quality control, safety, shop production, and erection.
on a project is managing the schedule. To mitigate that, pre-planning is essential. In fact, pre-planning is among DGC’s four guiding principles when it comes to safety. We consider this to be the most crucial aspect to creating a safe and productive project. This is the second year in a row that High Plains Steel Services has Jobsite safety planning is received World Class recognition for Craft Training. as important as planning for production schedules, manpower and logistics. Our structural engineers create detailed plans for shoring systems, erection procedures and critical lifts. A key part of this for us, the subcontractor, is working for a reputable controlling contractor who will provide level and stable boneyards and a clean and organized project. McLean: We religiously have pre-task meetings with fabrication and erection teams before pre-task meetings with fabrication and erection teams before starting work each morning. Daily tasks and safety risks are identified and all employees sign off before starting work. This ensures that all employees know the intent of the work to be completed and all potential risks. are a bit up in the air regarding best practices, which is frustrating. (Editor’s Note: As of 11/05/21, OSHA issued an Emergency Temporary Standard for employers with 100 or more employees, which had a comment period that was open until 12/06/21.)
Did you participate in the 2021 Stand Down to Prevent Falls? If so, what is the value of doing “stand downs”? Do you ever do this for other topics besides Fall Prevention?
Valencia: Yes,we participate in it every year. Last year we also created a campaign to raise awareness about pinch points and hands safety to bring awareness to a problem we were observing. McLean: Yes, all of our erection crews participated in the Fall Prevention Stand Down. These events are not much different from our usual weekly safety meetings, however , I do think it’s good to have a spotlight on the risks we face. It takes the day-to-day monotony of safety meetings and mixes it up a bit.
Studies show that the first four hours of a shift is when workers are most likely to suffer traumatic injuries. How important are daily safety meetings in relationship to mitigating risks at the start of the day? What do you do to keep safety meetings engaging, informative, and productive?
Valencia: In my opinion, the No. 1 hazard Are there any new OSHA regulations or changing standards that are on your radar? If so, how will you address this through training?
McLean: Yes, the big one is pending vaccine mandates. Until we get a clear direction from OSHA, we At Derr & Gruenwald Construction, project managers and superintendents lead the safety program as they manage the project.
Details matter.
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Safety Depends on Maintaining a Stable Workforce
The Safety Excellence Award was issued to nine SEAA members in three categories for achieving excellent 2020 safety records. Recipients were selected based on evaluations of their EMR ratings, OSHA 300A statistics, and safety program processes over the last three years. Scoring was based on points assigned to a multi-criteria analysis, and conducted in blind review by members of SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee.
Four companies achieved World Class recognition. In addition to DGC and High Plains Steel Services, also profiled for their Training Excellence, are Cooper Steel and FM Steel Construction, LLC.
Connector interviewed each company to get a look inside their safety culture and understand the best practices they are applying. The following individuals were interviewed. ❚ Jason Farris, VP of Safety Compliance, Cooper Steel, Shelbyville, Tenn. ❚ Ed Valencia of DGC ❚ Michael Mulsow, Director of Operations, FM Steel Construction, LLC, Gilbert, Ariz. ❚ Kris McLean of High Plains Steel
How would you describe the safety culture at your company? What role does the C-Suite or other leaders play in driving the safety culture at your company? Farris: Cooper Steel’s culture is based on our Core Priorities 1-Safety, 2-Quality, then 3-Production. We continuously look for ways to improve in all three areas, but we never stray from that order. We believe our people are our most important resource. For that reason, feedback on safety concerns travel both ways, top down and bottom up. Everyone is involved in improving the safety culture.
The C-Suite sets the tone with our Core Priorities, and they are actively involved in our safety culture. All jobsite safety audits are reviewed weekly by executive management. The safety department meets bi-weekly with executive management to discuss the direction of our safety program and what roles we all can play to ensure we are always improving. We are continuously seeking feedback from all levels throughout the company on how we can become stronger and safer. This information is shared with all levels of management. Valencia: At Derr & Gruenewald, project managers and superintendents lead the safety program as they manage the project. This means they apply safety planning to the specific situations of that job. Mulsow: As a newer company, we have a lot of younger guys that all seem to welcome safety without hesitation. And management believes in leading by example. McLean: We have a safety committee that reviews every reported injury and updates policies accordingly. The safety committee members include all of our executives, HR Manager, and Operations Managers for both our Fabrication and Erection Divisions, Safety Manager and our Insurance Brokers Safety Manager, as well as myself. We analyze policy, near misses, changing regulations, and injuries to make sure we are staying on top of trends and keeping our team safe.
Falls are the biggest risk for steel erectors. Are there other risks that are on your radar, and what best practices can you share?
Farris: Ensuring employees new to the industry are getting the proper training is a priority for fall prevention. We study plans for the project ahead of time to make sure the proper fall protection systems are in place. We put a lot of emphasis on pre-planning so our crews have the proper equipment they need to perform their jobs safely.
Testing equipment used by DGC to confirm fall distances in drop testing.
DGC has opened use of its training tower to other SEAA members.
During a Topping Out Ceremony, the Cooper Steel team celebrates safety on the job site.
Cooper Steel’s culture is based on its Core Priorities: 1-Safety, 2-Quality, then 3-Production.
Valencia: We recently built a research and training tower that we use to conduct drop tests on all the equipment we specify to confirm fall distances and to ensure that the systems work. For example, we drop tested our test weight on a 10 ft cable anchorage basketed around a beam with an 8 ft SRL; the system failed and the weight hit the ground. Of course, we also always follow the manufacturers recommendations. In addition, we are in the process of developing rescue training to complete our fall protection training curriculum. Mulsow: Fall prevention always comes down to proper tie off. We use outside safety training from Trivent Safety Consulting for all employees before allowing them to get up on the steel. McLean: Lately, the use of cut off disks has been a hot topic in our organization. Traditionally, a cutting torch is used in the field, however, over the last 10 years we are seeing greater adoption of cutting disks across the industry. This practice is contributing to the bulk of our near misses and incidents. After talking with other safety professionals, it sounds like these cut off disks easily fragment, becoming like shrapnel when one flies apart. Valencia: Besides following all state mandates, we created an awareness campaign. Mulsow: Most of the time, employees were able to work six feet apart. The biggest struggle was when two workers were in the platform of a boom lift or scissor lift. In those situations, face shields and masks were required. McLean: Initially we created a COVID 19 Safety Policy which outlined mask wearing, reporting of sickness, return to work policies, etc. It has been revised a couple times in the last year and a half due to changing circumstances. We are currently approaching new regulations, such as vaccine mandates, on a project-by-project basis until OSHA provides a final determination.
Looking ahead to 2022, all four men agreed that the biggest safety challenge they face is related to having enough qualified workers. “Maintaining a properly trained workforce is a constant challenge,” said Farris. The key is finding a good balance of new employees working with experienced employees. Mulsow agrees. “It is difficult to keep up with training as we constantly hire new workers to meet the labor demands,” he said. Related to safety issues caused by a labor supply shortage, McLean says that finding ways to reduce turnover is integral to achieving good safety records. •
How did you navigate new safety requirements around COVID-19 protocols on job sites?
Farris: Sharing tools was prohibited unless they were disinfected between use, and employees disinfected their tools and equipment daily. We found that face masks greatly increased heat stress in the warmer months, so when it was an option, we chose to maintain social distancing rather than wearing face masks. We also moved employees into separate hotel rooms to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID. FM Steel’s management believes in leading by example when it comes to safety.
