General Safety and Health Provisions and Health Hazards in Construction
The contractor's duties for training, inspection, first aid and fire protection under the general provisions, and the health hazards of construction work: chemicals, asbestos, MDA, lead and process safety.
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2.1 General Safety and Health Provisions
Subpart C of the construction standard, General Safety and Health Provisions, covers safety training and education, first aid, fire protection and emergency action plans.
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Authorised person | A person assigned by the employer to do a duty or to be at a particular job site. |
| Competent person | Has authority to take corrective action and can recognise existing and predictable hazards. |
| Qualified person | Has shown, by a recognised degree, certificate or professional standing or by extensive knowledge, training and experience, the ability to solve problems on the subject. |
| Employer | A contractor or subcontractor. |
Contractor requirements and accident prevention
A contractor must never require laborers and mechanics to work in conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to their health or safety. To reduce accidents, the employer should arrange frequent and regular inspections of the job site, the materials and the equipment, carried out by competent persons. A competent person can identify existing and predictable hazards and has the authority to take prompt corrective action.
Employers must train and educate workers to recognise and avoid unsafe conditions and to control or remove hazards. Accidents will always occur in industrial work, but good training greatly reduces them.
Four elements of a safety program
- Management commitment and employee involvement.
- Worksite analysis.
- Hazard prevention and control.
- Training and education.
Assign responsibility clearly: a knowledgeable and accountable safety designee on site, supervisors and foremen who understand their safety duties, and workers who follow the rules.
Confined or enclosed spaces
A confined or enclosed space has limited means of exit, may collect toxic or flammable contaminants, or may be short of oxygen. Examples include storage tanks, process vessels, bins, boilers, ventilation and exhaust ducts, sewers, underground utility vaults, tunnels, pipelines, and open top spaces more than four feet deep such as pits, tubs and vaults.
Fire protection and prevention
The employer must develop and maintain an effective fire protection and prevention program at the job site through every stage of construction, repair, alteration or demolition, and make sure that fire protection and suppression equipment is available.
Means of egress
Exits from a building or structure must give free and unobstructed exit from every part whenever people occupy it. No lock or fastening that stops free escape from the inside may be installed, except in institutions where supervisors are always on duty and there are effective arrangements to remove occupants in a fire or other emergency.
A study aid, not published or endorsed by IOSH or OSHA. Laws and limits differ between countries.