OSHA Health & Safety Construction-related Regulations - D - 50 to 95
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Health and Environmental Controls § 1926.50 - Medical services and first aid. (a) The employer shall insure the availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of occupational health. (b) Provisions shall be made prior to commencement of the project for prompt medical attention in case of serious injury. (c) In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, hospital, or physician, that is reasonably accessible in terms of time and distance to the worksite, which is available for the treatment of injured employees, a person who has a valid certificate in first-aid training from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the American Red Cross, or equivalent training that can be verified by documentary evidence, shall be available at the worksite to render first aid. (d)(1) First-aid supplies approved by the consulting physician shall be easily accessible when required. (d)(2) The first-aid kit shall consist of materials approved by the consulting physician in a weatherproof container with individual sealed packages for each type of item. The contents of the first-aid kit shall be checked by the employer before being sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job to ensure that the expended items are replaced. (e) Proper equipment for prompt transportation of the injured person to a physician or hospital, or a communication system for contacting necessary ambulance service, shall be provided. (f) The telephone numbers of the physicians, hospitals, or ambulances shall be conspicuously posted. (g) Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. § 1926.51 - Sanitation. (a) Potable water. (a)(1) An adequate supply of potable water shall be provided in all places of employment. (a)(2) Portable containers used to dispense drinking water shall be capable of being tightly closed, and equipped with a tap. Water shall not be dipped from containers. (a)(3) Any container used to distribute drinking water shall be clearly marked as to the nature of its contents and not used for any other purpose. (a)(4) The common drinking cup is prohibited. (a)(5) Where single service cups (to be used but once) are supplied, both a sanitary container for the unused cups and a receptacle for disposing of the used cups shall be provided. (a)(6) Potable water means water which meets the quality standards prescribed in the U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards, published in 42 CFR part 72, or water which is approved for drinking purposes by the State or local authority having jurisdiction. (b) Nonpotable water. (b)(1) Outlets for nonpotable water, such as water for industrial or firefighting purposes only, shall be identified by signs meeting the requirements of Subpart G of this part, to indicate clearly that the water is unsafe and is not to be used for drinking, washing, or cooking purposes. (b)(2) There shall be no cross-connection, open or potential, between a system furnishing potable water and a system furnishing nonpotable water. (c) Toilets at construction jobsites. (c)(1) Toilets shall be provided for employees according to the following table:
(f) Washing facilities. (f)(1) The employer shall provide adequate washing facilities for employees engaged in the application of paints, coating, herbicides, or insecticides, or in other operations where contaminants may be harmful to the employees. Such facilities shall be in near proximity to the worksite and shall be so equipped as to enable employees to remove such substances. (f)(2) General. Washing facilities shall be maintained in a sanitary condition. § 1926.52 - Occupational noise exposure. (a) Protection against the effects of noise exposure shall be provided when the sound levels exceed those shown in Table D-2 of this section when measured on the A-scale of a standard sound level meter at slow response. (b) When employees are subjected to sound levels exceeding those listed in Table D-2 of this section, feasible administrative or engineering controls shall be utilized. If such controls fail to reduce sound levels within the levels of the table, personal protective equipment as required in Subpart E, shall be provided and used to reduce sound levels within the levels of the table. Permissible Noise Exposures
(c) If the variations in noise level involve maxima at intervals of 1 second or less, it is to be considered continuous. (d)(1) In all cases where the sound levels exceed the values shown herein, a continuing, effective hearing conservation program shall be administered. (d)(2)(i) When the daily noise exposure is composed of two or more periods of noise exposure of different levels, their combined effect should be considered, rather than the individual effect of each. Exposure to different levels for various periods of time shall be computed according to the formula set forth in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section. (d)(2)(ii) Fe = (T1 / L1) + (T2 / L2) + ... + (Tn / Ln) where:
T = The period of noise exposure at any essentially constant level. L = The duration of the permissible noise exposure at the constant level (from Table D-2). If the value of Fe exceeds unity (1) the exposure exceeds permissible levels. (d)(2)(iii) A sample computation showing an application of the formula in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section is as follows. An employee is exposed at these levels for these periods:
100 db A 1/2 hour. 90 db A 1 1/2 hours. Fe = (1/4/1/2) + (1/2/2) + (1 1/2/8) Fe = 0.500 + 0.25 + 0.188 Fe = 0.938 Since the value of Fe does not exceed unity, the exposure is within permissible limits. (e) Exposure to impulsive or impact noise should not exceed 140 dB peak sound pressure level. § 1926.54 - Nonionizing radiation. (a) Only qualified and trained employees shall be assigned to install, adjust, and operate laser equipment. (b) Proof of qualification of the laser equipment operator shall be available and in possession of the operator at all times. (c) Employees, when working in areas in which a potential exposure to direct or reflected laser light greater than 0.005 watts (5 milliwatts) exists, shall be provided with antilaser eye protection devices as specified in Subpart E of this part. (d) Areas in which lasers are used shall be posted with standard laser warning placards. (e) Beam shutters or caps shall be utilized, or the laser turned off, when laser transmission is not actually required. When the laser is left unattended for a substantial period of time, such as during lunch hour, overnight, or at change of shifts, the laser shall be turned off. (f) Only mechanical or electronic means shall be used as a detector for guiding the internal alignment of the laser. (g) The laser beam shall not be directed at employees. (h) When it is raining or snowing, or when there is dust or fog in the air, the operation of laser systems shall be prohibited where practicable; in any event, employees shall be kept out of range of the area of source and target during such weather conditions. (i) Laser equipment shall bear a label to indicate maximum output. (j) Employees shall not be exposed to light intensities above: (j)(1) Direct staring: 1 micro-watt per square centimeter; (j)(2) Incidental observing: 1 milliwatt per square centimeter; (j)(3) Diffused reflected light: 2 1/2 watts per square centimeter. (k) Laser unit in operation should be set up above the heads of the employees, when possible. § 1926.55 - Gases, vapors, fumes, dusts, and mists. (a) Exposure of employees to inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption, or contact with any material or substance at a concentration above those specified in the "Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970" of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, shall be avoided. See Appendix A to this section. (b) To achieve compliance with paragraph (a) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and technical measures used for this purpose must first be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with 1926.103. (c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to the exposure of employees to airborne asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, or actinolite dust. Whenever any employee is exposed to airborne asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, or actinolite dust, the requirements of 1910.1101 or 1926.58 of this title shall apply. (d) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to the exposure of employees to formaldehyde. Whenever any employee is exposed to formaldehyde, the requirements of 1910.1048 of this title shall apply. § 1926.55 - Appendix A - Gases, vapors, fumes, dusts, and mists. NOTE: Because of the length of the table, explanatory Footnotes applicable to all substances are given below. Footnotes specific only to a limited number of substances are also shown within the table.
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