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Concrete and Masonry Construction

Background:

Concrete is composed of cement, sand, aggregate (sized stones), and water. When mixed in the correct amounts, concrete is a stable and versatile building medium which can be used in a variety of applications ranging from roads, bridges and buildings, to septic tanks and even countertops for household use. The versatility in building application is accomplished by altering the proportions of air and other variables in the mixture. Strengthening materials such as re-bar, fiberglass strands, and plastic rods are then added.

Scope and application:

This chapter sets forth requirements to protect all construction employees from the hazards associated with concrete and masonry construction operations performed in workplaces covered under 29 CFR Part 1926. In addition to the requirements in Subpart Q, other relevant provisions in Parts 1910 and 1926 apply to concrete and masonry construction operations.

Definitions: The following definitions apply to this chapter.

(1) "Bull float" means a tool used to spread out and smooth concrete before it has taken it's initial set. Normally a large, magneseum or aluminum tool that is affixed to hand poles and is pushed back and forth across the horizontal surface of wet concrete.

(2) "Formwork" means the total system of support for freshly placed or partially cured concrete, including the mold or sheeting (form) that is in contract with the concrete as well as all supporting members including shores, re-shores, hardware, braces, and related hardware.

(3) "Lift slab" means a method of concrete construction in which floor, and roof slabs are cast on or at ground level and, using jacks, lifted into position.

(4) "Limited access zone" means an area alongside a masonry wall, which is under construction, and which is clearly demarcated to limit access by employees.

(5) "Precast concrete" means concrete members (such as walls, panels, slabs, columns, and beams) which have been formed, cast, and cured prior to final placement in a structure.

(6) "Reshoring" means the construction operation in which shoring equipment (also called reshores or reshoring equipment) is placed, as the original forms and shores are removed, in order to support partially cured concrete and construction loads.

(7) "Shore" means a supporting member that resists a compressive force imposed by a load.

(8) "Vertical slip forms" means forms which are jacked vertically during the placement of concrete.

(9) "Jacking operation" means the task of lifting a slab (or group of slabs) vertically from one location to another (e.g. from the casting location to a temporary (parked) location, or from a temporary location to another temporary location, or to its final location in the structure), during the construction of a building/structure where the lift-slab process is being used.

General Requirements:

It is the policy of the Company that all concrete pour operations be conducted under the direct supervision of a competent supervisor. This includes an on site pre-safety briefing to all employees, inspection of forms and of reinforcing bars, compliance with blueprints and building structural details, bracing and troughs, and the inspection of all Personal Protective Equipment that will be used during the operation

(a) Construction loads. No construction loads shall be placed on a concrete structure or portion of a concrete structure unless the employer determines, based on information received from a person who is qualified in structural design, that the structure or portion of the structure is capable of supporting the loads.

(b) Reinforcing steel. All protruding reinforcing steel, onto and into which employees could fall, shall be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement.

(c) Post-tensioning operations.

  (1) No employee (except those essential to the post-tensioning operations) shall be permitted to be behind the jack during tensioning operations.

  (2) Signs and barriers shall be erected to limit employee access to the post-tensioning area during tensioning operations.

 (d) Riding concrete buckets. No employee shall be permitted to ride concrete buckets.

 (e) Working under loads.

  (1) No employee shall be permitted to work under concrete buckets while buckets are being elevated or lowered into position.

  (2) To the extent practical, elevated concrete buckets shall be routed so that no employee, or the fewest number of employees, are exposed to the hazards associated with falling concrete buckets.

 (f) Personal Protective Equipment. No employee shall be permitted to apply a cement, sand, and water mixture through a pneumatic hose unless the employee is wearing protective head and face equipment.

Responsibilities:

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