The Safety and Health Department has been working with the Department of Reinforcing Ironworkers and industry stakeholders to pursue new reinforcing steel and post-tensioning standards. New safety standards are long overdue, and protecting our members during reinforcing steel activities is part of the “2017 ZERO Incident” campaign commissioned by General President Eric Dean. A public hearing was convened by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to obtain industry stakeholder testimony for adopting new safety standards pertaining to reinforcing steel and post-tensioning operations. Don Zampa, president of the State of California and Vicinity District Council, arranged for local union representatives and contractors to provide testimony before members of the California OSHA Standards Board. California is the first state-approved OSHA plan to work with our organization to pursue new safety standards. The Safety and Health Department will be working with other district councils throughout the United States to pursue the same safety standards with state OSHA plans in their jurisdiction.

Rational for Pursuing New Standards

• The current OSHA standard written in 1971 is antiquated and only contains three references specifically pertaining to reinforcing steel and two for post tensioning.

• Common hazards during reinforcing steel installation and post-tensioning operations are not addressed in current standards.

• Fatality and accident trends indicate a direct correlation between accident causation factors and lack of specific regulations.

• The usage of steel reinforced and post-tensioned poured-in-place concrete is expected to double.

• The negotiated rulemaking process will produce the best safety standard and regulations through the cooperative efforts of OSHA, stakeholders and experts in the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry.

 
Labor and management representatives testify in support of new standards.

Representatives from the Iron Workers Union, reinforcing steel contractors and industry associations, including the persons who participated in the public hearing and provided testimony: Don Zampa, president of the State of California and Vicinity District Council; Len Welsh, safety consultant; Wade Williamson, Local 229 (San Diego); Dorothy Ormsby, ICSG LLC; Hart Keeble, Local 416 (Los Angeles); Robert Alexander, Local 416 (Los Angeles); Jose Mendoza, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute; Greg McClelland, Western Steel Council; Karl Pineo, Local 118 (Sacramento); Ed Reyes, Local 377 (San Francisco); Jason Gallic, Local 378 (Oakland, Calif.); John Hernandez, Local 155 (Fresno, Calif.); Kurt Johnson, Harris Rebar and Local 29 (Portland); Jerry Patchin, Harris Rebar and Local 378; and Todd Stevens, Gerdau Rebar.

Key Safety Provisions Pertaining to Proposed Reinforcing Steel and Post-Tensioning Standards

1. Requirements for safe jobsite access and layout of reinforcing material and equipment

2. Written notifications prior to commencement of reinforcing steel activities

3. Stability requirements for vertical and horizontal columns, walls and other reinforcing assemblies

4. Requirements for impalement protection and custody of impalement covers

5. Requirements for hoisting and rigging reinforcement assemblies

6. Requirements for post-tensioning activities

7. Fall protection requirements

8. Requirements for formwork and false work stability

9. Training requirements

 
Proposed standards prohibit unsafe site conditions illustrated above.

Stability requirements for vertical and horizontal columns, walls and other reinforcing assemblies.

The following are the proposed safety standards designed to help prevent structural collapse during the hoisting process of walls and columns.

1. Structural stability of vertical and horizontal reinforcing steel assemblies shall be maintained at all times.

2. Vertical and horizontal columns, caissons, walls, drilled piers, top mats and other reinforcing steel assemblies shall be guyed, braced or supported to prevent structural collapse.

3. Guying, bracing or supports shall be installed under the direction of a competent person.

4. Guying, bracing or supports shall be removed only with the approval of a competent person.

5. The controlling contractor shall bar other construction processes below or near the erection of reinforcement assemblies until they are adequately supported and/or secured to prevent structural collapse.

6. Prefabricated walls, caissons, drilled piers and other modular reinforcing steel assemblies that are free-standing shall be guyed, braced, or supported under the direction of a competent person.

7. Systems for guying, bracing or supports shall be designed by a qualified person of the controlling contractor and removed only with the approval of a competent person.

 
Requirements for hoisting and rigging reinforcement assemblies.           

• A qualified rigger (a rigger who is also a qualified person) shall inspect the rigging prior to each shift.

• Routes for suspended loads shall be pre-planned to ensure that no employee is required to work directly below a suspended load except for employees engaged in the placing or initial connection of the reinforcement assemblies or employees necessary for the hooking or unhooking of the load.

• All lifting devices below the hook such as spreader bars used for hoisting pre-assembled cages, walls, columns, beams and other structures shall be designed and fabricated under the direction of a qualified person.

• The controlling contractor shall bar all activities under or near hoisting operations including unloading and staging areas for reinforcement assemblies.