Ironworkers...On the Safe Side Safety and Health Bulletin Dedicated to Servicing Our District Councils, Local Unions and IMPACT Contractors Throughout North America 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Steve Rank Executive Director
(202) 383-4829 

Reinforcing Steel Stakeholders Testify at OSHA Public Hearing

Washington, D.C. March 1, 2017 - The Safety and Health Department has been working with the Reinforcing Steel Department 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 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 District Council of Iron Workers of the State of California and Vicinity 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.

Reinforcing steel stakeholders participating in the public Hearing were: Don Zampa, President of the District Council of Iron Workers, 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, Bob Carpenter-CMC Rebar, Ed Reyes-Local 377, Jason Gallic-Local 378, John Hernandez- Local 155, Kurt Johnson- Harris Rebar and Local 29 , Jerry Patchin- Harris Rebar and Local 378, Todd Stevens – Gerdau Rebar.

Ironworkers...On the Safe Side - Page 2 Rational for Pursuing New Standards:

• The current OSHA standard written in 1971 is antiquated and only contains (3) references specifically pertaining to reinforcing steel and (2) 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 and safety standards are needed to address hazards and protect our members.

• The Negotiated Rulemaking or reinforcing steel stakeholder meetings are the best processes that will produce the industry experts to draft new safety standards.

• We learned during the revision under the Subpart R – Steel Erection standard that the cooperative efforts of OSHA, stakeholders, and industry experts will produce standards that more accurately address safety hazards in the workplace.

  Key Safety Provisions of proposed Reinforcing Steel and Post-Tensioning Standards

  1. Requirements for Safe Job Site 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

     Hoisting and Rigging Reinforcing Steel Assemblies

     • Aqualifiedrigger(ariggerwhoisalsoaqualifiedperson)shall inspect the rigging prior to each shift.
     • Routesforsuspendedloadsshallbepre-plannedtoensurethatno 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.
     • Allliftingdevicesbelowthehooksuchasspreaderbarsusedfor hoisting pre-assembled cages, walls, columns, beams and other structures shall be designed and fabricated under the direction of a qualified person.
     • Thecontrollingcontractorshallbarallactivitiesunderornear hoisting operations including unloading and staging areas for reinforcement assemblies.

Ironworkers...On the Safe Side - Page 3 Preventing Structural Collapse Hazards

1) Structural stability of vertical and horizontal reinforcing steel assemblies shall be maintained at all times. 2)Vertical and horizontal columns, caissons, walls, 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) 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.

Special thanks to Don Zampa, President of the District Council of Iron Workers of the State of California and Vicinity for his efforts to help organize stakeholder representatives from the Iron Workers, reinforcing steel contractors and industry associations to provide testimony during the California OSHA Public Hearing in support for the passage of new reinforcing steel and post-tensioning safety standards.

The International Association’s “2017 ZERO Incident” campaign targets our members in the reinforcing steel industry and it is our goal to pursue safety standards that will prevent workplace incidents. We continue to challenge all members to “See Something - Say Something” to recognize and avoid workplace health hazards. Jeff Norris, Vicki O’Leary and I will continue to work with District Councils, Local Unions, and IMPACT Regional Advisory Boards to address workplace safety and health issues. I will work closely with Steve Parker, Executive Director of the Reinforcing Steel Department and IMPACT to reach-out to our employers throughout the United States and Canada. Please contact me in the Safety and Health Department at (800)368-0108, Jeff Norris, Canadian Safety Coordinator at (780) 459-4498, or Vicki O’Leary, District Representative of Safety/Diversity at (202) 702-7828 if you have any questions pertaining to reinforcing steel and post-tensioning safety standards.

Steve Rank
Executive Director of Safety and Health