Bucket Truck Safety

Bucket trucks are complex and require specialized training to operate. In order to ensure your safety, and the safety of others working in the area, it is important that you know the risks you face.

By Trevor Reschny, CSP

Few pieces of equipment are as complex and create more dangers to the operator than a bucket truck. If you have bought one, or even rented one, you’ll know that the user guides and repair manuals are easy to locate. On the other hand there is no “training manual” for bucket truck operators.

Power tools, scaffolds and even ladders typically have free sources for self-study training, with much emphasis on safety. But for some reason nothing is available that addressed the safe usage of a bucket truck.

OSHA does provide a basic outline but it is short on specifics. In addition each work environment has its own issues regarding safe practices and fall protection but all require safety guidelines, training and periodic recertification.

Common Hazards

Strains and injuries caused by improper lifting and climbingInjuries common while using a bucket truck include:

Falls from as little as five feet, which can result in broken bones
Tip-overs and collapses, endanger personnel in the bucket and on the ground
Being struck by falling objects (mostly endangers workers on the ground)
Getting caught between equipment and fixed structures (especially fingers)
Being knocked out of a bucket when the truck is struck by another vehicle
Electrocution or physical injury due to electric shock

Damage and injuries occur when:

Inspections are not performed according to the manufacturers recommendations
The truck is not properly positioned and secured for use
The operator is not fully aware of objects around, above and below the bucket
Tools and parts are not secured in their proper place
The manufacturers limits are exceeded

Driving and Locating the Truck

A bucket truck is one of the most complex forms of aerial lift devices. Driving a bucket truck to the site and positioning it correctly requires special skill and knowledge. Even a small truck weighs over four tons and cannot stop on a dime. The first time you have to stop your truck suddenly you’ll realize why bucket trucks are notorious for rear-impact collisions.
A three ton lift places the center of gravity of the truck very high; observe tip-over signs on curves and exit ramps. Heavy trucks easily get stuck off-road, especially in wet or slippery conditions. Bucket trucks have poor rear visibility and should not be backed up unless you finds it absolutely necessary and have a spotter. You should also want to install a backup-alarm to warn anyone in the vicinity that a dangerous operation is being performed. Placing the truck in the ideal location takes knowledge of the boom length, manufacturer’s limits, and surface conditions.

Training Requirements

OSHA establishes mandatory requirements for training and certification by employers. OSHA defines training requirements in 29 CFR 1910.268.
The regulation says: Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall ensure that employees do not engage in the activities to which this section applies until such employees have received proper training in the various precautions and safe practices required by this section."
If you are not trained and qualified on a piece of equipment you should not use it. Using unqualified operators carries the risk of higher costs, lost time and increased liability.

A practical bucket truck safety course should:

Place emphasis on factors that may seem trivial but are not
Provide specific examples of dangers unique to the equipment
Supply you with handouts, checklists and references to use at your work

Fall Protection

While it is rare for an employee to fall out of a bucket, it is more common that one will bounce out when another vehicle hits the aerial lift truck.
OSHA regulations for fall protection are not clear when it comes to bucket trucks. Once you get more than six feet off the ground, personal fall protection is mandated by OSHA’s construction industry standard (1926.501).
The question is do we put someone in a body belt or a full body harness? As long as the person cannot fall farther than two feet, the belt is acceptable. If they could fall farther than two feet, a full body harness and lanyard are required. In a practical sense if you restrict the employees fall to two feet, then their lanyard cannot be more than two feet long. This would seriously restrict movement in the bucket, which is not always feasible. As a consequence, most people use a full body harnesses with a six-foot lanyards or a small self-retracting lanyard (SRL).
Oh yea…never belt off to an adjacent pole, structure or other equipment, except in an emergency.

Pre-Use Safety Check. Check the following each day before using a bucket truck:

Maintenance records that are up to date, or your knowledge of same
Wheels and tires. Check tire pressure
Fuel, engine oil levels and hydraulic fluid level
Hydraulic fluid, oil, fuel and cooling system leaks; listen for air leaks
Look for loose or missing parts, rust and deteriorating welds
Test ground level controls first, then all bucket controls before you go up
Safety devices such as railings, bucket door catches and redundant catches
Personal protection equipment: snaps that don't stick; age of your hard hat
Any other items specified by the manufacturer

Check the Work Area

Never work on a slope that exceeds the limits specified by the manufacturer.
Check the area for soft spots, holes, drop-offs, bumps, and debris.
Check for overhead power lines, trees, building overhangs, etc.
Before moving the truck be sure that the boom is cradled and tied down and that all other equipment is secure.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

You should wear the following personal protective equipment:

Hard hat
Eye protection
Gloves appropriate for the work being done
Personal Fall Arrest
Other equipment based on your tasks (i.e. Chain saw= Chaps, eye and face Protection)

Operating a Bucket Truck

Set outriggers, brakes, and use wheel chocks, even if you are working on a level slope. Automatic transmissions should be placed in park; manual transmissions in low gear.
If working near traffic, set up work zone warnings with cones, ropes and signs. (Refer to MOT requirements) (Link to https://safetylinks.net/index.php/training/mot-traffic-control)
Close and latch the bucket or platform door and attach the safety chain.
Stand on the floor of the bucket or lift platform. Never climb on anything inside the bucket to extend your reach.
Do not climb on tool brackets in the bucket or lean over the railing.
Never exceed the manufacturer’s load capacity limit. This includes the combined weight of the worker(s), tools and material.
Establish and clearly mark a danger zone around the bucket truck.
Never move the truck with workers in the elevated platform unless the equipment has been specifically designed and certified for this type of operation.
Use particular care when positioning the basket between overhead hazards, such as joists or under an overhang. If the basket moves, the worker in the bucket could become crushed between the rails and the fixed structure.

Emergency Escape

If you have a fleet of bucket trucks you can extract a stranded worker by dispatching another truck when the manufacturer's provided backup systems fail.
You should be concerned with escaping from a bucket when working alone and the lift fails. There are several methods used when stranded in the bucket:
Auxiliary Power or Backup Pump
Emergency Lowering Valve or Holding Valve Bleeding
Escape Ladder or a Controlled Decent Rope
Lower Controls (with and without an incapacitated worker)

One last thing…You Must Know

How to drive the truck safely on the highway
How to locate and prepare the truck for aerial lift use
How to inspect the equipment before using it
Hydraulic equipment function and hazards
Insulating factors of the truck, if any
How to put on personal fall arrest equipment (PFAS)
How to operate the boom from the bucket and from the ground
Clearance above, below and alongside the bucket while using it
Emergency procedures for equipment failure and accidents

Remember bucket trucks are complex and require specialized training to operate. In order to ensure your safety and the safety of others working around you, it is important that you know the risks you face.

For more information or to take our bucket truck operator course, visit https://safetylinks.net/index.php/training/equipment-operation/bucket-truck.

OSHA’s Variances Page Is Enhanced

Are you familiar with OSHA’s variance approval process? If you are not, OSHA has recently updated their Variances page with two sections: Variance Program and Types of Variances.

According to OSHA, a variance is a regulatory action that permits an employer to deviate from the requirements of an OSHA standard under specified conditions. A variance does not provide an outright exemption from a standard, except in cases involving national defense as described in their page.

The different types of variances described in their page are:

1. Permanent

2. Temporary

3. Experimental

4. National Defense

5. Interim Order

6. Recordkeeping Variance

For more information or to view OSHA’s Variances page, visit http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/variances/index.html.

For safety consulting or OSHA training, call us at 407-353-8165 or email us at info@transportins.net.

Incidents To Learn From – Eye Protection

Did you know?

Every day around 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces.

Not wearing eye protection, wearing the wrong type of protection, and removing machine guards are common problems in industry. On the bright side, the types of eye hazards we deal with are very easy to control.

How can eye injuries be prevented?

The solution is easy; don’t modify your equipment and always wear eye protection when using power tools and chemicals!

Floridians: Are You Familiar With Pedestrian Laws?

Most people in the state don’t realize that as a driver, you are required to yield to pedestrian in all instances. This is an interesting read that talks about different pedestrian laws in the state of Florida:

To read the article, visit http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-pedestrian-safety-myword-092712-20120926,0,1815246.story.

Hiring Your Next Safety Professional

Here is a great article titled “EHS Recruitment: It’s Not Just About Filling the Seat” from EHS Today. It lists and explains some of the best key hiring practices used by big corporations such as BP, Shell, and Johnson & Johnson to recruit the best environmental and Health Safety professional for their company. If you are in the recruiting process for your next safety professional, here are four important points to consider:

Tap the Small Pool of A-Player Talent – This explains how providing a reliable internal team of employees to their manager with an external liaison can improve a hiring decision that they may overlook.
Include Culture Alignment in Your Search Process – A new employee’s sense of belonging in a new environmental can sometimes be the key factor on whether he or she will be successful in their new position, despite how great their abilities and qualifications may be. Never underestimate the process of a candidate’s character evaluation to make sure they fit your culture.
Develop High-Potential Talent – According to the Harvard Business Review, a small number of early-leadership-level workers will represent the new generation with 15 years of experience five years from now. Meaning, it is wise to invest in your lower-level talent as it can help align their career development and opportunities with your company.
Succession Planning – Establishing a written succession plan is highly important in case of an emergency or simply for future use.

To view the original article, visit http://ehstoday.com/safety/ehs-recruitment-it-s-not-just-about-filling-seat?page=1.

Respirator Selection

Selecting a respirator is a very difficult task to accomplish. Under protecting your staff can lead to injury or illness while over protecting staff can be uncomfortable and very costly.

To select a respirator you must first assemble the necessary toxicological and safety information for each respiratory hazard. This typically starts with a walk through survey and an MSDS review. To determine the potential level of exposure the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that air sampling be conducted. While air monitoring is obviously the best option, a good industrial hygienist or safety professional will likely use a combination of air sampling and exposure modeling to make reasonable estimates of exposure.

After the potential exposures have been determined the next step is to compare the results with allowable levels of the particular contaminant (s). For comparison purposes you should consider using the NIOSH-REL’s, OSHA-PEL’s, and ACGIH- TLV’s, just to name a few.

Now comes the hard work! Based on the potential or measured exposures you’ll have to determine if your staff requires an air purifying respirator, or an atmosphere supplying respirator; whether they will need a full mask, half mask, or other type of face piece; whether they will need filters cartridges or some combination of the two. Finally you’ll have to ensure that a full respirator program has been instituted including medical evaluations, fit testing, training, cartridge change out schedules, etc.

Although this may seem difficult with some guidance along the way you will be able to ensure your staff is adequately protected! For more information on respirator selection visit the new NIOSH Respirator Information Page or contact Trevor Reschny, CSP at Safety Links Inc.

What do you do if someone contacts a live electrical wire?

If you see a person come into contact with indoor electrical wires, do not touch the person. Attempt to switch the power off, if possible. If you cannot shut off the power, use a non-conductor (dry wood, rope, board, broom handle) to separate the person from the current.

If the person has come into contact with outdoor wires call 911 and then the power company immediately.

Do not attempt to touch the person or to try to free the person from the wires. Stay at least 100 feet away from any downed wires at all times.

After the person has been separated from the electrical source, you should:

Check his breathing. If the person is not breathing, start CPR.
Treat the victim for shock. Keep him lying down. If the victim is unconscious, lie on his side to allow drainage of fluids. Cover him enough to maintain body heat.
Do not move the victim if you suspect neck or spine injury.
Treat burn by immersing in cold water. Do not apply grease or oil. For severe burns, cut away loose clothing and cover the burned area with a sterile dressing.

To inquire more about general safety, contact us at 407-353-8165 or email us at info@transportins.net

Is your profession in the deadliest workplace professions range?

According to a recent study by eTraining, a workplace safety education firm, you may face a higher danger on your job depending on the amount of driving involved rather than the specific type of profession you hold, such as being a sheriff or hunter, for example. The good news, however, shows on the graph which states that as the OSHA budget has increased, fatalities have certainly decreased.

In the study, it shows that all combined transportation incidents, including highway incidents, aircraft incidents, and other, make up a total of 49% of all multiple fatalities in the workplace. This is compared to the 20% of incidents that happen from fires and explosions, 17% from homicides and 13% of other uncategorized accidents.

And which states rate as the highest of this 2010 study? Texas tops the chart with the most workplace fatalities with a total of 456, California is next with 302, Pennsylvania is third with 219 and Florida in fourth with 215.

It’s important to remember, though, that falls are still the highest occurring incident in the construction industry, with electrocutions, being struck by an object, and caught-in/between as shown in the “Fatal Four” chart. According to eTraining, eliminating all of these four most common categories in construction would save 431 workers’ lives in America every year.

At the end of the page it shows 2011’s most frequently violated OSHA standards. Follow this link to view the study: http://etraintoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Workplace-Fatality-Data1.jpg.

To inquire about safety consultation or training for your staff, call us at 407-353-8165 or email us at info@transportins.net.

Professional Safety Development

Type in Safety Certification into a search engine and you’ll get a plethora of options.

In fact there are about 300 certification programs and titles available in the United States in safety, health, environment and ergonomics fields. With so many options you have to question, which ones are better? Getting the best certification possible is especially important in today’s economy because many employers and government organizations rely on the certification process to select employees or award contracts.

Program Accreditation:

Of course many of the “not so accredited safety certifications” realize the importance of accreditation so they have aligned themselves with accreditation groups which are themselves, not accredited.The first thing you need to look at is the programs accreditation. Accredited peer certification programs set standards and evaluate people against the standards. The standards include minimum requirements for education/training and experience and demonstrated knowledge and skill through examinations.

True accreditation of peer certification programs provides an independent, third-party evaluation of many factors which contribute to ensuring candidates, certificate holders, employers, government agencies and the public that a certification program operates fairly, openly and effectively.

The two organizations most commonly awarding accreditation in the environmental, safety, and health fields are the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) administration of the ISO 17024 standard. Both organizations evaluate peer certification boards for compliance with national and international standards.

If the certification you are looking at is not accredited by at least one of these two entities you may want to look elsewhere!

What Safety Certifications are best?

When shopping for a safety certification, it is imperative to review the quality of the program. Holding accredited certifications and demonstrating competency through quality certification programs can open doors to employment, advancement, leadership, contracts and compensation.

There are generally speaking 6 certifications which are well respected in the safety, health, environment and ergonomics fields.

OHST/ CLCS- The OSHT or CLCS are technologist level certifications offered by the Board Of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). An Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST) or a Certified Loss Control Specialist (CLCS) is a person who performs occupational health and safety activities on a full-time or part-time basis as part of their job duties. These certificate holders do not require a college degree and the certification requirements are less stringent than some of the other certifications listed below. For more information click here. http://www.bcsp.org/ohst_clcs.
Like the OHST/ CLCS, the Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification is offered by the BCSP as a technologist level certification for individuals who demonstrate competency and work part-time or full-time in health and safety activities in the construction industry. For more information click here. http://www.bcsp.org/chst.
CHMM- The Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) certificate is offered by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM). This certificate offers the hazmat industry’s premier accredited professional credentials and required a Baccalaureate degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university in hazardous materials management, environmental science, one of the physical sciences, or a related field. For more information click here. http://www.ihmm.org/4. CIH- The Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) designation is provided by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). The CIH is the premier occupational hygiene certification in the world. CIH’s required at least a Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics or an ABET accredited program in industrial hygiene or safety. For more information click here. http://www.abih.org/.
CPE- The Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) designation is offered by the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE). CPE’s required at least a master's degree and three years of practice in human factors/ergonomics. For more information click here. http://www.bcpe.org/.#mce_temp_url#
CSP- The Certified Safety Profesional (CSP) credential is the mark of the safety professional. Like the Professional Engineer designation for engineers or the Certified Public Accountant designation for accountants, the CSP certification marks individuals who have met educational and experience standards and passed rigorous examinations validated against the practice of hundreds of safety professionals. No other safety certification holds the same level of demand by employers and government agencies. Also no other safety credential has the same impact on salary. CSP’s required at least a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of professional experience. For more information click here. http://www.bcsp.org/csp.

In summary, as the need for certified safety, health, environment and ergonomic professionals increases so does the importance of your certification. Obtaining an accredited certificate will identify you as a source of expertise, and enhance your reputation and professional credibility.

If you would like more information on obtaining the OHST/ CLCS credential visit https://safetylinks.net/index.php/training/safety-management-courses/ohst-prep-.

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