August - Scaffold and Access Industry Association

Transcription

AUGUST 2008
Fixeo Just the Fix
Scaffolding Down Under
A New Nashville Skyline
Fall Restraint Review
VOLUME 36
ISSUE 8
2
AUGUST 2008 Scaffold Industry
www.scaffold.org
Table
Of Contents
AUGUST
> VOLUME 36 > ISSUE 8 > 2008
On the Cover
The Fixeo product was used to address
access challenges at a condominium
project in Palm Beach, FL.
President’s Desk
Here Comes
Team SIA! 5
A newly elected president shares his thoughts
after taking office
departments
5
9
42
47
48
From the President’s Desk
Project Profile
Technically Speaking
Fixeo Just
the Fix 12
Industry Briefs
How sensitive time
and site conditions were
met during a condominium project
Schedule of Events
Advertisers Index
Project Profile
Feature
‘Excelling’ at a Power Plant
Scaffolding
Down Under 16
Lessons learned from
a trip to Australia
and New Zealand
Project Profile
A New
Nashville
Skyline 20
22
How access challenges
were met at a busy hospital environment
Bartlett’s, Team One tackle access issues at the Oconee
Commercial Nuclear Power Plant
www.scaffold.org
Scaffold Industry AUGUST 2008
3
F R O M
T H E
P R E S I D E N T ’ S
D E S K
Here Comes Team SIA!
VOLUME 36
ISSUE 8
A
N E W L Y E L E C T E D P R E S I D E N T S H A R E S H I S T H O U G H T S A F T E R TA K I N G O F F I C E
PUBLISHER
(972) 819-1460
EDITOR
Natalie Keith
(561) 364-0113
MANAGER, DESIGN
& PRODUCTION
Jeff Kruger
(626) 932-6193
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Chuck Muela
(626) 932-6147
AD COORDINATOR
Katherine Culliver
(626) 932-6172
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Joan Callahan
(972) 819-1496
Scaffold Industry is published monthly with
an extra issue in March by the Scaffold Industry
Association Inc. Subscriptions are $85 for an annual
subscription / $45 for additional subscription.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Scaffold
Industry Assocation Inc., P.O. Box 20574,
Phoenix, AZ 85036- 0574
For further information, please contact the SIA
office at:
Scaffold Industry Assocation Inc.
2001 E. Campbell Ave.
Suite 101
Phoenix, AZ 85016
hanging of the
guard! Change
is normally associated with uneasiness, future uncertainty, and the shift from
one vision to another,
among other things.
As I write my first of
many monthly presidential messages, I
C
Mike Mehno
Bill Breault
have emphatically
placed myself in the
shoes of my fellow
SIA members. Ladies
and gentlemen of
the Scaffold Industry
Association, please
understand that the
change in leadership
is in name and subtle style only. The vision
that I have worked on tirelessly with pastpresident John Miller remains in place.
Another change! By now you are fully
aware of the most recent decision to place
the operational functions of our association in the hands of the experts, The
Robstan Group. The SIA has been run the
last couple of years by dedicated association members with the untiring efforts of
some very, very special people on staff. In
the pursuit of “raising the bar,” we as an
association are now fortunate enough to
have a solid foundation with a long-term
vision that can be taken to the experts. The
Robstan Group is that “expert company.”
I can surely appreciate any uneasiness that
long-time members may have in placing the
daily functioning of our accredited association in the hands of others. That past now
represents a learning curve whose institution
is unwavering. Let that myth be dispelled
immediately! Considerable time and analysis
were put forth to decide: 1) Is this the right
choice for the SIA? and 2) which is the right
company to run with it? I can tell you, we
have made a monumental decision that will
surely elevate our
presence, our mission and our voice!
Among the many
agenda items that will
rapidly fill the next
two years, I promise
you what I believe to
be the key to success
during any initiative:1) Communication –
Communication needs to be clear, consistent
and repeated again and again.
2) Gain commitment – Truly an earned
trait. I am extremely fortunate to have been
elected as the leader of our association. I truly
believe that I will serve the fiduciary objectives
and lead this association to the global forefront of the scaffold and access industry.
3) Leading - Emotions can run high during a period of transition, and not to mention economic uncertainty that is bigger
than all of us. I believe that strong leadership for the organization during this time is
not a luxury…it is a requirement.
The vision that I have
worked on tirelessly with
past-president John Miller
remains in place.
Continued on page 7
Bill Breault is owner of Breault Industrial Group, Inc. in Tualatin, OR. He may be reached at (503) 691-7044
or [email protected]
Phone: (602) 257-1144
Fax: (602) 257-1166
[email protected] • www.scaffold.org
2008-2010 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Scaffold Industry is the official publication of the
Scaffold Industry Association Inc. Opinions expressed
herein are those of the respective authors and do not
necessarily reflect the official view of the SIA.
BILL BREAULT
President
Breault Industrial Group, Inc.
The material contained in this publication is for
informational purposes only and, unless otherwise
noted, is not to be considered as the official position
of the SIA, its members or advertisers; does not constitute legal advice; is not to be considered as approving or recommending any product or advertisement
by the SIA; and the SIA does not promulgate rules or
regulations governing the industry or its members.
STEVE SMITH
President Elect
Edge International
CHUCK HUTCHINSON
Secretary
Bil-Jax, Inc.
GENE MORGAN
Board Appointee
MDM Scaffolding Services
DARYL HARE
MIKE RUSSELL
Treasurer
Board Appointee
Waco Scaffolding & Equipment Co. Power Climber, A Div. of Safeworks
JEFF STACHOWIAK
Presidential Appointee
Sunbelt Rentals
JOHN R. MILLER
Immediate Past-President
The Millstone Companies
RANDY MOODY
Vice President
The Brock Group
Published by:
5
President’s Message
6
www.scaffold.org
President’s Message
Continued from page 5
In today’s 24/7 driven business world,
accountability is becoming a more critical
issue for every business. The continued
success of the SIA is absolutely no different. The challenge is to realize that accountability is just not a single issue, but
an issue with many supporting competencies. Ladies and gentleman, you will have
100% accountability from me and my
family. The past months have been filled
with alignment at home and at work to
place myself in the very best position of
leadership for the next two years. Please
expect nothing less than the best!
I
N
M
The success of any association is a
product of participation. We currently
have approximately 1,000 members in
the SIA. Just think – if each and every
one put forth an effort to a current undertaking (big or small) the reckoning
would be unbelievable. Everyone wants
to be a part of a great team – I ask, “How
can you help?” Better yet – you ask!
Today, proactive teamwork is a greater
part of American business. Teams help
achieve greater success than individuals,
but sometimes team members lack
some of the necessary skills. We often
hear of the 20% of the team doing 80%
of the work. Are your behaviors helping
others to be more accountable or are
your behaviors allowing others to shoulder more of the workload?
I cannot wait to get started! n
E M O R I A M
SIA Past President
David F. Beatty
We deeply regret to inform you of the
passing of David F. Beatty, one of SIA’s
most influential past presidents, who
served the association from 1975-1977.
Mr. Beatty, former president of Scaffold
Consultants, passed away in his sleep in
his Jackson, CA home on July 28 at the
age of 79. He is survived by his loving
wife Sandra.
A special tribute to Mr. Beatty will
take place in our upcoming September
issue of the Scaffold Industry magazine.
We look forward to recognizing the
efforts, life and work of Beatty, who
will be sorely missed by all those
in the scaffold and access industry.
Due to Mr. Beatty’s wishes,
a memorial will not be held.
However, please contact the
SIA office at (602) 257-1144
for more information on
paying respects. n
www.scaffold.org
7
Call for
Articles
Scaffold
Industry
magazine
We are always interested in
articles on innovative projects, unique solutions, trends
and issues impacting our
industry. If you are an expert
on a topic related to one of
our upcoming magazine
themes, or have an interesting project to share, please
contact Natalie Keith, editor,
at [email protected].
October
Focus on Fall
Protection
November
Material Hoists/
Construction
Elevators
8
For advertising rates and information, contact:
Joan Callahan (972) 819-1496
To submit an article, contact
Natalie Keith, Editor
[email protected]
www.scaffold.org
Column
Is it Compatible?
Determining whether scaffold components can be intermixed
By David H. Glabe, P.E.
How’s your scaffold?
Is it compatible?
The federal Occupational Safety &
Health Administration (OSHA) standards require that
“scaffold components manufactured
David H. Glabe
by different manufacturers shall not be intermixed unless the components fit together without force and the scaffold’s structural
integrity is maintained by the user.” (29
CFR 1926(b)(10))
What does that mean?
What if your scaffold is
different colors, say red
and yellow. Does that
make it incompatible? Is
a wood pole scaffold
compatible with a tubular welded frame scaffold? What about a tube
and coupler scaffold
being used with a systems
scaffold? Can two seemingly different scaffolds
possibly coexist?
Generally there are two issues that
determine if scaffolds are compatible.
The first issue applies to the same type of
scaffold of different designs or manufactured by different manufacturers. For
example, a tubular welded frame scaffold manufactured by company A has a
leg diameter of 1 in., while the tubular
welded frame scaffold manufactured by
company B has a leg diameter of 3 in.
Obviously, the 1-in. diameter tube would
not fit onto the 3-in. diameter leg. This
would make it incompatible.
The second issue applies to different
types of scaffolds. For example, can a
tube and coupler scaffold, typically using
tubes that are a nominal 2-in. diameter
tube, be used with a systems scaffold that
has the same diameter tube? Can this
same scaffold be used with a tubular
welded frame scaffold that has a tube
diameter of 1-5/8 in.? These are legitimate questions for the scaffold inspector.
The Scaffold, Shoring & Forming
Institute (SSFI) and manufacturers
have guidelines about the matter. So
grity is not compromised.
Here are some factors that determine if seemingly different types of
scaffolds are really compatible:
• What does the manufacturer say
about it?
• Are the scaffolds the same type of
scaffolds (e.g. systems scaffolds)?
• Are the scaffolds manufactured of
the same material (e.g. steel)?
• Do the scaffolds fit well together?
(although this isn’t a real good gauge
of whether the scaffold is compatible
since a really big hammer will solve
this problem)
For tubular welded frame
scaffolds, consider this:
• Are the tube diameters
the same?
• Is the cross brace stud spacing the same?
• Is the distance from the top
cross brace stud to the top
of the frame the same?
• What is the height of
the frame? (A 5-ft-, 0-in.
frame isn’t necessarily
5-ft tall)
• Does the coupling pin have a collar?
• If it does have a collar, is it the same
height? (Some coupling pins have no
collar, some have a 1/8- or 1/4- in.
collar and some have a 1-in. collar)
• Do the holes for the coupling pin
retainer pins line up?
• Are the tube diameters the same?
Some tubes are 1.625-in. diameter
(1 5/8-in.) and others are 1.69-in.
• Is the steel the same type of steel? Is it
“Scaffold components manufactured
by different manufacturers shall not
be modified in order to intermix them
unless a Competent Person determines
that the resulting scaffold is
structurally sound.”
www.scaffold.org
does the Scaffold Industry Association
(SIA.) The guidelines typically agree
with the OSHA standards which succinctly sum it up: “Scaffold components manufactured by different manufacturers shall not be modified in order
to intermix them unless a Competent
Person determines that the resulting
scaffold is structurally sound.” This
means that scaffold components from
different manufacturers can indeed be
intermixed as long as the scaffold inte-
Continued on page 11
9
10
www.scaffold.org
36 ksi, 50 ksi, or stronger?
• If you know who the manufacturer
is, what he/she says about it?
For systems scaffolds, consider this:
• Are the connections compatible?
Most connection points (rosettes,
node points, etc.) are proprietary
but many “ring” type connections
may be compatible)
• What is the spacing between connection points? Most connections
are a half meter (19.685 in.) but
one systems scaffold connection
spacing is 21 in.
• Is the steel the same type of steel? Is
it 36 ksi, 50 ksi, or stronger?
• What is the tube diameter?
• If you know who the manufacturer is,
what does he/she say about it?
www.scaffold.org
For tube and coupler scaffolds, consider this:
• Are the couplers (clamps) compatible?
• Are the end fittings compatible?
(While the “bayonet” fittings may
look alike, they do not necessarily
lock together)
• Is the steel the same type of steel? Is it
36 ksi, 50 ksi, or stronger?
• What is the tube diameter?
• What is the tube wall thickness?
• Pipe is not the same as tube. Are you
specifying the correct product?
• Are the couplers sized for the tube
being used?
• If you know who the manufacturer is,
what does he/she say about it?
This isn’t meant to be a complete
list since there are many manufacturers with many products. The OSHA
standards exist to ensure that intermixed equipment performs as anticipated. By requiring an evaluation by a
Competent Person, the scaffold user
will have a safe scaffold to use. If you
are not comfortable determining the
compatibility between scaffold components, manufacturers, materials, and
scaffold types, don’t guess – contact a
Competent Person and/or a competent/qualified manufacturer. n
David H. Glabe, P.E., is president of D.H.
Glabe & Associates Inc. of Denver. Glabe also
serves as the SIA’s liaison to OSHA. E-mail him
at [email protected].
11
Project Profile
Palm Beach Condominium
Fixeo Just the Fix
How sensitive time and site conditions were met during a condominium project
By Dave McAllister and Tom DeJong
Seldom does a new product arrive on
the scene of access equipment that
allows the combination of higher stability and worksite performance than
that offered by the Fixeo product from
Fixator, France.
Fort Lauderdale-based access equipment supplier Reach Service &
12
Equipment Inc., which served as dealer distributor, in conjunction with
West Palm Beach-based Bee Access,
which served as agent and importer,
were awarded the Palm Beach condominium project to provide equipment
meeting very specific and time sensitive parameters.
Primary concern was the limited
access to the roof service, as well as the
need to provide a safe working environment on a fast track project. Rules of
construction and renovation preclude
any work being performed on the
island of Palm Beach near a world
famous hotel in “season,” which runs
www.scaffold.org
from Nov. 1 to May 31. Added concern
was the fact the entire project would be
taking place over an active parking
garage area, so load bearing weight was
a concern. Evaluation led all involved to
agree that the Fixeo alternative would
offer an advantage while meeting all
the requirements from building owner,
www.scaffold.org
engineer and general contractor.
The Fixeo product allows all standard domestic suspended scaffold
equipment to be converted into a
light weight mast climbing platform
with the same capacities and limitations of standard suspended scaffold
systems. This equipment provides a
stable work area that will not sway in
windy applications and allows for an
alternative to some excessive overhang
and soffit conditions.
The mast sections weigh only 55 lbs
each, and can be erected to an elevation of 330 ft. Length of the platform
13
is determined by the jobsite requirements and the limitation of the platform system. Ties to the structure are
at the base and within every 20 ft
thereafter, plus one more at the top.
The size and light weight allow for the
equipment to be placed in very small
areas with easy access into elevators
and other jobsite conditions. All
equipment is modular and the heaviest item is traditionally the electric
hoist and lock assembly.
14
There is no need for a fork lift at
any phase of the handling of the
equipment. A feature in the concern
of safety is the ability to run a static
line on the platform for attachment of
safety lanyards and equipment. While
this was not practical for this project,
it is a feature to be considered in the
future. Also unique is the requirement of a level sensitive electric yoke
that prevents the hoists from becoming excessively out of level placing sig-
nificant loads on the masts and ties.
Jobsite superintendent Jason Levitt
says, “The nearly $14 million project
was bid under the condition that the
roof was not to be used for rigging. This
precluded the use of standard swing
staging on the job. Furthermore, fixed
scaffold was considered too risky during
the hurricane season and mast climbers
too heavy and costly because of the limited height and parking garage limitations. To make matters more challengwww.scaffold.org
ing, the entire first year of the project
had to be completed in six months,
without a single day’s grace allowed.
This meant that large platforms would
be a huge advantage so the entire
facades could be worked at one time.”
Levitt adds, “The Fixeo system has
provided a highly efficient and effective means of accessing the building for
all the work that is being performed.
The platforms remain solid and reliable despite the wind on the beach,
www.scaffold.org
and allow for work to continue when
less stable hanging scaffolds would
have meant lost production. The Fixeo
system has given us a competitive
advantage in bidding the work and the
benefits in time and money savings
continue in daily operation.” n
Dave McAllister can be reached at (954) 9281323 or [email protected] and Tom
DeJong can be reached at (561) 616-9003 or
[email protected].
15
Feature
Canadian Corner
Scaffolding Down Under
Lessons learned from a trip to Australia and New Zealand
By John Rosenthal
They say that if you
stop learning, you
stop growing. I’ve
decided that I want
to stop growing horizontally, but I do
want to continue to
grow mentally.
I’ve always been
John Rosenthal
an advocate of asking questions – the most frequent
being, “Why are we doing this?” If the
answer is, “That’s the way we’ve always
done it,” that’s not good enough.
There’s got to be another way.
Those of us (myself included) who
have been in this business for an un-
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specified number of years, tend to
think of ourselves as the experts. We
think we know just about all there is to
know about our kind of work.
When the opportunity came for me
to visit Australia and New Zealand, I had
to find out what they were doing as far as
scaffolding was concerned. I discovered
that we have a lot to learn from them!
The first thing I became aware of
when I looked into scaffolding Down
Under is that all workers on scaffolds
must hold a “Certificate of Competence.” What a great idea! That means
that everyone working on scaffolds
must have at least a certain minimum
amount of training.
Without a certificate, a worker can
build frame scaffolds and system scaffolds up to two lifts high. (Sort of like our
PAT limitation, but without really getting
into height-to-base ratios.) Workers without certificates can work with
“Competent Workers,” to build taller
structures, but cannot lead the work.
A trainee in Australia/New Zealand
must maintain a logbook listing the
names and addresses of each employer, description of the types of work performed with dates, the type of equipment used, formal training sessions,
the supervisor’s name and certificate
number, and the supervisor’s signature
for every day the work is done.
www.scaffold.org
Competency is determined by assessors who determine the extent of the
practical skills held by the trainee, evaluate the worker’s knowledge based on
completion of a written “closed book”
examination, and an acceptable written
assignment consisting of a total of seven
separate tasks including: estimating quantities, calculating live and dead loads, load
distribution, and tie construction.
The requirements for a Basic Certificate state that a worker who has at least
100 working days’ experience in erecting and dismantling scaffolds (of which
at least 50 days involved modular scaffolds) does not require assessment for
scaffold construction and ties.
A Basic Scaffold Certificate is required to erect any modular system
where a person or object could fall
www.scaffold.org
more than 4 meters. A Basic Certificate
enables a person to erect any modular
scaffold, such as aluminum mobiles,
steel modular, kwikstage and cuplock.
The maximum height to which a basic
scaffolder may build a modular scaffold
is the maximum height specified by the
manufacturer of the particular scaffold
being used. Topics covered in the Basic
training program include inspection of
equipment; fibre ropes, splicing, bends
and hitches; scaffold construction –
steel and aluminum; erection and dismantling skills; tie construction; scaffold inspection; calculating loads; estimating equipment and basic scaffolding knowledge questions.
Once they have their Basic Scaffold
Certificate, workers can construct a
tower scaffold with outriggers, install a
barrow hoist, build a modular birdcage scaffold, install a safety net, and
construct a mobile frame scaffold. A
worker with a Basic certificate cannot
construct any of the following: cantilevered scaffold, barrow ramp, tube
and coupler scaffold, swing stage, mast
climber, personnel or material hoist.
An Intermediate Scaffold Certificate
enables a worker to erect tube and coupler scaffolds. Topics covered in the
training course include measuring and
marking, general scaffold construction,
17
Canadian Corner
sloping platform construction, spur
construction, use of compatible equipment, lashing of planks, scaffold design, equipment quantities, and intermediate knowledge questions.
With an Intermediate Scaffold Certificate, workers can install a cantilevered crane loading platform, construct a barrow ramp, build a singlepole tube and coupler scaffold, construct a tube and coupler covered way
or gantry, erect a mast climber, and
carry out all work covered by the Basic
Certificate. The Intermediate worker is
not allowed to construct a personnel
or material hoist, a hung scaffold, a
boatswain’s chair or a swing stage.
A worker who has recorded at least
50 working days experience erecting
and dismantling tube and coupler scaf-
18
folds does not require practical skills
assessment for Intermediate Scaffolding. The written assignment for
Intermediate consists of an information
sheet, a drawing sheet and a list of 10
tasks to be carried out. Knowledge assessment is determined by correct answers to the majority of the questions in
three categories.
The Advanced Scaffold Certificate
allows the worker to carry out all work
covered by both Basic and Intermediate certificates as well as constructing hanging scaffolds and suspended scaffolds. As with Basic and Intermediate, the assessment for Advanced requires successful completion
of specified tasks.
This year, my daughter received a
post graduate diploma in design from
one of the New Zealand Universities.
Of course, Dad and Mom had to attend the graduation ceremony. On this
visit, I arranged to take an offshoot trip
over to Australia to meet in Sydney
with Adrian LaManna, project manager, Standards Australia and Doug
Crawford, chairman of the scaffold
committee, to discuss their standards
compared with ours.
One of the first topics that came up
was duty ratings. Australia has done away
with light duty, medium duty and heavy
duty scaffold ratings as we know them.
They are concerned with bay loading,
which makes a lot of sense to me. When
you consider it, we are asking our workers to do quite a bit of mathematical
work before they even start to perform
their jobs. Of course, they’re supposed to
be able to do that. But why not take out
some of the drudgery?
Do we really expect our workers to
calculate platform loads on a square
foot basis? Take an aluminum/plywood
deck, for example. We slap a label on
the side that says its capacity is 75 per sq
ft. How much load can we place on the
deck? Who, on a jobsite, is going to
measure 19 in., divide it by 12 and multiply by seven, and then by 75, to get
831.25 lb? Why don’t we just label it as
an 825-lb deck? Then everyone readily
knows that, if you want to set a 1,400-lb
valve on the deck, it’ll be overloaded.
It’s similar with planks. We talk
about the maximum load on a platform spanning 8 ft being 50 per sq ft.
Why not just say that, because planks
are 9 1/4–in. wide and the span is 8 ft,
www.scaffold.org
Canadian Corner
we can place a maximum load of 300
lb on each plank? Wouldn’t that be easier for the workers and so much less
likely to end up as a mistake?
Going in that direction, we can eliminate the idea of 25 per sq ft, 50 per sq ft,
and 75 per sq ft as light-, medium- and
heavy-duty loadings. For most of our
jobs, we are using 5-ft, 7-ft and 10-ft
braces. So our bay widths have those
dimensions. On that basis, can’t we say
that 5-ft bays can be loaded to 300 lb
per plank (based on 75 per sq ft), that
7-ft bays can be loaded to 275 lb per
plank (based on 50 per sq ft), and that
10-ft bays can be loaded to 200 lb per
plank (based on 25 per sq ft)?
I mentioned previously that Certificates of Competence are deter-
various people involved in scaffold
standards in his country. I’ll be writing
more on New Zealand after I’ve had a
chance to communicate with these
folks. It seems to me that Kiwis just
might be more amenable to reciprocity than the Aussies, but I’m told that
scaffold workers’ pay in New Zealand is
considerably less than in Australia.
While I was Down Under, I didn’t
see much in the way of frame scaffolding in use, except for some Acrow
Shorbrace shoring frames. In Australia,
it seemed that Waco pretty well had
control of the scaffold market with
their KwikForm. I did see quite a bit of
tube-and-clamp in use, and in New
Zealand, I saw a lot of Layher Allround.
The folks Down Under also seem to
The folks Down Under also seem to be somewhat
more safety conscious than we are.
mined/issued by assessors. I met with
Kent Fisher, owner of the Scaffold
Training Company outside Melbourne.
He told me that the assessor function
was being done away with in Australia
and that training was going to be carried out by Registered Training
Organizations (RTO’s). One of the
problems he sees with the change is
that what he presently covers in three
days will be spread out over five days.
He regards that only as a decrease in
productivity and an increase in costs.
I had planned to meet with a representative of Worksafe Victoria while I
was in Melbourne to get his ideas on
reciprocity of recognition for Competency Certificates. Unfortunately, he
had to be out of town during the time I
was there. However, his last comment
to me was that the WorkCover organization (at least in Australia) had decided that it would not recognize overseas
qualifications. I plan to get back into
discussions with him to find out what it
might take for them to accept, say, the
SIA Competent Person certification.
In New Zealand, I met with David
Crowley, of Scafit, Inc. We discussed
some of the topics I had gone over in
Australia. He gave me contact info for
www.scaffold.org
be somewhat more safety conscious
than we are. Fall protection is required
at two meters (6.5 ft). WorkSafe Victoria
issues a weekly e-mailed newsletter,
Safety Soapbox, which included the
Bodgey Scaffold of the Week. If you wish
to receive a copy, simply e-mail [email protected] and provide
your name, organization, position, telephone contact and preferred e-mail
address. WorkSafe Victoria is a division
of the Victorian WorkCover Authority.
Australian and New Zealand standards are not as much “our way or the
highway” as ours seem to be. The
Aussies and Kiwis are ready to accept
that products meeting other countries’
standards may be suitable for use in
their own. For example, “Couplers that
meet the performance requirements of
BS1139/EN 74 for similar type couplers
are deemed to comply with this standard without the need for type testing.”
I have no idea at this time what
parts, if any, of our scaffold standards
and regulations the folks Down Under
might wish to adopt. Wouldn’t it be
nice if, sometime in the future, we
could have a set of standards and procedures that would be uniform worldwide? Heck! We can’t even agree on
how things ought to be done on both
sides of our own borders, let alone
across the world.
But wouldn’t it be nice if we could?
Acknowledgements: Details of
scaffold training programs and
photo of Kent Fisher “borrowed”
from his website at www.scaffoldtrainingcompany.com.au. Awapuni
Racecourse scaffold photo from
Layher New Zealand featured job,
photo by David Crowley [www.layher.co.nz/assets/projects/awapuniracecoursegrandstand.pdf.] n
John Rosenthal, P.Eng. is president of DunnWright Engineering Inc., in Caledon, Ontario.
Rosenthal also serves as SIAC international director. E-mail him at [email protected].
19
Project Profile
Monitoring Mastclimbers
A New Nashville Skyline
How access challenges were met at a busy hospital environment
Support structure for masts.
When Bob Dylan recorded Nashville
Skyline in 1969, the result was described
as “ground breaking.” As Atlanta-based
Mastclimbers LLC continues to explore
the true value and flexibility of the
product, ground breaking is again the
word that comes to mind.
Bobby Reese, co-founder of Mast-
20
climbers LLC described the complexity
of the task. “The extension to the existing Vanderbilt hospital is in a tight city
center environment, and since the original hospital was built, there have been
many building additions and traffic
management changes, making it impossible to erect anything from the ground
up. We have ambulances racing out of
the ground level area and helicopters
landing on the helipad on the roof, and
in between we had to provide façade
access for the specialist trades!”
The answer was to mount the mast
climbers on an arrangement of support beams, keeping everything 75 ft
www.scaffold.org
Monitoring Mastclimbers
Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
above the busy streets below.
Steve Kunz, Mastclimbers project
manager on the job, explained the
complexity, “In addition to the ambulances and helicopter activity (the tower
crane had to stop operations when the
helicopter was landing/taking off, and
it was a regular occurrence), there was
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only room on the job to unload one
truck at a time, and concrete drilling
was prohibited after 8 am! But, despite
the obstacles, everyone one was delighted with the result.”
“There was no viable solution for the
provision of access on this job until we
got involved. The contractor, Alexander
Metals, was delighted with the result,”
Kunz said. “Balfour Beatty, the general
contractor on the project, needed access
to the external façade areas for multi-discipline contractors. The key was to
achieve this aim safely, while the hospital
continued its day-to-day business undisturbed. We like win/win solutions.” n
21
Project Profile
Industrial Scaffold
‘Excelling’ at a Power Plant
Bartlett’s, Team One tackle access issues at
the Oconee Commercial Nuclear Power Plant
The total number of scaffold pieces used was 5,178.
The Excel specialty scaffold was
installed above a spray ring suspended
overhead grid network at Oconee
Commercial Nuclear Power Plant in
Oconee County, South Carolina for
doing refurbishment of the liner
plate. The work platform is being used
inside the power plant’s containment
building to support its ongoing fall
22
2007 outage painting upgrade work
activities. The power plant is operated
by Duke Power.
The scaffold, provided by Bartlett’s
Services and Team One Mechanical
Services LLC, was manufactured at the
company’s Deltak fabrication facility in
Walker, Louisiana. The design of the
Excel containment dome specialty stag-
ing package was completed by Duke,
Bartlett and Deltak in late 2006
through early 2007. Ken Hensley,
Rocky Hayman and Johnny Curtis, of
Deltak, worked with Duke civil engineer Allen Hart to design the platform.
When fully installed, the Excel work
platform was almost 37 ft tall and 114 ft
wide and covered 50% of the containwww.scaffold.org
The Excel specialty scaffold was installed above a spray ring suspended overhead grid network for doing refurbishment of the liner plate.
When fully installed, the Excel work platform was almost 37 ft tall and
114 ft wide.
The scaffold was provided by Bartlett’s Services and Team One
Mechanical Services LLC.
www.scaffold.org
23
24
www.scaffold.org
Industrial Scaffold
The total cubic ft of scaffold material used to complete the required work decks was 34,375
ment dome. It is currently installed 100
ft above the refuel floor, above the
polar crane, above the grid network in
the overhead of the containment
building. The structure enables workers to refurbish the paint flaking problem issues on the liner to eliminate the
possibility of any sump blockage issues
by removing the old coating and applying the new one.
The total number of scaffold pieces
used was 5,178 with the total weight of
the staging materials installed in the
containment overhead being 80,856
lbs. The total cubic ft of scaffold material used to complete the required
work decks was 34,375. The number of
Excel specialty components was 1,260.
Twenty-five percent of the components were comprised of the following
parts: 6- to 8-in. adjustable beam
clamps with 18-in. screw jack assembly
mounted on top, elevated short bridge
(6-in. long) and 4-ft long bridge
mounted on adjustable beam clamps,
movable and telescoping offset 1- to 3ft outrigger that were mounted on
adjustable beam clamps, horizontal
bars built with 2-in offset clearance
from vertical leg assemblies and extra
long four- and five-top supported side
brackets/knee out cantilevers.
www.scaffold.org
The work platform is being used inside the power plant’s containment building to support its ongoing fall 2007 outage painting upgrade work activities.
Bartlett site manager Jim Petty was
able to provide Duke with eight qualified BNI scaffold builders that helped
to install the structure. n
25
Column
Show Preview
APEX 2008
The sixth APEX show expected to be the biggest ever held
By Natalie Keith
The sixth APEX aerial platform exhibition promises to be the largest in the
event’s history, with over 100 exhibitors
already confirmed and the site almost
completely booked. Many of the
world’s access equipment manufacturers will launch new machines at the
show, including first-time exhibitors
from Japan and China.
APEX – which takes place in
Maastricht, the Netherlands on Sept. 1719 – is supported by the International
Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and
by Access International magazine.
All the world’s big name manufacturers will be present at the show – see
www.apexshow.com for a full exhibitors
list – but one of the attractions of APEX
has always been the presence of the
dozens of smaller manufacturers who
show an enormous range of specialist
access equipment as well as rental companies and component suppliers.
This year, for example, sees an
increased presence of telehandler
manufacturers – Faresin, Dieci and
JCB will attend, in addition to JLG,
Manitou, Haulotte and Genie – and
also access manufacturers from China
and Japan. Aichi is attending as in the
past, but it will be joined by fellow
Japanese company Hanix, whose
European subsidiary, Hanix Europe,
will use APEX to launch Japanese-built
aerials in Europe.
Chinese manufacturer Beijing
Jingcheng, meanwhile, will use APEX
to spearhead its entry into Europe with
its range of electric scissor lifts and selfpropelled telescopic booms. Several of
26
Jingcheng’s machines have already
been CE-marked for the European
market, and APEX will be the first
exhibition in Europe or North
America where self-propelled aerials
platforms have been shown.
Rental companies buy as much as
80% of all aerial platforms and the
rental sector is expanding quickly in
Europe, with growth last year of 8%
and the prospect of continued growth
for the next few years. Access rental is
already well-established in Western
Europe but is now spreading eastwards
and south-eastwards in the region, as
well as in other developing areas such
as Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Aerial platforms on show at APEX
will comprise a wide spectrum of pow-
ered and non-powered access equipment, including self-propelled booms,
scissor lifts, truck and van-mounted
aerials, trailer mounted units, access
towers and specialist underbridge
inspection platforms.
Tony Kenter, managing director of
Industrial Promotions International
(IPI), which is organizing the show,
said, “This is the sixth APEX show and
it has been the fastest selling ever. The
global access market is on a high – particularly in Europe – and the event
promises to be the busiest and most
successful we have had.”
The 2008 show will share many of the
features of previous events, including a
free conference program and keynote
speech on the first morning of the show.
www.scaffold.org
One change from previous events
will be the days on which APEX is held
– Wednesday to Friday rather than
Thursday to Saturday. This change has
been made in response to requests
from exhibitors to focus the show on
the working week.
www.scaffold.org
James King, publisher of Access
International, said the prospects were
great for a successful event. “The
access sector is enjoying a fantastic
spell at the moment, and indications
are that this healthy business environment will be sustained beyond APEX
2008,” he says. “There is also enormous
interest in access from new markets in
eastern Europe, the Middle East,
China and other areas – APEX will be
the ideal venue for these potential and
current buyers to meet and see the latest equipment.” n
27
28
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29
30
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Column
Fall Protection
Fall Restraint
A review of standards, equipment and best practices
Fall restraint is a familiar but often
misapplied practice in fall protection.
This article reviews current regulations, standards and best practices in
fall restraint. We will also cover the use
of fall protection equipment used in
fall restraint, with particular attention
to proper selection and the limitations
of use for personal protective equipment in fall restraint applications.
Fall restraint is also referred to in standards and literature as “travel restraint”
or “travel restriction.” In this article, we
will use these terms synonymously.
U.S. Federal OSHA Rules
Fall restraint is not explicitly referenced in U.S. federal OSHA rules regulating fall protection. There are no
mandatory requirements or defined
limits for this practice in current
OSHA regulations for construction
and general industry, but there are
several references to fall restraint in
OSHA Letters of Interpretation.
These letters are issued by the OSHA
Directorate of Compliance Programs
in response to questions posed by the
public regarding the interpretation of
OSHA rules to specific applications.
OSHA Letters of Interpretation are
not intended to serve as a substitute
for rulemaking, however, they are
often cited in OSHA compliance
actions. They serve here as guidance
to employers who encounter similar
situations involving fall hazards not
addressed in regulation. One example
of such an OSHA letter is the document written on Nov. 2, 1995 in response to a company that asked
whether they could use a fall restraint
system to protect its employees. In this
OSHA Letter of Interpretation, quotwww.scaffold.org
Fall restraint is a useful, but often misapplied practice in fall protection.
ed below, OSHA director Roy Gurnham, P.E., J.D., replies as follows:
“Although the standard (20 CFR
1926.502) does not mention them, we
do accept properly utilized fall restraint
systems in lieu of fall arrest systems when
the restraint system is rigged in such a
way that the employee cannot get to the
fall hazard. We suggest that, as a minimum, fall restraint systems have the
capacity to withstand at least 3,000 lbs of
force or twice the maximum expected
force that is needed to restrain the person from exposure to the fall hazard.”
U.S. federal OSHA regulations for
vehicle-mounted elevated and rotating
work platforms, under 29 CFR Part
1910.67, state that, “A body belt shall
be worn and a lanyard attached to the
boom or basket when working from an
aerial lift.” The intent of this specialized application of fall restraint is to
ensure that, “Employees shall always
stand firmly on the floor of the basket,
and shall not sit or climb on the edge
of the basket.”
U.S. National
Consensus Standards
ANSI/ASSE Z359-2007,
Fall Protection Code
The American National Standards
Institute has recently published a new
standard for fall protection, ANSI/ASSE
Z359-2007 Fall Protection Code. This
multi-part standard addresses fall restraint
as a recognized part of a fall protection
program within general industry. The
new standard defines travel restraint
usage, anchor requirements as well as
equipment design and test requirements.
In Z359.0, “Definitions and Nomenclature Used for Fall Protection,” the
31
Fall Protection
standard defines a travel restraint system as, “A combination of anchorage,
anchorage connector, lanyard (or
other means of connection), and body
support that limits travel in such a
manner that the user is not exposed to
a fall hazard.”
Eliminating and Controlling
Fall Hazards
In Z359.2, “Minimum Requirements
for a Comprehensive Managed Fall
Protection Program,” the standard
places fall restraint within the context of
the fall protection hierarchy, or preferred order of control used to select
methods for eliminating or controlling
fall hazards. Fall restraint is listed in the
following order, from the most preferred
to least preferred method of control:
• Elimination or substitution
• Passive fall protection
• Fall restraint
• Fall arrest
• Administrative controls
Fall restraint, as described in Section 5.1.3 of the new standard, involves, “securing the authorized person to an anchorage, using a lanyard
short enough to prevent the person’s
center of gravity from reaching the fall
hazard.” Note that fall restraint is
placed above fall arrest in the hierarchy of controls.
Anchorage Systems for
Travel Restraint Systems
ANSI Z359.2-2007 gives guidance
on the minimum static strength of
anchor structures for travel restraint
systems. The anchors must be capable
of sustaining static loads applied in the
directions permitted by the system of
at least:
• 1,000 lbs for non-certified anchors, or
• Two times the foreseeable force
for certified anchorages
Certified anchorages are those evaluated and certified by a qualified engineer. When more than one restraint system is attached to an anchorage, the
strengths must be multiplied by the
32
number of systems attached to the
anchorage. If the anchorage is also used
as an anchorage for fall arrest, it must
comply with the higher strength
requirements for a fall arrest anchorage.
Travel Restraint System
Requirements
ANSI Z359.3-2007, “Safety Requirements for Positioning and Travel Restraint Systems,” makes reference to
design requirements and test criteria
for travel restraint systems. The requirements include the following:
• The travel restraint system must
be connected to a suitable anchorage
as defined in Z359.2-2007,
• The travel restraint system is only
permitted on a walking/working surface that has a slope between zero and
18.4 degrees, and
• The travel restraint system must pass
static and dynamic tests as described in
the standard.
Static testing includes a tensile load
of 1,000 lbs applied for one minute.
Dynamic strength tests involve dropping a 300-lb test mass with a 4-ft free
fall distance. To pass the tensile test
and the dynamic strength test, the fall
restraint system may deform but must
not release the test weight.
Body Belts and Harnesses
for Travel Restraint
The new ANSI Z359 Fall Protection
Code excludes body belts from consideration in fall protection systems,
including fall restraint. ANSI Z359.32007 specifies that only full body harnesses are to be used as the body support component in a fall restraint system. According to the standard, harnesses may incorporate a waist belt
with a restraint attachment element on
the belt at the center of the back or,
alternatively, the back D-ring designed
for fall arrest may also be used in
restraint applications.
ANSI Z359.3-2007 requirements for
full body harnesses in fall restraint
include the following criteria:
• The full body harness must meet
the requirements for a fall arrest harness according to ANSI Z359.1-2007 in
addition to the requirements of ANSI
Z359.3-2007, and
• The manufacturer’s designated fall
restraint attachment element on the
harness must pass a dynamic strength
test with a 220 test mass and a free fall
distance of 3.3 ft without breaking.
Lanyards for
Travel Restraint
ANSI Z359.3-2007 establishes requirements for lanyards used in travel
restraint. Requirements for travel restraint lanyards include the following:
• Materials of construction, including
rope, webbing and wire rope, must
meet certain minimum strength and
performance requirements according
to nationally recognized materials standards. Polypropylene is not permitted in
load-bearing elements of the lanyard.
• Methods of construction are specified and are similar to those required in
fall arrest lanyards. Knots are not permitted to form lanyard end terminations.
• Hardware must also meet similar
construction and strength requirements
as in hardware for fall arrest lanyards.
• Fall restraint lanyards must have a
minimum breaking strength of 5,000 lbs.
• Lanyards with adjustable length
must resist a static load of 1,000 lbs without change in their adjusted length.
• Lanyards for fall restraint must
also pass a dynamic strength test with a
300-lb test mass and a 4-ft free fall without breaking.
ANSI/ASSE A10.32-2004, Fall
Protection Systems for Construction
and Demolition Operations
The U.S. national consensus standard for the construction industry is
ANSI/ASSE A10.32-2004. The requirements for fall restraint in this standard
are very similar to those in the later
standard for general industry, ANSI
Z359-2007, but not as detailed. The
construction standard does not define
many of the specific requirements
spelled out in the general industry fall
protection standard. Generally speakwww.scaffold.org
Fall Protection
ing, the equipment requirements for
ANSI Z359-2007 meet and exceed
those in ANSI A10.32-2004 and equipment designed for the new Z359 standard offers an equivalent or higher
level of protection.
Components designed to meet different standards may not always function
correctly together as a fall protection system. When combining components to
create a complete system for fall restraint,
consult the manufacturer(s) to determine whether components are compatible for their intended use.
Energy Absorbing Lanyards
and Self-Retracting Lanyards
in Travel Restraint
ANSI A10.32-2004 and the new
Z359-2007 Fall Protection Code do not
address the use of energy absorbers on
fall restraint lanyards and are also silent
on the use of self-retracting lanyard
devices in fall restraint. Nevertheless,
users of this protective equipment continue to incorporate energy absorbing
lanyards and self-retracing lanyards
into fall restraint systems. Here are several points for consideration before
attempting to put these fall arrest components into service for fall restraint:
Energy Absorbing Lanyards
in Travel Restraint
Some manufacturers permit lanyards
with a fall-arrest energy absorber to be
used as part of a fall restraint system.
MSA takes the position that this practice
introduces uncertainty and potential risk
and therefore is generally not recommended, for the following reasons:
• Energy absorbers are designed by
fall arrest standards to resist at least a
450-lb static load before deploying the
energy absorbing element. It is possible to exert enough force during normal use in travel restraint to deploy the
energy absorber element.
• Once deployed, the energy absorber will elongate and could potentially permit the worker to enter a fall
hazard zone. The restraint system is
thereby defeated and worker could
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suddenly and unexpectedly be exposed to a fall hazard.
• If the worker should accidentally
fall as a result of the deployment of the
energy absorber, the forces generated
by the fall could exceed the strength
of the anchor structure. The energy
absorber, having already partially
deployed, may also lack sufficient
reserve capacity to stop the fall within
the maximum fall arrest force limit,
with consequent adverse effects on the
anchor structure and the person.
Self-Retracting Lanyards
in Travel Restraint
Self-retracting lanyards are designed primarily to arrest a fall when
mounted directly above the worker’s
path of movement. Some manufacturers, however, permit the use of selfretracting lanyards for use in travel
restraint applications. Here are some
considerations for the proper use of
self-retracting lanyards in this function:
• To be used in travel restraint, the
self-retracting lanyard is usually mounted horizontally to the work surface. Be
sure that the self-retracting lanyard will
operate properly when mounted on its
side and will retract line as intended in
order to reduce the hazard of a slack
line condition.
• When mounted on its side, the
lifeline of the device may be exposed
to abrasion and sharp edges or pinch
points that can weaken the line. Take
precautions to prevent wear or damage to the lifeline.
• When mounted on its side, the
self-retracting lanyard may lock-up at
normal walking speeds. Users must be
trained to prevent sudden loss of balance by locking up the device while
working in travel restraint mode.
• Depending on the manner in
which the device is installed, the lifeline may exit the nozzle of the selfretracting lanyard at a sharp angle,
causing wear to the orifice and to the
lifeline, potentially impeding smooth
retraction and reducing the strength
of the line over time. The self-retract-
ing lanyard must be mounted to permit the line to extract from the nozzle
without abrading the line during normal use in travel restraint mode.
• When the self-retracting lanyard is
used in travel restraint applications, the
device acts merely as a retractable tether
that limits the user from moving
beyond the maximum length of the lifeline. The lifeline of the device must be
short enough to prevent the user from
entering a fall hazard zone. Care must
be taken to ensure that the geometry of
the work place is such that the worker
cannot encounter a fall hazard regardless of the direction of travel. If the user
were to accidentally fall over an exposed
edge or through an unguarded opening while the device is used in travel
restraint mode, the energy absorber of
the self-retracting lanyard will be rendered inoperable and a catastrophic
separation of the lifeline may occur,
resulting in serious injury or death.
From this discussion, it should be
apparent that the use of either an energy absorbing lanyard or self-retracting
lanyard in a travel restraint system must
only be considered after evaluation and
approval by a Qualified Person, as
defined in OSHA regulations and the
Z359 Fall Protection Code.
Rope Grab Systems
in Travel Restraint
Rope grab systems consist of a combination of components, including a
rope lifeline with a fall arrester that
travels along the length of the line.
The fall arrester connects to the fall
arrest attachment element (usually the
back D-ring) of a full body harness by
means of a short connecting lanyard.
Rope grabs are offered in many styles
and configurations, some of which are
suitable for use in fall restraint. To
ensure that the rope grab system is
properly designed and rigged for use
in fall restraint, users must take into
account the following restrictions:
• The fall arrester component may
operate either by manual control or
33
34
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Fall Protection
automatically travel hands-free along
the lifeline. Automatic devices must be
capable of operating in a “park” mode,
which locks the fall arrester on the lifeline to prevent further travel.
• The lifeline must be equipped
with a stopper that prevents the fall
arrester from inadvertently being pulled through the end of the lifeline and
becoming detached.
• Workers must be trained to operate
the rope grab system only within a safe distance from an exposed edge or unguarded opening. In some applications, a stopper can be rigged on the lifeline to restrict
travel beyond a certain point.
• Some rope grab systems include a
personal fall arrest energy absorber
with the short connecting lanyard. Observe the cautions related to use of
energy absorbers as noted in the preceding section of this paper.
• The rope lifeline must be protected from exposure to abrasion and sharp
corners. Frequent inspection is required to ensure that the lifeline is not
damaged or excessively worn by use in
travel restraint.
While rope grab systems offer a high
degree of flexibility and ease of use,
they also are subject to misuse in travel
restraint. The most common misuse
occurs when operators fail to rig the
rope grab to prevent exposure to a fall
hazard. Whenever the worker has control of the length of the restraint lifeline there exists the possibility that the
worker may intentionally or unintentionally pay-out more line than is necessary to prevent him/her from entering
the fall hazard zone.
platform is discouraged, as this presents
a fall hazard. Fall restraint systems in aerial lifts protect the worker from being
ejected from the work platform. In addition, a properly designed fall restraint
system will prevent the operator from
standing on the guard rails or moving
outside the confines of the lift.
The objective of a fall restraint system in elevated work platforms is to
restrain the operator inside the platform with both feet on the floor.
However, in some aerial lift devices,
the anchor point(s) are not located to
permit operator movement necessary
to perform work while connected to
the restraint anchor. Whenever the
operator is exposed to a fall outside
the work platform, suitable fall arrest
equipment should be employed.
Summary
As we stated in the introduction to
this article, fall restraint is a very useful
but often misapplied practice in fall
protection. In the preceding discussion,
we have presented current best practices for the safe use of fall restraint as a
means to prevent workers from exposure to fall hazards. A number of cautions against misuse have also been presented, because the greatest danger
inherent in the use of fall restraint is
the sudden and unexpected change in
circumstances that can alter the fall
restraint application to one involving
fall arrest. The best protections against
this danger are thorough job planning
in addition to worker training and
understanding of the hazards associated with working at height. n
Travel Restraint in
Elevated Work Platforms
When working in aerial lift devices,
the primary means of fall protection are
the guard rails installed on the work
platform. U.S. federal OSHA rules and
industry best practices require that operators of aerial lift devices must always
remain inside the work platform with
both feet on the platform floor when
working at elevation. Standing on the
guard rail or moving outside the work
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35
Feature
Technology Trends
Controlling Re-Rent
Inventory management tool can help improve the bottom line
If you’re a typical scaffold or access
company, you likely rent equipment
from multiple vendors. Since this rented equipment is the same as what you
own, it’s often combined with your
own equipment. You return the rental
when you can and it comes at a price.
By not returning them promptly, your
rentals can become an unmanaged
cost that erodes your profit margin.
But, you can only return equipment if
you know where it is and, more importantly, that it is no longer needed.
Avontus Quantify
is an inventory
management tool
that allows you
to track equipment
you rent to customers
as well as what you
rent from vendors,
or “re-rent.”
Avontus Quantify is an inventory
management tool that allows you to
track equipment you rent to customers
as well as what you rent from vendors,
or “re-rent.” To manage re-rent in
Avontus Quantify you create a re-rent
transaction for a vendor. That’s it.
36
www.scaffold.org
Technology Trends
Re-rent is displayed in line with
your own rental inventory, both at job
sites and branch offices. In just a few
clicks you can see this equipment. It’s
also displayed in Quantify Mobile Web,
which is viewable on your iPhone,
Blackberry, or other mobile device.
You can also ship re-rented equipment with your own equipment. Shipments and email notifications include
the vendor’s name if you are re-renting
the equipment.
To manage re-rent
in Avontus Quantify
you create a re-rent
transaction for a
vendor. That’s it.
Returning re-rent equipment is just
as easy as renting it; simply create a
“Return from Re-Rent” transaction and
select the location you want to ship from
and the vendor whom you rented from.
Various reports display the equipment
you are re-renting – both total quantities
as well as quantities by location (job site
and/or branch office). Re-rent is also
included in utilization reports.
Timely return of re-rented equipment delivers bottom line improvement. Get control of this cost and see
your margins improve significantly.
For more information visit Avontus
Software at www.avontus.com or call
800.848.1860. n
www.scaffold.org
37
38
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Column
Technology Trends
Working Towards a
Paperless Rental Center
Rental operations require a lot of paper,
and it cannot be eliminated easily especially for some documents that require
obtaining a signature and filing a printed and signed copy.
The rental contract is the best example, for it binds the customer to the
terms and conditions of the rental. It
also confirms the pick-up of the equipment by a specific and identifiable person. Changes to reservations or return
slips are other examples of documents
that benefit from a signature.
Current systems render access to
these documents more difficult, for it
can only be achieved at the central
office, in physical filing systems.
Sending a signed copy of a contract to
the customer’s accounting department
is a long and inefficient process. Some
rental centers, who deal heavily with
contractors, will even send a copy of all
signed invoices to their customers with
their monthly statement. A very long
and expensive process…
Now, thanks to electronic signature,
one can eliminate paper contracts,
archive the signed documents electronically, and send signed copies of
contracts by fax or email with a simple
click of the mouse. This access is not
limited to anymore in the central
office. Sales persons on the road or
managers at remote locations can obtain instantaneous access to these
signed documents wherever they are
physically located. Sending a copy of
signed invoices with the statement of
account can now be achieved automatically by the computer system, elimiwww.scaffold.org
nating long, expensive, and inefficient
processes. One can also eliminate the
filing cabinets and their office space.
The way this process works is that
when effectuating a transaction, a
rental contract for example, the customer signs his or her signature on a
small electronic pad. The signature is
then attached on an electronic copy of
the document, which is automatically
archived in the system, in a non modifiable Acrobat (PDF) format. A copy is
printed and remitted to the customer.
Orion’s Sirius Pro Rental Software system maintains and archives all copies
of signed documents. A user could
then access a transaction, all copies of
modified and signed reservations, the
rental contract, and the multiple partial return invoices, all in one screen!
This system also allows the input of
the signature on the road, for Orion
Software also offers a real-time link to
one’s rental software and system on the
road. The signature could then be captured at the construction site, while
delivering the equipment.
Bring Your Corporation on
the Road
Currently, most rental operations
are achieved at the corporation’s location. Sales representatives or delivery
people will visit customers, but their
relationships are performed on paper
systems, and finalization then takes
place at the office’s site. For example, a
sales person would propose equipment
to a contractor and confirm its availability or delivery when at the office,
later that day or the next one. Or a
delivery would take place, a paper
delivery slip signed at the construction
site, and that paper copy brought back
at the office for filing.
Now, thanks to new cellular highspeed Internet access capabilities, it is
now possible for sales persons to close
a deal at the customer’s site, confirm
availability, and emit the delivery slip in
real time at the warehouse. All this
through their own computer system,
without having to call the office or
obtain a backup support person assigned to complete the transaction. In
the same vein, a delivery could be
achieved, an electronic signature captured in the truck, a signed copy printed for the customer’s representative,
and archived directly on the office’s
central system, all at the same time.
The technology that allows for such
operations is a cellular system called 3G
Network and it operates on 1xEV-DO or
HSDPA technology. The speed of these
links currently range from 1 to 3 Mbps,
compared to regular DSL at 5 Mbps.
Using the Windows platform and
Terminal Server technology, you can
now have your employees directly link,
in real-time, to your office’s system wherever they are on the road. The speed is
fast enough to perform transactions as if
you were physically at the office. The
coverage is available in most metropolitan areas throughout North America. It
is also very affordable. As an example,
AT&T’s Cingular solution is offered at
$60 to $100 per month, including the
portable computer modem. n
39
Column
Insurance Issues
Calm Seas of Workers’
Compensation Threatened
By Frank Pennachio
While declining workers’ compensation rates have benefited employers in
recent years, several challenges could
cloud the future. The outlook for 2008
is one of caution and concern.
Rising costs and utilization of medical treatments. In workers’ compensation, alarming increases in
the utilization of medical services compounds the ever-present impact of
escalating medical costs. A National
Council on Compensation Insurance
study concluded the key driver is not
price, but rather growth in the number
of medical treatments. In addition,
care givers are moving toward more
complex and expensive treatments.
The seismic shifts in medical innovation and the corresponding increase
in treatment options, coupled with
consumer demand for the latest and
greatest treatments, will continue to
propel the spiral of increased utilization in 2008. Unchecked, the combination of these factors means soaring
medical costs.
A sundry of health care standards.
California’s sweeping legislative
reform has successfully reduced
employers’ workers’ compensation
from an average of $6.47 per $100 for
coverage in 2003 to $2.93 in the first
quarter of 2007. A cornerstone of California’s success is the mandated use of
1
2
40
the American College of Occupational
and Environmental Medicine’s scientific evidence-based treatment guidelines.
These enable employers to measure the
actual versus expected duration of
absence based on the injury and determine whether treatment matches the
prescribed protocols.
Declining rate cycle to bottom
out. The expectation that rates
will remain low belies logic.
Historically, the workers’ compensation price cycle has proven that what
goes down must go up. All eyes are
turned again to California, often a
precursor for the nation, where a key
3
Historically, the workers’ compensation
price cycle has proven that what
goes down must go up.
While the efforts in California have
been watched closely, only a handful
of states have adopted similar extensive reforms. Workers’ compensation is
a multiplicity of systems governed by
the states, and no mantra to adopt a
national model exists. In a climate of
declining rates that fosters lethargy
and with unique political obstacles in
each state, it is unlikely state policies
will ever converge.
The adoption of evidence-based
guidelines will be agonizingly slow.
In 2008, health care professionals
without appropriate training and expertise in occupational injuries will
continue to influence many jobrelated health decisions.
insurance industry group is urging
the insurance commissioner to recommend a 4.2% rate hike in 2008, citing the cost of legal work, fraud investigation and other claims management tasks.
While dramatic rate increases are
unlikely, the tide is turning and the
days of double-digit percentage rate
reductions may be over.
Unnecessary loss of skilled workers. The longer employees are out
of work, the less likely they are to
return. Workers’ compensation is beset
by unnecessary time lags along the continuum of care –lag time to get doctor’s
reports, see a specialist, get test results,
etc. This prolonged process produces a
4
www.scaffold.org
Insurance Issues
disability mentality (i.e., the employee
believes something is seriously wrong).
While studies show that 90% to 95% of
injured employees should be back to
work by the fourth day following an injury,
nationally 24% of workplace injuries
result in lost time greater than three days
(according to a ManagedComp survey).
In effect, the system creates unnecessary
disabilities, and no evidence exists that
this will change in the coming year.
Injuries to older workers. By the
year 2012, approximately 20% of
the workforce will be 55 years or
older. While older workers have fewer
injuries, their injuries are more costly
and require a longer recovery time.
5
Wellness programs requiring
continued commitment. There
is little doubt that the lifestyles
of American workers are a threat to
productivity. As a result, many employers are implementing wellness
programs aimed at encouraging employees to adopt more healthful lifestyles, reduce medical care costs,
lower absenteeism and injuries, and
boost productivity.
Employers are still grappling to
understand what particular interventions, programs and incentives yield
the greatest return on investment.
Privacy and legal issues also continue
to be significant concerns. This note-
7
By the year 2012, approximately 20% of the
workforce will be 55 years or older.
Contractors must become attuned
to the implications of the maturing
workforce and implement programs
that foster retention and prevent injuries. Without proper planning, the
unprecedented growth in the number of aging workers will lead to
more serious injuries and increases
in workers’ compensation costs in
the years ahead.
Drug use–legal and illegal. While
employers have become more vigilant drug testers, substance abuse
remains a daunting problem in the
workplace, with alcohol topping the list.
Add to this the aggressive advertising by
drug manufacturers that has fueled the
public’s demand for new prescriptions,
and the risk of drug-related workplace
injuries is considerable.
This is a thorny issue fraught with
resistance. Success depends on a high
level of employee education as well as
increased drug testing, which will
take time.
6
www.scaffold.org
worthy and beneficial trend will continue this year, but the effort must be
constant–much like the anti-smoking
campaigns–to be effective.
Raising the bar on return-towork programs. While early and
safe return to work is a recognized best practice in workers’ compensation, some employers still resist transitional work assignments, offer demeaning or make-work jobs, or run ineffective programs.
Simply getting an employee back to
work is not enough. Employers must
understand and enforce medical restrictions, establish realistic and evidencebased guidelines for the resumption of
duties, monitor progress, integrate
human resources with risk management, and train employees and supervisors on the value of such programs.
Health care providers play a role,
too. They must be an accountable and
active partner in the return-to-work
process, and case managers must work
8
to minimize lag time in treatments and
communications. Only employers that
recognize the value of return-to-work
programs in retaining employees,
improving productivity and reducing
costs will commit the time and resources required. Progress will be
made in 2008, but changing attitudes
takes time.
Limited use of technology as a
strategic tool for cost containment. Sophisticated Internet
tools, software and online access to
information are available to help employers quickly respond to injuries,
predict expensive claims, monitor
benchmarks, detect fraud, and improve communication and collaboration among all parties involved in the
workers’ compensation process.
This requires a change in attitude by
agents and employers. Agents can no
longer “sell” workers’ compensation insurance; they must become experts and
consultants who deliver a full range of
injury management services. Employers
need to recognize that workers’ compensation is not an expense, but rather
a controllable business cost that, when
managed properly, will have a measurable and positive return on investment.
Clearly, managing workers’ compensation costs is not an on-off intervention to be used when injuries occur
or rates rise. It’s a never-ending process
that encompasses all aspects of the
workplace. The few who take charge
will change the risk management paradigm this year. n
9
Frank Pennachio is a co-founder and director of
curriculum at the Institute of WorkComp
Professionals, Asheville, N.C. For more information, email info@workcomp professionals.com.
This article was reprinted with permission from Construction Executive, April 2008, a publication of
Associated Builders and Contractors Services
Corps. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
41
Department
Industry Briefs
Bil-Jax Goes Green
Bil-Jax, Inc. has formed a Go Green
Committee. The committee will investigate and implement a variety of initiatives designed to reduce the environmental impact of the company’s manufacturing practices and day-to-day
operations.
“By adopting ‘green’ policies and
encouraging our employees and customers to do the same, we hope to
become a model company not only
throughout our industry but also
throughout the U.S. and the world,”
said Jeff Ott, Bil-Jax president and CEO.
Bil-Jax has already partnered with
Defiance, Ohio-based Werlor Recycling
to expand its recycling program.
According to Ott, recycled materials will
be carefully measured. “It’s possible to
calculate the cost and energy savings of
any green policy,” says Ott. “One of our
stated goals is to show that environmentally friendly manufacturing can be cost
neutral, even profitable.”
Members of the committee have
been recruited from all departments
and shifts. The committee will be
responsible for developing comprehensive initiatives for conservation that
extend beyond recycling. Ott notes
that energy costs are an ongoing concern. “An action as simple as leaving
the lights on when an employee leaves
a room has a tangible environmental
impact. Another goal of the Go Green
Committee is to educate our employees and our community about making
responsible, environmentally conscious decisions.”
42
Interested parties can follow the progress of the Bil-Jax Go Green Committee
by visiting www.biljaxgogreen.com
or www.biljax.com/gogreen.
NYC Adopts New Fall Arrest
System Protocols
The New York City Department of
Buildings has mandated additional
safety protocols for concrete-embedded fall arresting systems. The mandates are in addition to all existing requirements from the manufacturer,
the NYC Building Code and all other
applicable laws and regulations.
For new concrete-embedded systems, contractors must obtain shop
drawings, approved by a licensed engineer, for all concrete-embedded fall
arresting systems prior to installation.
The drawings must be available at the
site at all times and must include manufacturer type and name, instructions on
proper installation and use, adequacy of
the concrete structure to sustain static
and equivalent dynamic loads, list of
occupational classifications allowed to
use the system and instructions on testing and inspection procedures.
In addition, the site’s construction
superintendent is now responsible for
the proper installation of each piece of
the system. The construction superintendent, or a Competent Person working directly under his or her supervision, must inspect the system prior to
and during its installation.
For existing concrete-embedded
systems, contractors must obtain a
licensed engineer’s approval prior to
further use of the system. This approval must certify that existing systems were field-tested by a qualified
testing entity according to a protocol
acceptable to the engineer and that
the system meets the manufacturer’s
expectations. The engineer’s certification must be available at the site at all
times and must include manufacturer
type and name, instructions of proper
installation and use, adequacy of the
concrete structure to sustain static and
equivalent dynamics loads and a list of
occupational classifications allowed to
use the system.
NAHB Releases Scaffold
Safety Video
In an effort to increase job-site safety
and reduce the chance of job-related
accidents, the National Association of
Home Builders (NAHB) recently released its new Scaffold Safety Video.
The video, which is available through
NAHB’s publishing arm, BuilderBooks,
is an important resource that provides
easy-to-follow instructions on how to
prevent construction-related falls.
According to the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), the vast majority of falls are
not from skyscrapers, but are from
buildings as low as one to three stories
and from less than 30 ft. OSHA incident reports clearly indicate that scaffold safety training, procedures, supervision and equipment is critical to preventing accidents.
www.scaffold.org
Industry Briefs
“We take job site safety very seriously, and education must be part of the
equation for success,” said NAHB president Sandy Dunn, a home builder
from Point Pleasant, W.Va. “This new
video provides great demonstrations
and tips for protecting against falls and
other job site injuries and will enhance
any builder’s scaffold safety efforts.”
The video, which is made up of two
30-minute segments – one in English, the
other in Spanish – clearly demonstrates
how to safely build, use and dismantle
the most common types of scaffolding
found in residential construction. These
include fabricated frame, pump jack, ladder jack, mobile and aerial.
Both video segments highlight
OSHA’s general requirements for scaffolding and identify safe work practices
that address the most common scaffold
hazards on the job site. The Scaffold
Safety Video is an excellent companion
to the NAHB-OSHA Scaffold Safety
Handbook, English-Spanish.
Scaffold Safety Video, English-Spanish
is available for purchase ($49.95
retail/$29.95 member, ISBN 978-86718639-0) at www.BuilderBooks.com or by
calling (800) 223-2665.
JLG Produces 1000th
MMV Telehandler
JLG Industries, Inc. has produced
and shipped the 1000th Millennia
Military Vehicle (MMV) telescopic
material handler. The 1000th MMV
telehandler was built for the U.S.
Navy as part of JLG’s contract to provide 197 MMVs to the Naval Construction Battalion.
The 1000th MMV was built over a
two-shift operation, across two military
manufacturing and support facilities.
The first MMV machine was produced
in July 2001 and was initially developed
for the U.S. Marine Corps to meet the
needs of Combat Service Support
Detachment groups. Since 2001, the
MMVs have been fielded with the U.S.
Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy across
the United States and in other countries
such as Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
The MMV telehandler features a
www.scaffold.org
variable load capacity through the
use of two different fork attachments.
It is capable of moving all palletized
classes of material up to its rated
capacity, with an optimum lifting
range of 4,000 to 11,000 lbs. The
MMV has a maximum lift height just
over 42 ft and a maximum horizontal
reach of 29 ft. The MMV can operate
in rough terrain and is self-deployable with a maximum off-road speed
of 35 miles per hour and a cruising
range of 425 miles. The MMV is also
air-transportable in CH-53 and
KC/C-130 aircraft.
IPAF Seeks to Attract Young
to Access Industry
The International Powered Access
Federation (IPAF) is launching a major
campaign to attract young people to
the access industry, starting at the
APEX show from Sept. 17-19 in
Maastricht, the Netherlands. IPAF is at
stand 1145 in the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC).
A series of initiatives aim to draw
young talent into the access industry
and alleviate an acute shortage of
expertise in the coming years. A subgroup led by Roger Bowden of Niftylift
is developing an IPAF engineering
apprenticeship designed to lead to a
“technician” level qualification.
“The powered access industry is
itself young and represents a great
career path for young people – all
too often they are unaware of the job
opportunities in this growth business,” said IPAF managing director
Tim Whiteman.
IPAF is also launching the Job
Access challenge among colleges in
Europe. The not-for-profit trade federation is looking for manufacturers and
rental companies to sponsor 18-yearolds from technical high schools who
will be trained to operate access platforms safely and through that process,
to obtain a PAL Card (Powered Access
License) as proof of training. Job
Access will culminate with a competition on the IPAF stand at the INTERMAT 2009 show, where teams of young
people will have to complete various
tasks using access platforms safely.
“Young people represent the future
and the access industry can only benefit and continue to flourish if there is a
ready pool of fresh talent in disciplines
like engineering and maintenance,”
said Isabelle Laplume of IPAF-France,
who is organizing Job Access. “We look
forward to working with exhibitors and
sponsors on this exciting project.”
IPAF will give a 30-minute presentation on Job Access at the APEX Conference on the morning of Sept. 17. n
43
44
www.scaffold.org
Department
New Product
Custom Equipment, Inc.
Offers Updated
HB-1030 Aerial Lift
Custom Equipment, Inc. has begun
shipping a newly updated version of
their highly popular HB-1030, a 10-ft
aerial platform lift. Included in the HyBrid series of lifts, is the HB-1430, a 14ft machine. The HB-1030 machine
update includes the addition of an
active pothole protection system, similar to the HB-1430, and includes front
wheels that are manufactured with a
new wheel material that provides an
extended life cycle.
The Hy-Brid Series of aerial lifts
incorporate a light weight design
approach, while maintaining high lifting capacity, allowing easy access for
two workers plus tools on the work
platform. The HB-1030 features a lowered platform height of only 20 in.,
providing workers with an exceptional
low step height.
Because of their lighter weight,
both machines solve the floor loading
issues typically experienced by heavier
machines, enabling greater access to
places traditionally off limits such as
computer access floors, mezzanines,
and delicate flooring systems. Both HyBrid lifts fit in most elevators and pass
through doorways with ease. These
machines also offer a large work platform, with a 30-in. slide out extension
for access to those hard-to-reach spots.
The Hy-Brid scissor lifts maneuver easily with their unique steering system
and proportional joystick controls.
Non-marking wheels glide across most
floor surfaces without damage. These
machines are virtually maintenance
free and offer unique features to both
distributors and end users. n
www.scaffold.org
45
Department
SIA New Member Profile
D & E Logistics
Deckerville, MI-based D & E Logistics is an independent
agent of Landstar Carrier Group. There are 9,000 owner
operators, 14,000 trailers, as well as 25,000 carriers approved
to haul freight for the company.
D & E is a world leader in the industry for safety, and has
the lowest cargo claims ratio nationwide. The company specializes in: truckload van, flatbed, stepdeck, specialized,
heavy haul, expedite, time definite, temperature controlled,
power only, transportation management, supply chain services, air and ocean freight, integrated ground, air and ocean
services, dedicated fleet services, emergency services, and
government services (FEMA).
46
Equipment includes double-drops, extendables, multiaxles (8-10 and 13-axle configurations), steerables, schnabel trailers, lowboys with 40- to 80-ton capability, removable goosenecks, more than 500 RGN units from 5 to 13
axles, stretch flatbed and stepdecks/straight trucks, as well
as logistic trailers for conventions and tradeshows.
Services include storage, cross-docking, shrink wrapping,
order fulfillment, pick-n-pack, kitting, sub-assembly, customization, local distribution, importing and exporting anywhere in the world, return-reverse logistics, inventory postponement, Internet visibility and event-alert management.
The company’s office phone number is (810) 376-4103. n
www.scaffold.org
Schedule
Of Events
Industry Events
SIA Events
Sept. 17-19
Oct. 26-28
Feb. 14-17, 2009
APEX
Maastricht, Netherlands
www.apexshow.com
Annual ANSI A92 Meeting
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
2009 SIA Committee Week
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Orlando, Florida
July 19-25, 2009
2009 SIA Convention & Exposition
Westin San Francisco Market Street
San Francisco, California
Now Available
Manuals of Responsibilities
for Aerial Work Platforms
The Scaffold Industry Association announces
now available
2006 Manuals of Responsibilities
ANSI/SIA A92.3 Manually Propelled Elevating Aerial Platforms
ANSI/SIA A92.5 Boom Supported Elevating Work Platforms
ANSI/SIA A92.6 Self Propelled Elevating Work Platforms
For Dealers, Owners, Users and Operators, Lessors and Lessees.
Section 5.2.2 of the standard (A92.3 2006 & A92.5 2006 & A92.6 2006)
The current Manual of Responsibilities for dealers, owners, users, operators, lessors,
lessees and brokers .... shall be provided and stored in the weather resistant storage compartment.
To order your copies, visit our website at www.scaffold.org.
For any questions, please contact Sarah Haines via email at [email protected]
www.scaffold.org
47
Advertisers
Index
4 Action Scaffold Mfg.
actionscaffold.com
10 Allied Tube and Conduit
alliedflo-form.com
28 ATI
Accredited Training Institute
30 Beta Max Inc,
betamaxhoist.com
7 Chutes International
chutes.com
1 Cornet Scaffolding
coronet-scaffold.com
46 Direct Scaffold Supply
directscaffoldsupply.com
24 Eagle Industries
eagleenclosure.com
44 Falcon Ladder
falconladder.com
8 Haion Caster Industrial Co.
haioncaster.com
IBC Hydro-Mobile, Inc.
hydro-mobile.com
OBC Klimer Mfg.
klimer.com
48 Layher, Inc.
layherscaf.com
35 Marr Scaffolding Co.
marrscaffolding.com
34 Scaffold Industry
Association Insurance
38 Scaffolding Today, Inc.
scaffoldingtoday.com
6 SIAEF
(Educational Foundation)
scaffold.org
47 SIA (Manuals of
Responsibility)
scaffold.org
2 Strong Man Building Prod.
strongman.com
44 Texans Ins. (NCIS)
ncisltd.com
IFC Universal Manufacturing
universalscaffold.com
38 Universal Scaffolding
& Equipment
scaffoldsales.com
27 Winsafe Corporation
winsafe.com
SIA Enforces Copyright Protection
The Scaffold Industry Association (SIA) produces safety and training materials, as well as many codes, warning signs and labels for the access industry, in addition
to standards and manuals for all products governed by ANSI A92. These products all carry copyright protection to the association to maintain their authenticity, as well
as to protect their revenue stream for our members.
The SIA encourages its members, as well as users of high reach equipment to report any unauthorized reproduction or modifications of these products so that the
association can take legal steps to protect our copyright. “For the protection of our members, violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law”, says John Miller,
SIA president. “Our SIA members and ANSI A92 subcommittee members work too hard as volunteers to generate these products for the good of the scaffold and
access industry to not legally protect them.”
Please call the SIA office at (602) 257-1144 or e-mail RJ Marshall at [email protected] to report any suspected violations. Copyright ® 2008 Scaffold Industry Association
48
www.scaffold.org

August - Scaffold and Access Industry Association

Transcription

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