IDENTIFICATION TOOL FOR

STEEL
REINFORCEMENT FIXING

HAZARD PROFILE 2001

WorkCover NSW Health and Safety Hazard Profile
CONSTRUCTION

WorkCover. Watching out for you.

SAFETY KIT

Disclaimer
This publication contains information regarding occupational health, safety, injury management or workers compensation. It includes some of your obligations under the various workers compensation and occupational health and safety legislation that WorkCover NSW administers. To ensure you comply with your legal obligations you must refer to the appropriate Acts. This publication may refer to WorkCover NSW administered legislation that has been amended or repealed. When reading this publication you should always refer to the latest laws. Information on the latest laws can be checked at www.nsw.gov.au or contact (02) 9238 0950 or 1800 463 955 (NSW country only). WorkCover NSW

Preamble
This Hazard Profile is a tool to assist in the identification of occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards in relation to steel reinforcement fixing. This tool is one of a series of Hazard Profiles developed by the University of New South Wales School of Safety Science and Building Research Centre in support of the Construction Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU was signed in 1998 between the NSW Government and the Chief Executive Officers of the principal contractors and major industry associations in the NSW construction industry. The signatories to the MOU have worked in partnership to implement measures to improve the construction industrys OHS and injury management performance. The Hazard Profiles were developed following interviews with principal contractors and subcontractors, which highlighted the accurate identification of hazards as a significant weakness in the successful management of subcontractor safety. Hazard Profiles can be used as a guide to help: 1. 2. 3. 4. identify generic hazards and the controls required for a job task; assist in formulating relevant and effective safe work method statements; guide or induct new workers in the typical hazards for a specific trade; check that all general trade specific hazards have been identified in safety documentation required by the principal contractor.

Other products developed under the auspices of the Construction MOU include: 1. Subby Pack: OHS Contractor Management Tool 2. CHAIR: Safety in Design Tool 3. Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Metal Roofing Identification Tool for Electrical Hazards on-site Identification Tool for Formwork Identification Tool for Aluminium Mobile Scaffolds Identification Tool for Bricklaying Identification Tool for Concrete Placement Identification Tool for Demolition 4. Supervisor Manual: OHS Training Tool 5. Safety Meter: Positive Performance Measurement Tool Another valuable tool to assist small and medium-sized businesses to systematically manage safety is WorkCovers Workplace Safety Kit. More information about each of these products can be obtained by contacting WorkCover NSW on 131050 or www.workcover.nsw.gov.au.

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

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Hazard Profile Steel Reinforcement Fixing

Job Activity (Tasks) General planning What Can Harm You (Hazards) Inadequate training, consultation, planning and improvisation. What Can Happen (Risks) Task specific injuries due to inexperience, inadequate consultation or failure to provide appropriate equipment. Planning by Principal Contractor or Subcontractor (depending on contract conditions) Insufficient lighting. Walk into objects, slips, trips, fall & other injuries. Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) Insufficient skills (competency) to complete the required task. Inadequate consultation with relevant employees. Inadequate competent supervision. Planning for required equipment not carried out. Improvisation using inappropriate equipment. Poor lighting provided to the work face, especially in Slip or Jump Form and other enclosed areas. Access ways not suitably defined or lighted. Access to work area (the deck) cluttered poor housekeeping. Area around work area cluttered with stored materials and/or rubbish. Inadequate access for steel fixers and their materials. Deck incomplete, formwork or other trades still working. Schedule accelerated concretors laying before steel fixers complete deck. No handrail or midrail or inadequate strength in perimeter edge protection. Gaps in perimeter protection, e.g. between screen or edge scaffold. No catch scaffold provided. Penetration/s not covered or cover not secured forming trap. Formwork failure structurally inadequate. Formwork not inspected. Personal protective clothing Page 2

Poor access. Slips, trips and falls; abrasions, strains and sprains; manual handling injuries such as back damage. Working at height with inadequate edge protection. Fall from the edge of the deck.

Penetrations not covered. Formwork inadequate. General Exposure to ultra

Fall through penetration. Fall injury due to formwork failure. Skin cancer;

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

Job Activity (Tasks) planning by steel reinforcement subcontractor

What Can Harm You (Hazards) violet light, glare.

What Can Happen (Risks) sunburn, eye damage.

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) sunscreen 15+, shirt, flap on hard hat not provided or not worn. AS rated sunglasses not worn. No water to work area to flush eye/s. Eye protection not worn for tasks where particles are flung into the air, e.g. cleaning sawdust off the deck with compressed air. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. Deck slippery due to sawdust left behind by previous trade. Deck wet. Deck ply new. Sharp edges on wire penetration covers not turned down. Inadequate supply of cold drinking water provided to the work area. Insufficient manpower provided to undertake the required task, e.g. lifting of large diameter bars. No job rotation. Qualified (ticketed) Dogger or crane driver not used. No warning given to steel fixers by dogger landing load onto the deck. Individual loads not inspected and cleared before lifting commences, resulting in short items not adequately secured by slings. Dogger piggy backing or doubling up loads using varying length slings unslinging lower load while upper load remains suspended directly above. Slings not regularly inspected and tested.

Eye contact with concrete or sawdust.

Concrete splashes or sawdust flung into eye.

General planning by steel reinforcement subcontractor Walking on deck. Slip on wet ply or sawdust on ply and fall; trip or twist ankle or knee. Cuts to ankles/shins. Dehydration and dizziness. Strains and sprains; injuries such as back damage. Serious injury to person/s from load being lowered onto the deck or uncontrolled fall of load.

Hot weather.

Manual Handling.

Lifting steel Lifting loads onto reinforcement deck by crane. to the workface

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

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Job Activity (Tasks)

What Can Harm You (Hazards)

What Can Happen (Risks)

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) Sling capacity overloaded. Load not slung correctly, e.g. long loads centre slung, loads cradled or lifted using straps/wires tied around steel instead of using the correct sling/chain. Stirrups and other small components lifted in inappropriate load carrying container, e.g. 44 gallon drum or similar. Dragging trapped slings out from under loads using the crane. Load strikes object, e.g. structure, when lifting or lowering. Communication error between Dogger and crane driver. Steel not sorted requiring double handling. Steel dumped onto deck with no consideration to placing requirements, e.g. bottom steel not placed on top of the stack. Steel for different areas not easily identified, e.g. colour coded with paint spots/bands. Steel flakey with splinters. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. Suitably strong and flexible leather gloves not available or not worn. Shorts worn exposing lower legs to injury. Two persons not used to carry large diameter bars insufficient manpower to do the job. Individual carries too many bars at the one time. Constant bending over and Page 4

Sorting steel reinforcement

Manual Handling.

Strains and sprains; injuries such as back damage.

Flakey steel. Cuts and/or steel splinters in hands or arms. Cuts from reinforcement bar ends. Placing steel reinforcement Manual Handling. Strains and sprains; injuries such as back damage.

Sharp edges

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

Job Activity (Tasks)

What Can Harm You (Hazards)

What Can Happen (Risks)

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) pushing when placing steel. No job rotation. Levering or dragging heavy steel into position. Manually lifting prefabricated steel into position, e.g. column cage. Other trades working on the deck when steel fixers are placing steel. Other trades not aware that steel fixers always look down when carrying steel. Poor co-ordination when carrying and placing steel. No handrail or midrail or inadequate strength in perimeter edge protection. Gaps in perimeter protection, e.g. between screen or edge scaffold. Area around work area cluttered with stored materials and/or rubbish. No catch scaffold provided. Walking backwards when placing steel. Planks not provided to cover deep beams. Penetrations not covered or cover not secured forming trap. Beam or other over-designed. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. Suitably strong and flexible leather gloves not available or not worn. Shoelaces too long or not tied correctly. Steel wet or greasy. Not watching feet when walking over steel. Steel reinforcement sags/gives way not enough ties or chairs. Electrical equipment faulty. Page 5

Stuck by a piece of steel.

Serious cut or eye damage.

Working near the edge of the deck.

Fall from the edge of the work area.

Penetrations or steps in the deck, eg deep beams.

Fall through penetration or into deep beam.

Feeding the bar into tight design configurations.

Jammed or crushed finger/s. Hand caught between steel.

Walking over steel.

Slip on steel or shoelace snags on steel. Fall; trip or twist ankle or knee.

Cutting steel

Operating electric

Electric shock or

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

Job Activity (Tasks) reinforcement

What Can Harm You (Hazards) angle grinder or drop saw.

What Can Happen (Risks) electrocution.

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) Extension lead faulty or damaged. Lead severed by angle grinder disk or saw blade. Earth Leakage Switch not installed on mains supply or portable generator. Grinder disk or saw blade unguarded. Guard faulty. Cutting disk or saw blade damaged causing tool to catch and jump. Cutting disk badly worn blade disintegrates. Wrong type of blade or cutting disk used. Grinder not fitted with Dead Mans switch. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. Hot cut piece not constrained. Long guns (extended nozzles) not used for constrained work areas. Damage to hoses or equipment stray spark ignites leaking gas. No flashback arresters. Work area not cleared of combustible material prior to cutting. Stray spark ignites clothing. Damage to hoses or equipment stray spark ignites leaking gas. Fire extinguisher not full or adjacent to work area. Workers not trained in the use of fire equipment. No PPE or incorrect PPE for the required task. Suitably strong and flexible leather gloves not available or not worn. Shorts worn exposing lower legs to injury.

Cutting with angle Serious cuts from contact with disk grinder or drop or saw blade. saw.

Cutting steel with Oxy Acetylene torch.

Fire and/or burns to the body e.g. arms and legs. Damage to eyes.

Sparks generated Fire causing when using angle burns. grinder, drop saw or oxy to cut steel reinforcement

Sharp edges on cut bar ends.

Cuts from reinforcement bar ends.

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

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Job Activity (Tasks)

What Can Harm You (Hazards)

What Can Happen (Risks)

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) Low steel reinforcement, e.g. column starter bars, not fitted with caps. Insufficient rest periods between jobs. Repetitious bending, twisting and cutting with nips. Longer handles not used on nips to minimize pressure required to cut wire. No job rotation. No handrail or midrail or inadequate strength in perimeter edge protection. Gaps in perimeter protection, e.g. between screen or edge scaffold. Area around work area cluttered with stored materials and/or rubbish. No catch scaffold provided. Tie wire not bent in/down. Soles on boots worn out - too thin. Tip on bar chair ends missing. Boot gets caught between steel reinforcement different sized reinforcement occurs over the work area. Steel reinforcement sags/gives way not enough ties or chairs. Trip over steel. Too much tension applied to wire causing tie to break. Working too fast.

Fixing steel reinforcement

Manual Handling.

Strains and sprains; injuries such as back damage.

Working near the edge of the deck

Fall from the edge of the work area.

Sharp edges on tie wire or bar chair ends.

Cuts or puncture wounds.

Walking on the deck.

Slip on wet ply or reinforcement and fall; trip or twist ankle or knee.

Twisting tie wire.

Slip or Jump Forms

Manual Handling.

Wire snaps under pressure of twisting. Nips strike face, teeth or other. Strains and sprains; injuries such as back damage.

Two persons not used to carry large diameter bars insufficient manpower to do the job. Poor design of Slip Form requiring the lifting of heavy and long bars vertically over top deck perimeter protection

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

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Job Activity (Tasks)

What Can Harm You (Hazards)

What Can Happen (Risks)

Causes Which Need to be Managed (Controlled) and lowering into vertical walls in working deck below. Constant bending over and pushing when placing steel. No job rotation Two persons not used to lower large diameter bars insufficient manpower to do the job. Lose grip on bar when lowering bar too heavy or worker tired. Slip Form perimeter protection on working deck too low when lowering heavy and long bars vertically over perimeter protection from top deck above. Ladder hatch left open or hatch missing. No wire mesh covering penetrations or mesh temporarily removed for access. Access to work area cluttered poor housekeeping. Top deck of Slip or Jump Form cluttered with stored materials and/or rubbish.

Placing large diameter and long bars in the walls of the Slip or Jump Form.

Drop bar from height. Stuck by falling object.

Penetrations on working deck of Slip or Jump Form.

Fall through penetration.

Poor Access.

Hot weather.

Slips, trips and falls; abrasions, strains and sprains; manual handling injuries such as back damage. Dehydration and dizziness. Walk into objects, slips, trips, fall & other injuries.

Insufficient lighting.

No bubbler provided on top of Slip or Jump Form or bubbler not working. Poor lighting provided especially inside Slip or Jump Form or other enclosed areas.

Hazard Profile: Identification Tool for Steel Reinforcement Fixing

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Catalogue No. 983 WorkCover Publications Hotline 1300 799 003 WorkCover NSW 92-100 Donnison Street Gosford NSW 2250 Locked Bag 2906 Lisarow NSW 2252 WorkCover Assistance Service 13 10 50 Website www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
ISBN 1 876995 81 5 Copyright WorkCover NSW 2001. Production and printing by Salmat 02 9743 8777