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Construction Hazard Slides: ladder, fall, trench, scaffold, collapse, trash, roof , electrical, traffic

Unsafe construction: Hazards from trench, wall, scaffold, ladder collapse; falls from scaffold, ladder, roof, crane ball; exposure to debris, concrete chips, traffic.
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Construction safety, residential construction: Makeshift scaffold for rehabilitation of residence exterior. Neither of the two scaffold work platforms is safe or satisfies OSHA: There are no guardrails, and it is not expected that workers will use any other fall protection. Both platforms depend on attachment and support from a window sill that is old, may be rotten, and there is not enough ledge to adequately support the platform. Ladders should not be used as the horizontal support for a work platform or walkway. A single 2"x10" on top of the ladder provides inadequate width. Two spaced 2"x8" planks provide unstable footing. Midlength diagonal support of the horizontal ladder is cobbled at both its ends, and it should not depend on the integrity of the roof, which is expected to have rotted wood. Expected access to both scaffolds is by ladder leaned against them, and neither has adequate lateral support for the horizontal force of a worker on a ladder. The large trash pile is not only unsightly and unsafe for workers and the public at ground level, but it is particularly unsafe for a worker falling from the makeshift scaffold. Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, 2004.
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Construction safety, residential construction: Makeshift scaffold for rehabilitation of residence exterior. Neither of the two scaffold work platforms is safe or satisfies OSHA: There are no guardrails, and it is not expected that workers will use any other fall protection. Both platforms depend on attachment and support from a window sill that is old, may be rotten, and there is not enough ledge to adequately support the platform. Ladders should not be used as the horizontal support for a work platform or walkway. A single 2"x10" on top of the ladder provides inadequate width. Two spaced 2"x8" planks provide unstable footing. Midlength diagonal support of the horizontal ladder is cobbled at both its ends, and it should not depend on the integrity of the roof, which is expected to have rotted wood. Expected access to both scaffolds is by ladder leaned against them, and neither has adequate lateral support for the horizontal force of a worker on a ladder. The large trash pile is not only unsightly and unsafe for workers and the public at ground level, but it is particularly unsafe for a worker falling from the makeshift scaffold. Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, 2004.

  • Construction methods, construction safety, fall protection: Worker is attaching stanchions on edge of precast hollow core concrete slabs and steel beam top flanges at roof perimeter of 5-story building. Wire cables will be run at top and midheight of stanchions to provide fall protection to construction workers on roof, in parallel with the cables shown on the perimeter of 5th floor below. However, worker erecting stanchions does not himself have any fall protection, though working at roof edge ~60 ft above the ground. In addition, there may be snow/ice patches on the roof this cold February week. Ann Arbor, Michigan, February 2006.
  • Trench construction, safety: Caterpillar 3128 crawler mounted backhoe moves large pipe section/spool into trench to construct underground pipe. Workers standing in 8 ft deep trench have no support against sidewall collapse. Near worker is applying pipe joint lubrication in preparation for inserting next pipe spool/segment. Worker safety and the law require: (1) Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater must be supported or sloped back unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock, and this soil is not stable rock. (2) Workers must have easy, close exit from trenches, which pipes crossing this trench prevent. Michigan 2006
  • Trench construction, safety: Caterpillar 3128 crawler mounted backhoe straddles trench for underground pipe. Worker in trench is fine grading/cleaning trench with shovel. Workers standing in 8 ft deep trench have no support against sidewall collapse. Safety and laws require the trench walls to be supported or sloped back at depths greater than 5 ft. Michigan 2006
  • Construction safety, roof construction, demolition: Four roofers at edge of roof, without fall protection, manhandle lifting and tying off flared top of trash chute with which to funnel old roofing material into dump truck for disposal. The crew is using two pitch forks (hand tools for roof demolition) to pry top flared part of chute over and above roof edge and gutter. Worker on right lost his balance an instant before this photo was taken, and in photo he is raising left arm and sitting back with grimace on his face, which saved him from pitching over roof edge and falling two floors. Of course, workers return next day to demolish roof , including near edge, and walk to edge of roof to drop debris into chute. They should all be wearing body harnesses, with lanyards tied back with safety line to a secure support near center of roof. California, 2006.
  • Construction safety, building construction: Two workers install plywood sheathing on roof trusses on 2-story residential building. Workers are standing on previously erected sheathing, at a significant slope, without fall protection. They carry the 4'x8' sheets of plywood sheathing as they need them from the Caterpillar hydraulic telescoping boom 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift. One slip and a worker rolls down roof and falls ~20' off edge or hits open trusses and may fall through them. Fort Myer Beach, Florida 2005
  • Construction safety: Fall Hazard: Two workers at 20+ foot height and wearing body harnesses and lanyards work without tying off to safety line. Unsafe and against the law. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Construction Stepladder: It is unsafe and illegal to use a step ladder as a straight ladder, because that is not its intended purpose. Step ladder feet are designed to be safe when ladder is opened, not when closed and leaning against wall. Also, ladder must extend 3 ft above its step off point, so climber does not have awkward dismount shown here. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Masonry construction safety, fall hazard: Two bricklayers stand on wood plank working platform 20 ft above ground with no fall protection. The wall currently extends only 8" above the platform on which they stand. As they place mortar (as bricklayer on left is doing) and concrete block, they are exposed to a 20 ft fall. Bricklayer at right is getting his trowel out of his tool bag, to join the other bricklayer in laying block. <br /> <br /> All work/ material platforms supported by top frame of tubular scaffold, except at mortar box and concrete block landing areas, have steel cross-bracing. Guardrails with toprails and midrails are required by OSHA. Cross-bracing may serve as toprail or midrail, if crossing point is 20" to 30" above work platform for midrail or 38" to 48" above work platform for a toprail. The cross-bracing on this project can serve as toprail, but a mid rail is still required. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Masonry construction safety, fall hazard: Laborer/ hod carrier stands on top of 6 ft high unstable stack of concrete block and 19 ft above ground, leaning out and stacking heavy blocks, with no fall protection from safety line or guardrail. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Masonry construction safety, fall hazard: Laborer/ hod carrier stands on top of 3 ft high unstable stack of concrete block and 19 ft above ground, leaning out and stacking heavy blocks, with no fall protection from safety line or guardrail. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Worker on forms at left is knocking form bolts loose to separate gang forms from concrete basement wall they cast. A worker walks along top of concrete basement wall more than 20 feet above the ground, among reinforcing bar tripping hazards, without all protection. He carries two safety lanyards and hooks, attached to full body harness and hooked temporarily at his right chest. Right foreground is Grove telescoping boom hydraulic crane. Michigan 2006.
  • Construction safety, fall protection: Worker walks along top of concrete basement wall more than 20 feet above the ground, among reinforcing bar tripping hazards, without any fall protection. He carries two safety lanyards and hooks, attached to full body harness and hooked temporarily at his right chest. Instead of protecting him, he repeatedly has them loop over extended rebars, which adds to the hazard. Michigan 2006.
  • Construction safety, fall protection: Worker is contorting himself reaching with his arm and foot around side of ladder, without using his fall protection. Ladder is itself a hazard, because it is supported at top by a rung against the vertical edge of the gang form. It has a loose wire tied around it and concrete bulkhead at top that provides no useful safety. Practice and OSHA law require top of the ladder to be supported equally by its two side rails. Worker carries two safety lanyards and hooks, attached to full body harness and hooked temporarily at his right chest. Michigan 2006.
  • Fall hazard, unsafe scaffold/ladder, construction safety: Six foot stepladder stands on unguarded scaffold platform 20 feet above ground. Therefore, worker(s) worked on stepladder at least 23 feet above ground without using fall protection. Scaffold should have standard guardrail on outside three sides, except for break for access. Ladder should be tied off at top to scaffold. Worker on scaffold platform next folds ladder and hands it to worker on ladder, who hands it to worker on ground. Ann Arbor, Michigan 2005
  • Masonry construction safety: Laborer transporting brick from stacked brick on pallet to position next to bricklayers. Fall protection is not complete, because a section of guardrail moved (it is leaned against guardrail to our left of opening) to allow forklift to place brick pallet on material platform has not been replaced. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Masonry construction safety bracing: Typical inadequate and unsafe bracing of concrete block walls against wind, on interior of this building: (1) Single nail connections between 2x10 plank members cannot transfer anticipated loads. (2) Stake in soil (#6 rebar here) cannot support anticipated wind load. (3) Lack of connection between vertical plank and masonry prevents transfer of anticipated wind load to bracing system. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Masonry construction unsafe bracing: Base of brace, showing sole horizontal support against wall overturning. As can be seen in the enlarged inset, there is no stake driven into the soil to support the brace, nor is there any trussing of brace or other framing to allow vertical support. Not only are the waste concrete and two concrete blocks all that keeps the sloped brace and vertical board against wall from just sliding down the wall and collapsing, but they also hide the absence of a stake. Ann Arbor, 2004.
  • Construction safety, residential construction: Makeshift scaffold for rehabilitation of residence exterior. Neither of the two scaffold work platforms is safe or satisfies OSHA: There are no guardrails, and it is not expected that workers will use any other fall protection. Both platforms depend on attachment and support from a window sill that is old, may be rotten, and there is not enough ledge to adequately support the platform. Ladders should not be used as the horizontal support for a work platform or walkway. A single 2"x10" on top of the ladder provides inadequate width. Two spaced 2"x8" planks provide unstable footing. Midlength diagonal support of the horizontal ladder is cobbled at both its ends, and it should not depend on the integrity of the roof, which is expected to have rotted wood. Expected access to both scaffolds is by ladder leaned against them, and neither has adequate lateral support for the horizontal force of a worker on a ladder. The large trash pile is not only unsightly and unsafe for workers and the public at ground level, but it is particularly unsafe for a worker falling from the makeshift scaffold. Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, 2004.
  • Construction safety, residential construction: The large trash pile is unsightly and generally unsafe for workers and the public. It is particularly unsafe for a worker falling from the makeshift scaffold above it. Its makeup and the general level of equipment on site indicates it will be loaded to a hauler by hand, which is a significant hazard. Much better would be a construction dumpster into which trash could have been placed a single time, to be picked up mechanically by hauler. Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, 2004.
  • Steel construction safety. Structural steel ironworkers ride the erection crane headache ball up to position on the steel. Workers have no protection against falls to ground or impact with already erected structural steel. Ann Arbor, 2004
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