OSHA Steel Construction Safety Standards in New York City, NY

Steel Construction Safety Standards

How Does OSHA Protects Steel Construction Workers?

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has established regulations regarding steel construction safety. If a contractor or other party failed to comply with these standards and you were injured in a construction accident, you could be entitled to compensation.

If you or someone you love was harmed in a construction accident and someone other than your employer was to blame, you could be entitled to receive damages if the third party falls outside of the workers’ compensation system. The attorneys at David Resnick & Associates, PC, are skilled at evaluating construction accident claims and can help you determine whether the negligence of a third party caused or contributed to your injuries. Call our New York City construction accident lawyers today at 212-279-2000 or use our online contact form for a free evaluation of your case.

We serve construction accident victims in the Bronx, and all of New York City, including Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Long Island.

Here are the highlights of OSHA’s Steel Construction Safety Standards, as found online at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10930

OSHA Steel Construction Safety Standards

  • 1926.750 Scope.
  • 1926.750(a) This subpart sets forth requirements to protect employees from the hazards associated with steel erection activities involved in the construction, alteration, and/or repair of single and multi-story buildings, bridges, and other structures where steel erection occurs. The requirements of this subpart apply to employers engaged in steel erection unless otherwise specified. This subpart does not cover electrical transmission towers, communication and broadcast towers, or tanks.

Note to paragraph (a): Examples of structures where steel erection may occur include but are not limited to the following: Single and multi-story buildings; systems-engineered metal buildings; lift slab/tilt-up structures; energy exploration structures; energy production, transfer and storage structures and facilities; auditoriums; malls; amphitheaters; stadiums; power plants; mills; chemical process structures; bridges; trestles; overpasses; underpasses; viaducts; aqueducts; aerospace facilities and structures; radar and communication structures; light towers; signage; billboards; scoreboards; conveyor systems; conveyor supports and related framing; stairways; stair towers; fire escapes; draft curtains; fire containment structures; monorails; aerialways; catwalks; curtain walls; window walls; store fronts; elevator fronts; entrances; skylights; metal roofs; industrial structures; hi-bay structures; rail, marine and other transportation structures; sound barriers; water process and water containment structures; air and cable supported structures; space frames; geodesic domes; canopies; racks and rack support structures and frames; platforms; walkways; balconies; atriums; penthouses; car dumpers; stackers/reclaimers; cranes and craneways; bins; hoppers; ovens; furnaces; stacks; amusement park structures and rides; and artistic and monumental structures.

  • 1926.750(b)(1) Steel erection activities include hoisting, laying out, placing, connecting, welding, burning, guying, bracing, bolting, plumbing and rigging structural steel, steel joists and metal buildings; installing metal decking, curtain walls, window walls, siding systems, miscellaneous metals, ornamental iron and similar materials; and moving point-to-point while performing these activities.
  • 1926.754 Structural steel assembly.
  • 1926.754(b) The following additional requirements shall apply for multi-story structures:
  • 1926.754(b)(1) The permanent floors shall be installed as the erection of structural members progresses, and there shall be not more than eight stories between the erection floor and the upper-most permanent floor, except where the structural integrity is maintained as a result of the design.
  • 1926.754(b)(2) At no time shall there be more than four floors or 48 feet (14.6 m), whichever is less, of unfinished bolting or welding above the foundation or uppermost permanently secured floor, except where the structural integrity is maintained as a result of the design.
  • 1926.754(b)(3) A fully planked or decked floor or nets shall be maintained within two stories or 30 feet (9.1 m), whichever is less, directly under any erection work being performed.
  • 1926.754(c) Walking/working surfaces — shear connectors and other similar devices.
  • 1926.754(c)(1) Tripping hazards. Shear connectors (such as headed steel studs, steel bars or steel lugs), reinforcing bars, deformed anchors or threaded studs shall not be attached to the top flanges of beams, joists or beam attachments so that they project vertically from or horizontally across the top flange of the member until after the metal decking, or other walking/working surface, has been installed.
  • 1926.754(c)(2) Installation of shear connectors on composite floors, roofs and bridge decks. When shear connectors are used in construction of composite floors, roofs and bridge decks, employees shall lay out and install the shear connectors after the metal decking has been installed, using the metal decking as a working platform. Shear connector shall not be installed from within a controlled decking zone (CDZ), as specified in § 1926.760(c)(8).
  • 1926.754(d) Plumbing-up.
  • 1926.754(d)(1) When deemed necessary by a competent person, plumbing-up equipment shall be installed in conjunction with the steel erection process to ensure the stability of the structure.
  • 1926.754(d)(2) When used, plumbing-up equipment shall be in place and properly installed before the structure is loaded with construction material such as loads of joists, bundles of decking or bundles of bridging.
  • 1926.754(d)(3) Plumbing-up equipment shall be removed only with the approval of a competent person.
  • 1926.754(e) Metal decking.
  • 1926.754(e)(1) Hoisting, landing and placing of metal decking bundles.
  • 1926.754(e)(1)(i) Bundle packaging and strapping shall not be used for hoisting unless specifically designed for that purpose.
  • 1926.754(e)(1)(ii) If loose items such as dunnage, flashing, or other materials are placed on the top of metal decking bundles to be hoisted, such items shall be secured to the bundles.
  • 1926.754(e)(1)(iii) Bundles of metal decking on joists shall be landed in accordance with § 1926.757(e)(4).
  • 1926.754(e)(1)(iv) Metal decking bundles shall be landed on framing members so that enough support is provided to allow the bundles to be unbanded without dislodging the bundles from the supports.
  • 1926.754(e)(1)(v) At the end of the shift or when environmental or jobsite conditions require, metal decking shall be secured against displacement.
  • 1926.754(e)(2) Roof and floor holes and openings. Metal decking at roof and floor holes and openings shall be installed as follows:
  • 1926.754(e)(2)(i) Framed metal deck openings shall have structural members turned down to allow continuous deck installation except where not allowed by structural design constraints or constructability.
  • 1926.754(e)(2)(ii) Roof and floor holes and openings shall be decked over. Where large size, configuration or other structural design does not allow openings to be decked over (such as elevator shafts, stair wells, etc.) employees shall be protected in accordance with § 1926.760(a)(1).
  • 1926.754(e)(2)(iii) Metal decking holes and openings shall not be cut until immediately prior to being permanently filled with the equipment or structure needed or intended to fulfill its specific use and which meets the strength requirements of paragraph (e)(3) of this section, or shall be immediately covered.
  • 1926.754(e)(3) Covering roof and floor openings.
  • 1926.754(e)(3)(i) Covers for roof and floor openings shall be capable of supporting, without failure, twice the weight of the employees, equipment and materials that may be imposed on the cover at any one time.
  • 1926.754(e)(3)(ii) All covers shall be secured when installed to prevent accidental displacement by the wind, equipment or employees.
  • 1926.754(e)(3)(iii) All covers shall be painted with high-visibility paint or shall be marked with the word “HOLE” or “COVER” to provide warning of the hazard.
  • 1926.754(e)(3)(iv) Smoke dome or skylight fixtures that have been installed, are not considered covers for the purpose of this section unless they meet the strength requirements of paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section.
  • 1926.754(e)(4) Decking gaps around columns. Wire mesh, exterior plywood, or equivalent, shall be installed around columns where planks or metal decking do not fit tightly. The materials used must be of sufficient strength to provide fall protection for personnel and prevent objects from falling through.
  • 1926.754(e)(5) Installation of metal decking.
  • 1926.754(e)(5)(i) Except as provided in § 1926.760(c), metal decking shall be laid tightly and immediately secured upon placement to prevent accidental movement or displacement.
  • 1926.754(e)(5)(ii) During initial placement, metal decking panels shall be placed to ensure full support by structural members.
  • 1926.754(e)(6) Derrick floors.
  • 1926.754(e)(6)(i) A derrick floor shall be fully decked and/or planked and the steel member connections completed to support the intended floor loading.
  • 1926.754(e)(6)(ii) Temporary loads placed on a derrick floor shall be distributed over the underlying support members so as to prevent local overloading of the deck material.
  • 1926.755 Column anchorage.
  • 1926.755(a) General requirements for erection stability.
  • 1926.755(a)(1) All columns shall be anchored by a minimum of 4 anchor rods (anchor bolts).
  • 1926.755(a)(2) Each column anchor rod (anchor bolt) assembly, including the column-to-base plate weld and the column foundation, shall be designed to resist a minimum eccentric gravity load of 300 pounds (136.2 kg) located 18 inches (.46m) from the extreme outer face of the column in each direction at the top of the column shaft.
  • 1926.755(a)(3) Columns shall be set on level finished floors, pre-grouted leveling plates, leveling nuts, or shim packs which are adequate to transfer the construction loads.
  • 1926.755(a)(4) All columns shall be evaluated by a competent person to determine whether guying or bracing is needed; if guying or bracing is needed, it shall be installed.
  • 1926.755(b) Repair, replacement or field modification of anchor rods (anchor bolts).
  • 1926.755(b)(1) Anchor rods (anchor bolts) shall not be repaired, replaced or field-modified without the approval of the project structural engineer of record.
  • 1926.755(b)(2) Prior to the erection of a column, the controlling contractor shall provide written notification to the steel erector if there has been any repair, replacement or modification of the anchor rods (anchor bolts) of that column.

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