Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices and protective shields and barriers must be provided, used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition. These include, but are not limited to:

• Foot Protection such as steel-toed boots.
• Electrical Protective Equipment such as rubber insulated mats, covers, or gloves.
• Head Protection such as hard hats.
• Hearing Protection if you exceed the limits set by Table D-2 under Permissible Noise Exposures. When selecting hearing protection, be sure to check the noise reduction rating (NRR) in accordance to the noise level of the job site.
• Eye and Face protection such as goggles or masks.

The OSHA construction standard states that fall protection is required when an employee is working on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is six feet or more above a lower level. The general industry standard states that employers must ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is four feet or more above a lower level is protected. According to construction and general industry standards, fall protection options must be: Guard rail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall protection systems such as harnesses or restraints.

Prior to January, 17, 2017, personal fall protection systems and safety net systems were not recognized as a protection option under the general industry standards. This changed when OSHA published the revisions to its Walking-Working Surfaces standard and Personal Protective Equipment standard for general industry.

Although not specifically addressed by the construction standards, hazard assessments should be conducted for all work areas so the proper protective equipment can be selected if needed. When choosing PPE, you should consider such hazards as heat, impact, penetration, compression, chemical, electrical, light radiation, harmful dust and falls.

The new OSHA standard for construction work in confined spaces sets requirements for safe practices and procedures to protect employees. However, the standard does not apply to construction work regulated elsewhere in Part 1926 for excavations, underground construction and diving operations. The standard provides construction employees with protections similar to those general industry employees have had for more than two decades, but with some differences tailored to the construction industry including:

• More detailed provisions for coordinating activities with other employers at the site
• Requiring a competent person to evaluate the site and identify confined and permit spaces
• Requiring continuous atmospheric monitoring when possible
• Requiring continuous monitoring of engulfment hazards
• Allowing for the suspension of a permit, instead of cancellation
• Requiring that employers who direct employees to enter a space without using a complete permit system first eliminate or isolate any physical hazards
• Requiring that employers who are relying on local entities for emergency services to arrange for those responders to give the employer advance notice if they will be unable to respond for a period of time
• Requiring employers to provide training in a language and vocabulary that the employee understands

In construction occupations, training is required for each employee using stairways and ladders; “Fixed ladders shall be provided with cages, wells, ladder safety devices, or self-retracting lifelines where the length of climb is less than 24 feet but the top of the ladder is at a distance greater than 24 feet above lower levels. Where the total length of a climb equals or exceeds 24 feet, fixed ladders shall be equipped with one of the following: ladder safety devices, or self-retracting lifelines, and rest platforms at intervals not to exceed 150 feet or a cage or well, and multiple ladder sections not to exceed 50 feet in length.”

It is required that fire extinguishers with at least a 2A rating must be provided every 3000 square feet; additionally, portable fire extinguishers must be provided for employee use, and selected/ distributed based on the classes of anticipated workplace fires, as well as the size and degree of the potential hazard. These, in addition to other Accident-Prevention systems such as signs and tags, should be visible at all times while work is being performed. However, only signs can be removed or covered as soon as the hazard no longer exists.

Lastly, OSHA has strict illumination requirements for areas of operation. Job site areas that require lighting are as follows:

• First aid stations, infirmaries, and offices.
• Batch plants, screening plants, mechanical and electrical equipment rooms, carpenter shops, rigging lofts, active store rooms, and bathrooms.
• Tunnels, shafts, and general underground work areas.
• Warehouses, corridors, hallways, and exitways.
• General construction areas, concrete placement, storage areas, excavation and waste areas, accessways, loading platforms, refueling, and field maintenance areas.