Specific OSHA Telecommunications Standards

Standard Applies to:  Telecommunication centers: installation, operation, maintenance, rearrangement, and removal of communications switching equipment.  Telecommunication field: installation, operation, maintenance, rearrangement, and removal of conductors, their supporting structures, overhead or underground, on public/private rights of way.

OSHA Telecommunication Requirements (10 or more employees or hazardous industry which Telecommunication is considered)  OSHA 301 Incident Report; 300 Log; 300A Summary  Personal Protective Equipment by job  Specific Programs: Lockout/tagout, Haz-com, Trenching/ Shoring, Forklifts, Fire Protection, Housekeeping, Bloodborne Pathogens  Emergency Preparedness Plan  Written Safety Manual

Decision Process for Determining Recordability  Record only injuries/illnesses that you answer YES to the following: –Did the employee experience an injury/illness? –Is it work-related? –Is it a new case or do I need to update a previous entry? –Does it meet the general recording or additional criteria?

OSHA 301 Incident Report  1 form per incident  Recorded within 7 days after you hear about it  Must keep on file for 5 years following the year to which it pertains  Gathers specific details about the circumstances of the incident and the employee (HR file)  After you record the incident in the Log; transfer the case number to coordinate with #10 on the Form 301  Average time to complete the form=22 minutes

300 Log--Overview  For a specific calendar year  Must be recorded within 7 calendar days of the incident  If the situation changes from the original recorded information, draw a line through the original entry and check off new information as appropriate  Must keep for 5 years following the year to which it pertains  Do not send the completed forms to OSHA unless requested to do so  Summary must be posted from Feb. 1-April 30 in a conspicuous place; don’t send to OSHA unless requested to do so  Recordkeeping done for each work site; contact your state specifically for definition of work site

OSHA 300 Log--Definitions of Work Related Injuries/Illnesses  Those that result in death or in-patient hospitalization of 3 or more employees (must be reported in 8 hours to OSHA 24 hour hotline OSHA)  Days away from work—don’t count day of incident, but include weekends/holidays; 180 day cap  Restricted/transferred to another job—unable to perform 1 or more of their routine duties  Medical treatment beyond first-aid—management and care of a patient to combat disease/injury beyond first aid

First-Aid is:  Using non-prescription medicine at nonprescription strength  Administering tetanus immunizations  Cleaning, flushing, soaking wounds on the surface of the skin  Using wound coverings such as Band-Aids, gauze pads  Using hot or cold therapy  Using any non-rigid means of support such as wraps and elastic bandages  Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting a victim (i.e. sling, neck collars)  Drilling a nail to relieve pressure; draining a blister  Using eye patches  Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation/swab  Removing splinters/material by irrigation/tweezers  Using finger guards  Using massages (PT/Chiropractor is medical treatment)  Drinking fluids to relieve heat stress It is the treatment itself not the provider (professional status—Doctor) that determines if it’s first-aid

OSHA 300 Log--Definitions of Work Related Injuries/Illnesses  Loss of consciousness—regardless of length  Diagnosis of significant work-related injury/illness by a licensed health care provider  Protect privacy where necessary—record injuries to intimate body parts, mental illness, hepatitis, or injuries from sexual assault as “privacy concern case? On the log  If it’s not an injury, you must identify the type of illness in (M) –Injury: wound, lacerations, burns, sprains, fractures –Skin Disorders: caused by exposure of chemicals or plants –Respiratory Conditions: breathing in fumes, gases, vapors –Poisoning: abnormal concentration of toxic substances in blood –Hearing loss: experienced a standard threshold shift in one/both ears –All others: heatstroke, frostbite

300A Summary  Totals of all categories  SIC Code: Telephone Communications=481  NAICS:  Total number of employees and total hours worked (include part-time, seasonal, temporary)  Must be certified/signed by a company executive  Posted Feb.1-April 30 of the following year  Must keep for 5 years

Emergency Preparedness Plan  Emergency is any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries to employees, customers, or the public; or that can shut down your business, disrupt operations, cause physical damage, or threaten the company’s financial standing/public image  Can be anything from a flood or tornado to a communication failure or civil disturbance  Preparedness is EVERYONE’s job--according to their assigned roles

4 Step Process 1.Establish a planning team 2.Analyze capabilities and hazards 3.Develop the plan 4.Implement the plan

Vulnerability Analysis Chart Rank on Scale of 1 (low)-5 (high) Type of Emergenc y ProbabilityHuman Impact Property Impact Business Impact Internal Resources External Resources Total Hurricane Tornado Ice Storm Civil Disruption

“An Ounce of Prevention…” No emergency preparedness plan can guarantee that your telephone company won’t suffer any losses--but it can minimize the damage and help use all of your resources to protect your employees and your business.

First-aid and Medical  First aid supplies recommended by a consulting physician shall be place in weatherproof containers (unless stored indoors) and shall be easily accessible.  Each kit must be inspected at least once a month.

Training  Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices necessary.  Training shall consist of on-the-job or classroom or a combination.  Some training activities require a certification i.e. tower climbing, forklift operations

Protection in Public Work Areas  Before work is begun in the vicinity of vehicular/pedestrian traffic, warning sings and/or flags shall be conspicuously placed to alert/channel approaching traffic.  At night, warning lights should be displayed.  Excavated areas shall be enclosed with protective barricades.

PPE  Personal protective equipment/devices/ special tools needed for the work of employees shall be provided and the employer shall ensue that they are used.  Employer is responsible for inspecting PPEs for good condition.  Rubber insulating equipment (gloves, blankets) should be tested on a 12 month basis for new natural rubber

Personal Climbing Equipment  Generally, safety belts and straps shall be provided and the employer shall ensure their use when work is performed more than 4 ft above ground, on poles, and towers.  Employer shall inspect this equipment for safe working conditions.  Very specific requirements for buckles, D-rings, width of leather belts)

Cable Reels  Cable reels in storage shall be checked or otherwise restrained when there is a possibility they might accidentally roll from position.

Handling Suspension Strand  When handling cable suspension strand which is being installed on poles carrying exposed energized power conductors, employees shall wear insulating gloves and avoid body contact with the strand until it has been tensioned, dead-ended and permanently grounded.

Testing Wood Poles  Rap the pole sharply with a 3lb hammer starting at the ground line and continuing upwards circumferentially until approximately 6 ft.  A clear sound and sharp rebound means the wood is solid.  Decay pockets indicate the pole is unsafe.

Manholes  When covers of manholes/vaults are removed, the opening shall be promptly guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other temporary barrier.  While work is being performed, a person with basic first-aid shall be immediately available.  Before entering, the internal atmosphere shall be tested for combustible gas/oxygen deficiency except for when forced ventilation is provided.

Microwave Transmission  Employees should not look into an open waveguide which is connected to an energized source of microwave radiation.  Where accessible areas of the electromagnetic radiation levels exceeds the radiation protection of there shall be a sign posted (many towers need this posting)

Tree Trimming  Employees engaged in pruning, trimming, removing, or clearing trees from lines are required to consider all overhead/underground electrical power conductors to be energized and potentially fatal and never to be touched.  During all tree work where more than 750v exits, there shall be a 2nd trained employee within voice communication.

Safety Manual Should Include:  Mission Statement  Management roles & responsibilities  WC and other insurance information  General safety rules: accident reporting, post-injury & return-to-work programs, inspection lists, first-aid, disciplinary and or reward process, OSHA compliance programs, training schedules  Review & update process/schedule