Engineers Without Borders

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Engineers Without Borders Health and Safety
EWB-University of Maryland Thailand
Deborah Imel Nelson, Member Mountain TAC, EWB
Health and Safety Committee
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Credits.

• Melanie Spencer, Member West Coast TAC
• AnnMarie Spexet, PE, South Central TAC Chair
• George F Jamison, PE, Great Lakes Region TAC
  Chair
• Krista McKim, PE, EWB Health and Safety Committee
  Chair

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Program Status (Oct 08)

• Revised policy and focus in Fall 07
• Formed EWB Health and Safety Committee
• Developed extensive detailed program
• Submitted to EWB National, May 08
• Health and Safety is one of a few study groups
• Awaiting response to submitted program
• Time frames for adoption uncertain

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Purpose of Presentation

• Present basic elements of program likely to be
  implemented.
• Awareness of project requirements staffing,
  planning, training, implementation, reporting
• Not intended to satisfy overall training
  requirementsfamiliarization

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Health and Safety Committees Thoughts

• The program will embody significant changes
  requiring more careful planning and preparation
• Compliance is required
• Less apt to get last minute approval if there are
  HS concerns
• As much or more attention will be given to these
  concerns as to technical design
• HS considerations an integral part of every
  project, from initial consideration through
  implementation
• Provide a safe working environment

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Health and Safety Committees Policy

• HS considerations are an integral part of every
  project, from initial consideration through
  implementation
• Foster a positive and active health and safety
  culture
• Foster healthy and safe project conditions, for
  EWB team members and local participants
• An intrinsic goal is to protect EWB, the
  volunteers, and the in-country partners

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Health and Safety Committees Program Goals

• Set forth policy
• Define organizational structure
• Provide protocols and guidelines
• Establish supportive administrative procedures
• Create a safety culture
• Educate and train on practices that will benefit
  members throughout their careers (this is part of
  professional practice)

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Scope

• Every site
• Every trip

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EWB Health and Safety Program
EWB-JSC Rwanda
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EWB-USA Health and Safety

• Seek advice from HS Committee
• Attend and conduct training sessions
• Project level, onsite team member in charge of
  HS

Project Managers
Mentors/Professional Advisors
Project HS Officers

• Reviews Projects and Trips with eye to HS
• Organizes training sessions
• Assists with project planning
• Serves as member of overall Health and Safety
  Committee

Regional HS Subcommittee
Regional TAC

• Project Technical Reviews
• Project Trip Reviews

• Develops Guidelines and Policy

National HS Subcommittee

• Develops Guidelines and Policy

Health and Safety Plan
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Project Health and Safety Officer (HSO)

• Every travel team must have one in order to be
  approved for travel
• Responsible for planning and implementing the HS
  practices on the project
• Ideally not the project team leader or a solo
  mentor
• May share duties, but one person must be
  accountable as the lead HSO
• Ensuring the health and safety of the project is
  the responsibility of EVERYONE

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HSO Requirements

• First Aid and CPR Certified
• Wilderness First Aidrequired in some areas
  strongly recommended
• Additional HS training appropriate to
  anticipated hazards
• Experience and training specific to project needs
• A student or professional member, or a mentor who
  is experienced in practices appropriate to
  project
• On-site during project work
• Participate in project reviews conducted by TAC
• Role must be verified, reviewed and approved by
  regional TAC HS Committee member

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HSO Responsibilities

• Work with Project Lead and TAC reps to implement
  program
• Critically evaluate task hazard management
  strategies
• Author/co-author site specific health and safety
  plan (HASP)
• Investigate the health risks endemic to the
  project area (planning)
• Contact International SOS, and identify nearest
  medical facilities for HASP
• Conduct pre-trip safety briefing and training
  based on HASP

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HSO Responsibilities- cont

• Manage the first aid kit
• Manage procurement of PPE
• Conduct morning tailgate safety meetings
  coordinate community safety discussions
• Halt work if imminent hazards
• Coordinate response and be advocate if an
  incident or near-incident
• Confirm and carry copies of insurance and
  emergency contacts
• Be aware of serious relevant medical conditions
  (diabetics, severe allergies or asthmatics, etc.
  )
• In addition to the translator, escort injured
  persons to medical facilities
• In the event of an emergency, contacts
• The designated emergency contact
• EWB-USA

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Health and Safety Plan
(HASP)
A document to be read, understood, and accepted
by the team members that identifies

• Organization, Coordination, and Communication
• Identify Project Tasks
• Anticipated hazards and measures to be put into
  place to reduce risk (Chemical, Physical and Bio)
• Necessary safety training for team members and
  community
• Individuals with knowledge and authority to make
  decisions
• Safety protocols/protective equipment
• Emergency procedures/medical plan
• Monitoring team health
• Recordkeeping and reporting

Health and Safety Plan
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Encourage a safe mindset

• Pre-trip safety discussion
• Morning tailgate meetings
• Evening cleanup
• Incident Handling
• Near Misses and Root Cause Analysis
• Organize Proper Preparation and Planning
  Prevents Problems (PPPPP)

EWB-Rice El Salvador
Health and Safety Plan
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Safety Equipment

• Proper clothing and equipment must be used at any
  project site. Basic equipment includes
  steel-toed shoes, safety glasses, and hard hats
  (look for ANSI approval on all these items)
  unless the EWB Health and Safety Committee grants
  an exception.

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Task Hazards List
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Overview

• Excavations
• Fall Protection/Ladders
• Electrical
• Tool Safety
• Concrete
• Infectious Diseases/Parasites
• Toxic and Hazardous Material
• General Safety
• Community Safety

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Excavation Hazards

• Engulfment/Entrapment
• Asphyxiation
• Inhalation of toxic materials
• Vibration near excavation
• Mobile equipment near excavation
• Underground utility lines and other buried
  hazards
• Water accumulation
• Falls

Excavations
Anonymous EWB Project
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Excavation Safety

• Check that there are no underground hazards
  before digging, such as power lines, latrine
  boxes, water/sewer lines, etc.
• Methods to protect an excavation against collapse
  include
• Shield - can be permanent or portable. Also
  known as trench box or trench shield.
• Shoring - system that supports the sides.
• Sloping - grading sides of an excavation to the
  ground surface
• Use signage, tape, and fences to keep people away
  from trenches, especially overnight
• Take spoils away from the edge
• Do not enter excavations that have standing water
• Keep materials or equipment that might fall or
  roll into an excavation away from the edge, keep
  vibrating equipment further away.

Excavations
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Falls in Construction

• Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the
  construction industry.
• Falls from as little as 4 to 6 feet can cause
  serious injuries and sometimes death.
• Inadequate rails, ladders, walkways ramps,
  open sides edges, holes, concrete forms
  rebar, excavations, roofs, and wall openings are
  all potential fall hazards
• Falling tools and equipment also represent a
  danger to those below
• Keep area around ladder work clean.
• Dont trust that the roof can support you

Anonymous EWB Project
Fall Protection-Ladders
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Ladder Dos and Donts
-- DO Use well maintained ladders
without cracks or missing rungs Keep the area
around the top and bottom of a ladder
clear Place your ladder on firm, stable, dry
ground Keep your ladders at least 10 feet away
from overhead power lines Keep ladders free from
slipping hazards Tie off the tops of ladders to
add stability and security Keep the area around
the ladder clear of debris
-- DONT Use
rickety ladders Use broken ladders. Missing
rungs, cleats, and cracked siderails are
unacceptable Tie ladders together to make longer
sections, unless designed for such use Load
ladders beyond the maximum load for which they
were built, nor Beyond the manufacturers rated
capacity Stand on the top step of a self
supporting ladder. Assume that roof beams can
support a persons weight
Fall Protection-Ladders
Anonymous EWB Project
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Electrical Hazards

• Electrical accidents are caused by a combination
  of three factors
• Unsafe equipment and/or installations,
• Workplaces made unsafe by the environment, and
• Unsafe work practices
• Clues that electrical hazards exist
• Tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
• Warm tools, wires, cords, connections, or
  junction boxes
• Worn, frayed insulation around wire or connection
• Messy or Jerry-rigged wiring
• Leaking batteries, corrosion and pitting
• Water

India not an EWB project site
Electrical
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Basic Tool Safety Rules

• Use right tool for the job
• Keep tools maintained and dont use broken tools
  or blunt cutting tools
• Operate according to manufacturers instructions
• Use guards
• Use PPE
• Keep working surfaces (including the floor) clean
  and clear of debris
• Store tools in dry place
• Keep working areas well lit
• Be kind to your cords and hoses
• Disconnect when not in use and when changing
  accessories such as blades bits
• When a tool is not being used, put it away!

EWB-University of Maryland Thailand
Tools
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Personal Protective Equipment

• Foot Protection
• Eye Protection
• Hand Protection
• Hearing Protection
• Respiratory Protection

Anonymous EWB Project
Tools
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Hand Tools

• Hazards are usually caused by misuse and improper
  maintenance
• Do not use
• wrenches when jaws are sprung
• impact tools (chisels and wedges) when heads have
  mushroomed
• tools with loose, cracked or splintered handles
• a screwdriver as a chisel
• tools with taped handles they may be hiding
  cracks
• Cheater pipes
• Shovels while wearing flip flops

Tools
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Power Tools

• Disconnect tools when not in use, before
  servicing and cleaning, and when changing
  accessories
• Keep people not involved with the work away from
  the work
• Secure work with clamps or a vise, freeing both
  hands to operate the tool
• Dont hold the switch button while carrying a
  plugged-in tool
• No jewelry or loose clothing
• Long hair in a bun
• Remove damaged electric tools from use tag
  them Do Not Use
• Be kind to your cords and hoses
• Keep away from water

EWB-Rice Nicaragua
Tools
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Liquid Fuel Tools/ Jacks

• Main hazard fuel vapors
• Use only approved flammable liquid containers
• Before refilling a fuel-powered tool tank, shut
  down the engine and allow it to cool
• To set up a jack, ensure
• The base is centered on a firm, level surface
• The jack head is placed against a level surface
• You apply the lift force evenly
• The manufacturer's rated capacity must be marked
  on all jacks and must not be exceeded
• All jacks must have a stop indicator that is not
  exceeded
• Immediately block the load after it is lifted.
  Put a block under the base of the jack when the
  foundation is not firm, and place a block between
  the jack cap and load if the cap might slip

EWB-Houston/LA Professionals India
Tools
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Concrete

• Hazardous Materials in concrete include
• Lime (calcium hydroxide) Caustic
• Trace amounts of crystalline silica Abrasive
• Trace amounts of chromium Sensitizer
• Wear protective clothing
• Alkali resistant gloves
• Waterproof boots
• Cover arms and legs
• Wear Goggles and no contact lenses!
• Particulate Respirators
• Minimize cement dust.
• Keep upwind of the cement.
• Wet cut masonry blocks whenever possible
• Minimize contact with cement
• Dont touch cement powder with your hands.
• Rinse wet cement off skin immediately.
• Use a board to kneel on wet cement.
• Dont rinse your hands in the bucket you rinse
  tools in!
• Provide a place to rinse off with clean water,
  and a place to change clothes (and bring a change
  of clothes!)

EWB-New York Cambodia
Concrete
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Infectious Diseases/Parasites

• Water Borne (drinking, eating, swimming)
• Giardia, Schistosomiasis, Botulism, Dysentery,
  Polio, Hepatitis
• Bottled water only, opened by you
• No Swimming (especially in fresh water)
• Soil Borne
• Hookworm, Roundworm, Toxoplasmosis, Tetanus,
  Listeria
• Shoes
• Check for skin breaks at night
• Insect Borne
• Malaria, Dengue, Yellow Fever, West Nile, Chagas
• Anti-malarials
• Permethryn/DEET
• Bed Nets
• Vaccines
• Hepatitis, Typhoid, Meningitis, Yellow Fever,
  Polio, Rabies, MMR, DPT
• Yellow card, keep it current!
• Sanitation
• Baby wipes, alcohol based hand sanitizer

http//www.cdc.gov/travel
Hazardous Material
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Toxic and Hazardous Materials

• Flammable
• And
• Corrosive
• Toxic
• Or
• Reactive

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Sources

• Materials purchased for use on a project (e.g.,
  paints or pesticides)
• Materials found on-site (e.g., lead-based paints
  or asbestos)
• Materials created during a project (e.g.,
  phosgene created when welding is conducted in the
  presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons).

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Minimizing Exposures

• Careful attention to project planning, site
  assessment, and protection of team members and
  partners can minimize the risk of exposures to
  hazardous and toxic materials.

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Routes of Entry

• Ingestion (swallowing)
• Inhalation
• Skin absorption
• Injection (such as a needle stick or puncture
  wound).

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Hierarchy of Controls

• Control at the source
• Control along the path of exposure
• Control at the worker

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Control at the Source

• Substitution
• Mechanize the process
• Isolate/enclose the process

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Control along the Path of Exposure

• Local exhaust ventilation
• General ventilation
• Housekeeping

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Control at the Worker

• Worker education
• Enclose the worker
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Respirators, gloves, chemical protective
  clothing, eye and face protection
• Clean lunch / break room
• Locker and change room
• Lavatories
• Clean change of clothing
• Emergency eyewash and shower

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Project Planning

• Initial application should list all the products
  that you anticipate using in the project
• paints, adhesives, solvents, pesticides, acids,
  bases, chlorine, and cement
• Extremely hazardous materials (including, but not
  limited to, cyanides, explosives, pyrophoric, or
  peroxide-forming chemicals) should NOT be used on
  any EWB project. Use of any extremely hazardous
  materials must be approved by the EWB Health
  Safety Committee.

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• EWB team members who may have potential exposure
  to these chemicals must receive special training
  prior to conducting field activities involving
• Pesticides
• Lead
• Asbestos
• Silica

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Site Assessment

• Goal learn as much as possible about the
  existing condition of the site, including the
  presence of any hazardous materials or dangerous
  conditions.
• These should be noted on your site assessment
  report.
• Also, if you encounter any materials which may
  pose a hazard, youll need to talk with your
  advisor about ways to avoid contact.

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Guidelines for Hazardous Materials

• Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each
  product
• Buy the smallest quantity of product required for
  the project.
• Substitute products or processes
• Water-based paints, glues, or cleaners for
  solvent-based products
• Lead-free, cadmium-free for leaded paints or
  pigments, etc.
• Silica-free abrasive blasting materials
• Non-asbestos insulating materials
• Slurry, pelletized, or waxy materials
• Painting with a brush rather than spray painting

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• Handle materials in wet form rather than dry.
• Try to work with the wind at your back. Keep the
  doors and windows open.
• Dont ever work alone, but limit the number of
  people who may have potential exposure to
  chemicals.
• All containers must be properly labeled with
  contents. NEVER put chemicals into a container
  which is meant for storing or serving food.
  
• Use goggles, gloves, and aprons when handling
  liquids. Contaminated clothing should be
  changed as soon as possible.

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• If a product comes into contact with skin or
  eyes, rinse immediately with clean water.
• Choose gloves carefully, as various glove
  materials can protect against different
  chemicals.
• Respiratory protective equipment comes in two
  basic categories air supplying, and air
  purifying.
• Use of air-supplying respiratory protection
  requires special training, and should NOT be used
  on any EWB project without special arrangements
  with the EWB Health Safety Committee.

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• NEVER smoke, or allow others to do so, around
  hazardous materials. Keep ignition sources far
  away from flammable / combustible materials.
• Wash hands and face before eating, drinking, or
  smoking. NOTE It is strongly recommended that
  you NOT smoke while on an EWB project.

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Housekeeping

• Keep all surfaces clean and free of chemicals
  (dusts or liquids).
• Avoid dry sweeping, dry dusting, and the use of
  compressed air to clean surfaces. Whenever
  possible, wet wipe or mop surfaces.

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Spill Clean Up

• Determine in advance
• To whom spills will be reported, and who will be
  responsible for spill clean up
• How spills will be contained, and how team
  members will be decontaminated
• What equipment will be used
• What personal protective equipment will be needed
• The criteria for determining that the area is
  clean
• Disposal procedures (local or national
  requirements, good environmental practice)
• Medical surveillance of team members who have
  been exposed
• Have a spill clean-up kit available whenever
  hazardous liquid products are used, and know how
  to use it.
• Know where any used spill clean-up kit will be
  disposed.

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General Storage Guidelines

• Storage of incompatible chemicals together can
  result in fire, explosion, or in a chemical
  reaction which generates toxic materials.
• The most likely of these is the storage of acids
  (especially oxidizing acids) with flammable
  solvents ? fire or explosion. 

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• NEVER mix chemicals or chemical waste without
  specific instructions to do so from a person
  knowledgeable in chemical hazards.

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• Hazardous chemicals must be stored in locked
  cabinets and/or storage rooms. The cabinet and/or
  room should be labeled.
• When flammable liquids are in use, appropriate
  fire extinguishers must be available within the
  immediate area.
• Chemicals should be separated for storage
  according to categories.

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• Ensure that caps and lids on all chemical
  containers are tightly closed to prevent
  evaporation of contents.
• Label all containers to which hazardous materials
  are transferred with the identity of the
  substance and its hazards.
• Limit the amount of chemicals stored to the
  minimum required.
• Avoid exposure of chemicals to heat or direct
  sunlight.

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Disposing of Hazardous Materials

• Know the country regulations for disposing of
  hazardous materials.
• Consider neutralizing or stabilizing chemical
  products prior to disposal.
• Consider options to disposal, such as donating
  leftover chemical products to another group which
  will use the chemical properly. Do NOT mix waste
  products together without specific instructions
  from a person knowledgeable in chemical hazards.
  
• Purchase the smallest quantity possible, and be
  sure to label all containers properly.

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Asbestos
Roofing tar/shingles
Vinyl Tile
Cement/Asbestos
www.heimer.com
www.preston.gov.uk
www.customtileroofing.com
Vermiculite and Fibrous Insulation
Pipe Insulation and joint compounds
www.heimer.com
www.epa.gov
www.newmeadowsabatement.com
Hazardous Material
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Other Hazards

• Local hazards
• Buried hazards
• underground utilities
• power lines
• sewer lines
• pipe lines
• disused latrine pits
• disused wells
• Other hazards
• Animal Hazards
• snakes/spiders
• Rabies
• Cement
• Asbestos

EWB-University of Maryland Thailand
Hazardous Material
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General Safety

• Stay in a group/ set gathering points
• Cellular/Satellite telephones
• local hospital
• other team cell phones
• emergency contacts for team members
• walkie talkies for larger team coverage
• Listen to your local hosts
• Listen to your instincts
• Be aware and assert yourself
• Vehicle safety
• Drinking/Eating safety
• Special medical conditions
• Red Cross training/Wilderness 1st responder
  training
• US Consulate/Embassy, US State Department
• SOS International

Anonymous EWB Project
http//travel.state.gov/
General Safety
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Working In Heat

• Timing
• Stay hydrated
• Powdered drink packs
• Incorporate breaks
• Shade
• Learn to recognize
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat stroke

Unlike the Waterboy, we approve of drink mixes
in addition to cool clean water for hydration
General Safety
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Community Safety

• Community safety meetings
• Tape, signage, barriers, and flags
• Staging
• Proper disposal
• Construction site housekeeping
• Children

EWB-Rice El Salvador
Community Safety
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Finally.
Ensuring the health and safety of the project is
the responsibility of EVERYONE
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• Deborah Imel Nelson, Ph.D., CIH
• Emergency Manager
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• 303-492-5162
• Deborah.Nelson_at_Colorado.edu