http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/rss/feedsSOLID CONCRETE WALLS We are dedicated to quality and service while providing both commercial and residential concrete foundations and footings as well as Automated Layout, Retaining Walls, and Architectural / Board Form Walls. We are licensed and fully insured and you can always count on us to get your job done right.Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:34:15 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/personal-protective-equipment-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/personal-protective-equipment-checklistBy Ethan Davis 1. Are protective goggles or face shields provided and worn where there is any danger of flying particles or corrosive materials? 2. Are approved safety glasses required to be worn at all times in areas where there is a risk of eye injuries such as punctures, abrasions, contusions or burns? 3. Are employees who need corrective lenses (glasses or contacts) in working environments having harmful exposures, required to wear only approved safety glasses, protective goggles, or use other medically approved precautionary procedures. 4. Are protective gloves, aprons, shields, or other means provided and required where employees could be cut or where there is reasonably anticipated expo-sure to corrosive liquids, chemicals, blood, or other potentially infectious materials. See OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(b) for the definition of "other potentially infectious materials." 5. Are hard hats provided and worn where danger of falling objects exists? 6. Are hard hats inspected periodically for damage to the shell and suspension system? 7. Is appropriate foot protection required where there is the risk of foot injuries from hot, corrosive, poison-ous substances, falling objects, crushing or penetrating actions? 8. Are approved respirators provided for regular or emergency use where needed? 9. Is all protective equipment maintained in a sanitary condition and ready for use? 10. Do you have eye wash facilities and a quick Drench Shower within the work area where employees are ex-posed to injurious corrosive materials? 11. Where special equipment is needed for electrical workers, is it available? 12. Where food or beverages are consumed on the premises, are they consumed in areas where there is no exposure to toxic material, blood, or other potentially infectious materials? 13. Is protection against the effects of occupational noise exposure provided when sound levels exceed those of the OSHA noise standard? 14. Are adequate work procedures, protective clothing and equipment provided and used when cleaning up spilled toxic or otherwise hazardous materials or liquids? 15. Are there appropriate procedures in place for disposing of or decontaminating personal protective equipment contaminated with, or reasonably anticipated to be contaminated with, blood or other potentially infectious materials?Fri, 21 Oct 2016 05:55:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/fire-protection-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/fire-protection-checklistBy Ethan Davis 1. Is your local fire department well acquainted with your facilities, its location and specific hazards? 2. If you have a fire alarm system, is it certified as required? 3. If you have a fire alarm system, is it tested at least annually? 4. If you have interior stand pipes and valves, are they inspected regularly? 5. If you have outside private fire hydrants, are they flushed at least once a year and on a routine preventive maintenance schedule? 6. Are fire doors and shutters in good operating condition? 7. Are fire doors and shutters unobstructed and protected against obstructions, including their counter-weights? 8. Is fire door and shutter fusible links in place? 9. Are automatic sprinkler system water control valves, air and water pressure checked weekly/periodically as required? 10. Is the maintenance of automatic sprinkler systems assigned to responsible persons or to a sprinkler contractor? 11. Are sprinkler heads protected by metal guards, when exposed to physical damage? 12. Is proper clearance maintained below sprinkler heads? 13. Are portable fire extinguishers provided in adequate number and type? 14. Are fire extinguishers mounted in readily accessible locations? 15. Are fire extinguishers recharged regularly and noted on the inspection tag? 16. Are employees periodically instructed in the use of extinguishers and fire protection procedures?Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:17:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/medical-and-first-aid-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/medical-and-first-aid-checklistBy Ethan Davis 1. Is there a hospital, clinic, or infirmary for medical care in proximity of your workplace? 2. If medical and first-aid facilities are not in proximity of your workplace, is at least one employee on each shift currently qualified to render first aid? 3. Have all employees who are expected to respond to medical emergencies as part of their work (1) received first-aid training; (2) had hepatitis B vaccination made available to them; (3) had appropriate training on procedures to protect them from blood-borne pathogens, including universal precautions; and (4) have available and understand how to use appropriate personal protective equipment to protect against exposure to bloodborne diseases? 4. Where employees have had an exposure incident involving bloodborne pathogens, did you provide an immediate post-exposure medical evaluation and fol-low-up? 5. Are medical personnel readily available for advice and consultation on matters of employees' health? 6. Are emergency phone numbers posted? 7. Are first-aid kits easily accessible to each work area? with necessary supplies available, periodically inspected and replenished as needed? 8. Have first-aid kit supplies been approved by a physician. indicating that they are adequate for a particular area or operation? 9; Are means provided for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body in areas where corrosive liquids or materials are handled? Note: Pursuant to an OSHA memorandum July 1, 1992, employees who render first aid only as a collateral duty do not have to be offered pre-exposure hepatitis B vaccine only if the employer puts the following requirements into his/her exposure control plan and implements them: (1) the employer must record all first-aid incidents involving the presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials before the end of the work shift during which the first-aid incident occurred; (2) the employer must comply with post-exposure evaluation, prophylaxis, and follow-up requirements of the standard with respect to "exposure incidents," as defined by the standard; (3) the employer must train designated first-aid providers about the reporting procedure: (4) the employer must offer to initiate the hepatitis B vaccination series within 24 hours to all unvaccinated first-aid providers who have rendered assistance in any situation involving the presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials.Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:18:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/chemical-handling-safety--facilities-and-equipmenthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/chemical-handling-safety--facilities-and-equipmentBy Ethan Davis (a) Have separate container for trash and broken glass. (b) Never block any escape routes, and plan alternate escape routes. (c) Never block a fire door open. (d) Never store materials in storage aisles. (e) All moving belts and pulleys should have safety guards. (f) Ensure that eye-wash fountains will supply at least 15 minutes of water flow. (g) Regularly inspect safety showers and eye-wash fountains and keep records of inspections. (h) Keep up-to-date emergency phone numbers posted next to the phone. (i) Place fire extinguishers near an escape route, not in a "dead end" corridor. (j) Regularly maintain fire extinguishers, maintain records, and train personnel in the proper use of extinguishers. (k) Acquaint personnel with the meaning of "Class A fire", "Class B fire", etc., and how they relate to fire extinguisher use. (l) Secure all compressed gas cylinders when in use and transport them secured on a hand truck. (m) Install chemical storage shelves with lips, and never use stacked boxes in lieu of shelves. (n) Replace appropriate equipment and materials for spill control when they become dated.Wed, 05 Oct 2016 12:29:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-and-health-program-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-and-health-program-checklistBy Ethan Davis 1. Do you have an active safety and health program in operation that deals with general safety and health program elements as well as the management of hazards specific to your worksite? 2. Is one person clearly responsible for the overall activities of the safety and health program? 3. Do you have a safety committee or group made up of management arid labor representatives that meets regularly and report in writing on its activities? 4. Do you have a working procedure for handling in-house employee complaints regarding safety and health? 5. Are you keeping your employees advised of the successful effort and accomplishments you and/or your safety committee have made in assuring they will have a workplace that is safe and healthful?Fri, 30 Sep 2016 10:20:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-recordkeeping-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-recordkeeping-checklistBy Ethan Davis 1. Are all occupational injury or illnesses, except minor injuries requiring only first aid, being recorded as re-quired on the OSHA 300 log? 2. Are employee medical records and records of em-ployee exposure to hazardous substances or harmful physical agents up-to-date and in compliance with current OSHA standards? 3. Are employees training records kept and accessible for review by employees, when required by OSHA standards? 4. Have arrangements been made to maintain required records for the legal period of time for each specific type record? (Some records must be maintained for at least 40 years.) 5. Are operating permits and records up-to-date for such items as elevators, air pressure tanks, liquefied petroleum gas tanks, etc.?Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:22:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/employer-posting-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/employer-posting-checklistBy Ethan Davis Is the required OSHA workplace poster displayed in a prominent location where all employees are likely to see it? 1. Are emergency telephone numbers posted where they can be readily found in case of emergency? 2. Where employees may be exposed to any toxic substances or harmful physical agents, has appropriate information concerning employee access to medical and exposure records and "Material Safety Data Sheets" been posted or otherwise made readily available to affected employees? 3. Are signs concerning "Exiting from buildings," room capacities, floor loading. biohazards, exposures to x-ray. microwave, or other harmful radiation or substances posted where appropriate? 4. Is the Summary of Occupational Illnesses and Injuries posted in the month of February?Fri, 16 Sep 2016 10:23:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-selfinspection-checklisthttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/safety-selfinspection-checklistBy Ethan Davis The most widely accepted way to identify hazards is to conduct safety and health inspections. The only way you can be certain of the actual situation is for you to look at it from time to time. Make a Self-Inspection of Your Business: Begin a program of seIf-inspection in your own workplace. Self-inspection is a must if you are to know where probable hazards exist and whether they are under control. This checklist is by no means all inclusive. You may wish to add to them or delete portions that do not apply to your business. Consider carefully each item as you come to it and then make your decision. Don't spend time with items that obviously have no application to your business. Make sure each item is seen by you or your designee, and leave nothing to memory or chance. Write down what you see, or don't see, and what you think you should do about it. When you have completed the checklists, add this material to your injury information, your employee information, and your process and equipment information. You will now possess may facts that will help you determine what problems exist. Then, if you use the OSHA standards in your problem-solving process, it will be much easier for you to determine the action needed to solve these problems. Once the hazards have been identified, you can institute control procedures. Technical assistance in self-inspection may be available to you as a small business owner or manager through your in-surance carrier, the local safety council and many local, state, and federal agencies, including the state consultation programs and OSHA Area Offices. Additional checklists are available from the National Safety Council, trade associa-tions, insurance companies and other similar service organizations. Note the following self-inspection checklists taken from OSHA’s publication entitled OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses. Self-Inspection Scope The scope of your self-inspections should include the following: Processing, Receiving, Shipping and Storage — equipment, job planning, layout, heights, floor loads, projection of materials, materials-handling and storage methods. Building and Grounds Conditions — floors, walls, ceilings, exits, stairs, walkways, ramps, platforms, driveways, aisles. Housekeeping Program — waste disposal, tools, objects, materials, leakage and spillage, cleaning methods, schedules, work areas, remote areas, storage areas. Electricity — equipment, switches, breakers, fuses, switch-boxes, junctions, special fixtures, circuits, insulation, extensions, tools, motors, grounding, NEC compliance. Lighting — type, intensity, controls, conditions, diffusion, location, glare and shadow control. Heating and Ventilation — type, effectiveness, temperature, humidity, controls, natural and artificial ventilation and exhausting. Machinery — points of operation, flywheels, gears, shafts, pulleys, key ways, belts, couplings, sprockets, chains, frames, controls, lighting for tools and equipment, brakes, exhausting, feeding, oiling, adjusting, maintenance, lock out, grounding, work space, location, purchasing standards. Personnel — training, experience, methods of checking machines before use, type clothing, personal protective equipment, use of guards, tool storage, work practices, method of cleaning, oiling, or adjusting machinery. Hand and Power Tools — purchasing standards, inspection, storage, repair, types, maintenance, grounding, use and handling. Chemicals — storage, handling, transportation, spills, disposals, amounts used, toxicity or other harmful effects, warning signs, supervision, training, protective clothing and equipment. Fire Prevention — extinguishers, alarms, sprinklers, smoking rules, exits, personnel assigned, separation of flammable materials and dangerous operations, explosive-proof fixtures in hazardous locations, waste disposal. Maintenance — regularity, effectiveness, training of personnel, materials and equipment used, records maintained, method of locking out machinery, general methods. Personal Protective Equipment — type, size, maintenance, repair, storage, assignment of responsibility, purchasing methods, standards observed, training in care and use, rules of use, method of assignment. Fri, 09 Sep 2016 10:27:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/checklist-for-emergency-planninghttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/checklist-for-emergency-planningBy Ethan Davis 1. Has a contingency analysis been conducted to determine what emergencies might arise? 2. Have emergency plans and procedures been developed for potentially catastrophic events such as: a. Fires b. Explosions c. Leaks and spills d. Severe weather e. Floods f. Earthquakes g. Bomb threats h. Employee Violence i. Theft/Robbery Attempts j. Other 3. Do these plans provide for procedures for extinguishing different types of fires which might occur? 4. Do these plans have adequate evacuation and recovery procedures for each type of emergency? 5. Have responsibilities been assigned in the plan to specific personnel to direct operations and to respond to emergencies? Are these persons aware of their responsibilities? Are they qualified to lead in the necessary actions which might be required? 6. Are emergency crews qualified, designated and on site? 7. Are different communications channels assigned to support emergency operations? 8. Are there plans to evacuate personnel from each work site in the event of emergencies? 9. Are evacuation route and warning signals information posted in each work area? Are the evacuation routes and exits marked? 10. Can egress routes from work areas be followed by personnel in the dark or in smoke? 11. Are the emergency plans and procedures posted in prominent areas? 12. Have personnel received training in emergency procedures? a. Workers b. Supervisory personnel c. Firefighters d. Medical personnel e. Communications personnel 13. Are there drills on simulated emergencies being conducted periodically for personnel? 14. Is there a procedure to ensure that all personnel have been alerted to the emergency and those who will not combat it have been evacuated? 15. Are the egress provisions adequate (i.e., doors, stairways, elevators) for the evacuation in the event of an emergency? 16. Do all doors open in the proper direction to facilitate egress of personnel in emergencies? 17. Are there procedures to preclude obstructions to personnel or equipment in critical evacuation or emergency equip-ment access routes or areas? 18. Is the emergency equipment called for in the emergency procedures available at the facility, and is it operational? Can the equipment be reached easily if an emergency occurs? 19. Are warning systems installed (sirens, loudspeakers, etc.) and are they tested periodically? Are all personnel familiar with the meanings of warning signals and required action to be taken? 20. Is there a fire detection system at each facility? Are fire extinguishers sized, located, and of the types required by standards, and are they suitable for the types of fires which might occur? 21. Is there fire-fighting equipment located near flammables or hazardous areas? 22. Are emergency telephone numbers posted for the fire department, ambulance, hospital emergency room, law enforcement, and others?Fri, 02 Sep 2016 10:28:00 -0700http://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/fleet-safety--inspections-and-maintenancehttp://www.solidconcretewalls.com/blog/post/fleet-safety--inspections-and-maintenanceBy Ethan Davis All drivers must regularly inspect, repair, and maintain their company vehicle. All vehicle parts and accessories must be in a safe and proper working order at all times. The following apply: a. All truck drivers must complete the vehicle inspection report at the end of each day. Drivers of company cars should complete the vehicle inspection report semi-annually. Notify the insert title of individual that monitors fleet maintenance program here of any unsafe conditions or defective parts immediately. b. Before the vehicle is driven again, any safety defects must be repaired. c. A copy of the last vehicle inspection report must be kept in the vehicle for at least 3 months. d. Quarterly preventative maintenance must be conducted on each vehicle. e. Maintenance and inspection records must be kept at the company for 1 year or for 6 months after the vehicle leaves the company’s ownership. f. All vehicles are subject to a search at any time.Fri, 26 Aug 2016 10:32:00 -0700