 Working in construction is roughly three times more dangerous than most occupations. The vast majority of serious injuries in this industry occur in residential construction. This video is dedicated to the Residential Construction Workforce. Its intent is to help provide employees and employers with the tools to make the residential workplace productive and safe. This video is one in a series on residential construction. It provides examples of ways to meet safety requirements. In addition to the safety requirements reviewed in this video, there are many other safety related requirements that employers must follow in order to provide a safe workplace for employees. For example, the construction employer is required to provide a written accident prevention program. The safety program must be tailored to the operation and types of hazards involved. A safety meeting at the beginning of the job and thereafter to address safety and health on the job. Sometimes these are held by the general contractor and sometimes by the subcontractor. Someone present with first aid training. First aid supplies and a portable first aid kit for transient or short duration jobs. And personal protective equipment or PPE, necessary to do the job safely. If you need help with these or any other matters related to workplace safety and health, or if you need a copy of the safety standards for construction work, please contact your local labor and industries office. This video will show you examples of safe work habits during the framing phase of residential construction. The areas to be discussed are safety preparation, safe access, guardrails, raising walls, rolling trusses and roof sheeting. Upon arriving at the site, survey the work area to evaluate any potential safety hazards. Look for the location of trenches or excavations near or around the foundation. Be aware of rebar that creates an impalment hazard. Cap, cover or bend rebar or any impalment hazard. Seismic straps that could cause cuts, scrapes and abrasions should be positioned so as not to create a hazard while working around the foundation. Be aware of other hazards such as construction debris that could create potential tripping slipping hazards. Note any hazards and get them corrected immediately. Preparation begins with proper tools for the job. Make sure saws have adequate guards that operate properly. Be sure that all pneumatic nailers or staplers are equipped with a muzzle guard and a proper operating condition to prevent misfiring and injury. Ensure that cords are in good condition and have proper grounding. Use the proper size cord for the job and use GFCIs to protect from electrical shock. When unbanding a lumber package, be aware of possible shifting of the load. If the load is on unlevel ground or is otherwise unstable, then remove bands from the uphill or stable side. If power cords or hoses are run across roads, driveways or other areas where vehicles or other equipment may be moving, they need to be protected from damage. One way to do this would be to build a trough to run them through so vehicle traffic will not damage them. At a minimum, weekly safety inspections of the work site are required during the course of construction because conditions of the work site continually change. Housekeeping is a constant challenge. Keep the work area and frequently traveled areas clear of debris to prevent tripping, slipping hazards. Nails sticking out of boards need to be bent or removed. Electrical cords that are frayed or damaged need to be repaired and or replaced. Check to see that guardrails are in place and in good condition. Access to construction projects is sometimes difficult. Ramps are frequently used. Ramps, ladders or stairs must be provided whenever there's a change of elevation of 19 inches or more in frequently traveled areas. Ramps must be at least 18 inches wide and slope no more than 20 degrees. The surface should have pleats or other means of preventing a slipping hazard. If a fall hazard of four feet or more exists, a guardrail is required. Stairways to a second or higher floor must be complete before the studs are raised on the next higher floor. Stairways must have either temporary or permanent railings. Ladder safety is an important part of workplace safety. The improper use of ladders is the number one cause of falls. Often step ladders are used on construction sites. Be sure they're in good condition before using. Make sure that the legs of the step ladder are extended fully and locked in position and that the area at the base of the ladder is kept clear of debris. Do not stand or work from the top two steps. Extension ladders must be secured to prevent displacement. Both hands must be kept free for climbing. The ladder needs to extend three feet above the working surface so the worker has something to grasp for balance when getting on or off the ladder. The areas at the top and bottom of the ladder must be kept clear. Where workers are exposed to falls of 10 feet or greater the workers must be protected from the fall hazard. Guardrails provide fast and easy fall protection but while installing guardrails workers need to be protected from the fall hazard. The top rail must be between 39 and 45 inches high with a mid rail halfway between the top rail and the working surface. The maximum distance between uprights is 8 feet. Guardrails must be capable of withstanding a 200 pound force in any direction. Rails should be nailed on the inside of the uprights to prevent them being pushed off. If job site conditions require that the rails be placed on the outside of the uprights use special care to make sure long enough fasteners are used to hold the rail securely. Guardrail systems must have tow boards in areas where other workers below may be exposed to falling objects. The tow board prevents tools or materials from accidentally being knocked off the edge always considered the safety of other workers in the area. Where fall hazards of 4 feet or more exist as the result of a wall opening a top rail and mid rail are needed unless other forms of fall protection are provided. In some situations the sill of the window is high enough to be considered a mid rail then only a top rail is needed. Above 10 feet the installer needs to be protected from the fall while installing the rails. When framing walls as well as installing and removing guardrails at elevations 10 feet or greater fall restraint or fall arrest must be implemented. Always adjust your lanyard to limit your exposure to the edge as work progresses. Many workers are seriously injured or killed while raising walls. A sudden gust of wind may push a wall over or if someone slips during a manual raising process the wall can fall back onto the workers. Good pre-planning will lead to a safe process. Be sure you have enough help and good methods in place before raising any walls. Be sure to use proper lifting techniques to prevent back injuries. Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Once the wall is raised be sure that the wall is securely braced. The use of pneumatic nail guns or staplers results in a large number of injuries to workers each year. Workers must be trained in the safe use and the potential hazards involved when using these tools. Operators and any other workers exposed to nail gun operations need to wear eye protection. Never point the nail gun at anyone. Never carry the nail gun with a finger on the trigger. Rolling trusses always presents a fall protection challenge. Placing walkways along the interior of the outside walls allows workers to avoid walking on the outside top plates while rolling trusses. Top plate scaffold brackets are available commercially. These brackets hang over the top plate. They have a vertical member which rests against a stud, a horizontal member for the planks to sit on and an upright to prevent the planks from slipping. These walkways may be built on-site but must meet scaffold requirements including supporting four times the intended load and a minimum platform width of at least 18 inches. Work can be performed with reasonable protection from falling by working from the interior scaffold walkways down both sides of the building. Trusses can be rolled into place, braced and blocked while working from the walkway. Where walkways must span open ceiling areas and stairwells at elevations 10 feet or higher, workers must be protected from the fall hazard. Here, guardrails have been installed. The gables and trusses need to be braced. This provides strength and prevents tipping. Follow the truss manufacturer's recommendations for bracing. Fall protection anchors can be installed on the trusses before rolling or standing them. Be sure to follow manufacturer's recommendations and your company's fall protection work plan for the selection and placement of anchors. Roof sheeting can be started while working safely from the interior scaffold walkways. Sheeting as much as possible provides sheer strength to the trusses and provides an area to work from once it is necessary to get on the roof to finish the sheeting process. The worker is protected from the fall hazard before getting onto the roof by attaching to the lifeline that was connected when the truss was rolled into place. As the sheet is handed up to the worker on the roof, the sheet is kept in front of him as a barrier to provide protection from the opening between the trusses. Once the sheet is in place, the sheet can be tacked or nailed to prevent movement. This safe work process minimizes fall exposures to the inside. Once enough of the roof has been sheeted to allow an additional worker to tie off, a second worker can safely access the roof. One worker can safely place and tack sheets while the other completes the nailing. The stair stepping of sheeting should eliminate any fall exposure to the inside for the second worker. Because of the different types of roofs, pitches and styles, proper anchorages and fall protection are essential to protect workers from falls. There are a number of manufacturers of fall protection equipment. Your choice of fall protection equipment is not limited to the equipment shown in this video. Be sure to use the appropriate equipment for each job. Whatever equipment you use, always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for installation and proper use. This video has provided examples of safe work habits while framing in residential construction. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. This video provided some examples. The video discussed safety preparation, safe access, guardrails, raising walls, rolling trusses and roof sheeting. If you have additional questions or need individual help, call your local L&I office. This video is a project of the Construction Advisory Committee, which is made up of representatives from Labor, Management and the Department of Labor and Industries. The purpose of the CAC is to promote workplace safety and health in the construction field in Washington State.