Identifying hazards of hardscape installation

Objective To identify potential hazards during hardscape installation and provide prevention and protection strategies SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Background In addition to the more common job site hazards, paver and hardscape installation job sites also have some of their own unique hazards SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Hardscape hazards Back injuries from lifting heavier segmental concrete products Back injuries from repetitive motion of paver installation Muscle pulls from digging and lifting Finger abrasion from handling concrete products SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Hardscape hazards Skin rashes or burns from job site chemical spills and splashes Eye injuries from saw cutting Lung and respiratory injuries from long-term exposure to saw cutting dust Heat exhaustion SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Hardscape hazards Impact injuries from moving equipment Vibration-related injuries from compaction equipment SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Hardscape hazards Hearing loss injuries from working with high-decibel equipment such as saws and compactors Knee injuries from repetitive kneeling SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Personal Protection Equipment Typical PPE includes: Respirators Hearing protection Protective clothing Safety glasses Hard hats Work boots (safety footwear) SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Safety footwear Protect paver installers from the everyday possibilities of feet coming in contact with: Tools slipping out of hands Dropping parts Rolling objects Palletized product, etc. SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Safety footwear Most safety shoes and boots are also designed with slip-resistant soles Provides slip-resistant protection as well Slips, trips, and falls are among the most frequent causes of workplace injuries SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Special protective equipment KneeSeat TM Alternative to traditional knee pads, offering greater comfort and less stress on the knees when kneeling Finger tape Protects fingers when using rough products or in wet conditions SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Special protective equipment Knee protection Protects knees from moisture, cement, cold, and sharp rocks Dust masks OSHA requires a minimum of two head bands and a bendable steel nose bridge SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Special protective equipment Hearing protection Required around any noise-producing activities such as sawing, compacting, or while other machine operation is ongoing Gloves Protection from abrasive injuries SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Special protective equipment Safety glasses Must protect the front and sides of the eyes Must not be too darkly tinted Should be worn whenever striking, cutting, or splitting SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Review Hardscape installation projects have unique hazards, which can affect nearly every part of the body SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Review Personal protection equipment (PPE) is essential to reduce risk of injury SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.

Review Safety footwear is particularly important, not only because of tools and products that may be dropped but also for the protection against slips, trips, and falls SAFETY SCHOOL > Information provided by the Georgia Urban Ag Council and W.S. Pharr & Co.