Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Post-Tensioning Cable Handling and Testing

This document outlines the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the safe handling and testing of post-tensioning cables. It addresses potential hazards and necessary safety precautions to ensure worker safety and regulatory compliance.

General PPE Requirements

• Head Protection: When there is a risk of high voltage electrical contact, head protection meeting ANSI Z89.2-1971, "Safety Requirements for Industrial Protective Helmets for Electrical Workers, Class B" standards shall be provided and used.

Eye and Face Protection

• Eye Protection: Eye protection that meets the requirements of §1910.133 (a)(2) thru (a)(6) shall be provided and used by employees where foreign objects may enter the eyes due to work operations such as drilling, chipping, grinding, cutting, cleaning, and welding.
• Face shields: Face shields should be used in conjunction with safety glasses or goggles when there is a risk of arc flash or exposure to flying debris.
• Safety Glasses/Goggles: Required to protect against dust, debris, and potential chemical splashes during cable preparation, cutting, and testing.
• Welding shields or helmets: Needed during any welding operations related to post-tensioning work.

Hand Protection

• Insulating Gloves: When handling cable suspension strand which is being installed on poles carrying exposed energized power conductors, employees shall wear insulating gloves and shall avoid body contact with the strand until after it has been tensioned, dead-ended and permanently grounded.
• Rubber Insulating Gloves: Rubber insulating equipment designed for the voltage levels to be encountered shall be provided and used by employees. The requirements of $1910.137, Electrical Protective Equipment, shall be followed except for Table I-6.
• Leather Gloves: To protect against cuts, abrasions, and wire splinters during handling and stressing operations.
• Glove Testing: The employer is responsible for the periodic retesting of all insulating gloves, blankets, and other rubber insulating equipment. This retesting shall be electrical, visual and mechanical. The following maximum retesting intervals shall apply:
• Glove Retesting Intervals:
• New Gloves: Natural Rubber - 12 Months, Synthetic Rubber - 18 Months
• Re-Issued Gloves: Natural Rubber - 9 Months, Synthetic Rubber - 15 Months
• Gloves and blankets shall be marked to indicate compliance with the retest schedule, and shall be marked with the date the next test is due. Gloves found to be defective in the field or by the tests set forth in paragraph (f)(2) of this section shall be destroyed by cutting them open from the finger to the gauntlet.

Foot Protection

• Safety Shoes: Steel-toed safety shoes meeting ASTM standards are crucial to protect against dropped objects, punctures, and crushing hazards, especially when handling heavy cables and equipment.

Body Protection

• High-Visibility Apparel: To ensure visibility in construction environments, especially when operating machinery or working near traffic.
• Flame-resistant clothing: If welding or cutting operations are involved, flame-resistant clothing is necessary.
• Work Clothing: Appropriate work clothing should be worn.

Fall Protection

• Fall Protection Systems: A positioning system or a personal fall arrest system shall be provided and the employer shall ensure their use when work is performed at positions more than 4 feet (1.2 m) above the ground, on poles, and on towers, except as provided in paragraphs (n)(7) and (8) of this section. These systems shall meet the applicable requirements in subpart I of this part. The employer shall ensure that all climbing equipment is inspected before each day's use to determine that it is in safe working condition.

Respiratory Protection

• Respirators: If there is a risk of exposure to dust or other airborne particles, respirators should be provided and used in accordance with OSHA standards.

Hearing Protection

• Earplugs or Earmuffs: When working in noisy environments, such as during stressing operations or when using power tools, hearing protection is essential.

Other Safety Precautions

• Training: Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall insure that employees do not engage in the activities to which this section applies until such employees have received proper training in the various precautions and safe practices required by this section.

Electrical Safety

• Electric power conductors and equipment shall be considered as energized unless the employee can visually determine that they are bonded to one of the grounds listed in paragraph (m)(4) of this section.
• When attaching grounds (bonds), the first attachment shall be made to the protective ground. When removing bonds, the connection to the line or equipment shall be removed first. Insulating gloves shall be worn during these operations.

Tool and Equipment Inspection

• Personal protective equipment, protective devices and special tools needed for the work of employees shall be provided and the employer shall ensure that they are used by employees. Before each day's use the employer shall ensure that these personal protective devices, tools, and equipment are carefully inspected by a competent person to ascertain that they are in good condition.

Barricades and Signage

• Before work is begun in the vicinity of vehicular or pedestrian traffic which may endanger employees, warning signs and/or flags or other traffic control devices shall be placed conspicuously to alert and channel approaching traffic. Where further protection is needed, barriers shall be utilized. At night, warning lights shall be prominently displayed, and excavated areas shall be enclosed with protective barricades.
• If work exposes energized or moving parts that are normally protected, danger signs shall be displayed and barricades erected, as necessary, to warn other personnel in the area.

Emergency Preparedness

• The employer shall insure that an employee finding any crossed or fallen wires which create or may create a hazardous situation at the work area:
• Remains on guard or adopts other adequate means to warn other employees of the danger and
• has the proper authority notified at the earliest practical moment.

Citations

The information in this document is based on the following citations:

When there is a risk of high voltage electrical contact, head protection meeting ANSI Z89.2-1971, "Safety Requirements for Industrial Protective Helmets for Electrical Workers, Class B" standards shall be provided and used. [6]

Eye protection that meets the requirements of §1910.133 (a)(2) thru (a)(6) shall be provided and used by employees where foreign objects may enter the eyes due to work operations such as drilling, chipping, grinding, cutting, cleaning, and welding. [6]

When handling cable suspension strand which is being installed on poles carrying exposed energized power conductors, employees shall wear insulating gloves and shall avoid body contact with the strand until after it has been tensioned, dead-ended and permanently grounded. [2]

Rubber insulating equipment designed for the voltage levels to be encountered shall be provided and used by employees. The requirements of $1910.137, Electrical Protective Equipment, shall be followed except for Table I-6. [1]

The employer is responsible for the periodic retesting of all insulating gloves, blankets, and other rubber insulating equipment. This retesting shall be electrical, visual and mechanical. [1]

The following maximum retesting intervals shall apply: [1]

New Gloves: Natural Rubber - 12 Months, Synthetic Rubber - 18 Months Re-Issued Gloves: Natural Rubber - 9 Months, Synthetic Rubber - 15 Months [1]

Gloves and blankets shall be marked to indicate compliance with the retest schedule, and shall be marked with the date the next test is due. Gloves found to be defective in the field or by the tests set forth in paragraph (f)(2) of this section shall be destroyed by cutting them open from the finger to the gauntlet. [1]

A positioning system or a personal fall arrest system shall be provided and the employer shall ensure their use when work is performed at positions more than 4 feet (1.2 m) above the ground, on poles, and on towers, except as provided in paragraphs (n)(7) and (8) of this section. These systems shall meet the applicable requirements in subpart I of this part. The employer shall ensure that all climbing equipment is inspected before each day's use to determine that it is in safe working condition. [6]

Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall insure that employees do not engage in the activities to which this section applies until such employees have received proper training in the various precautions and safe practices required by this section. [5]

Electric power conductors and equipment shall be considered as energized unless the employee can visually determine that they are bonded to one of the grounds listed in paragraph (m)(4) of this section. [3]

When attaching grounds (bonds), the first attachment shall be made to the protective ground. When removing bonds, the connection to the line or equipment shall be removed first. Insulating gloves shall be worn during these operations. [3]

Personal protective equipment, protective devices and special tools needed for the work of employees shall be provided and the employer shall ensure that they are used by employees. Before each day's use the employer shall ensure that these personal protective devices, tools, and equipment are carefully inspected by a competent person to ascertain that they are in good condition. [4]

Before work is begun in the vicinity of vehicular or pedestrian traffic which may endanger employees, warning signs and/or flags or other traffic control devices shall be placed conspicuously to alert and channel approaching traffic. Where further protection is needed, barriers shall be utilized. At night, warning lights shall be prominently displayed, and excavated areas shall be enclosed with protective barricades. [1]

If work exposes energized or moving parts that are normally protected, danger signs shall be displayed and barricades erected, as necessary, to warn other personnel in the area. [1]

The employer shall insure that an employee finding any crossed or fallen wires which create or may create a hazardous situation at the work area: Remains on guard or adopts other adequate means to warn other employees of the danger and has the proper authority notified at the earliest practical moment. [1]

Safety powered by SALUS