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

This document outlines the mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the safe handling and testing of post-tensioning cables. It aims to prevent injuries resulting from cable failure or the sudden release of tension. Adherence to these guidelines is crucial for ensuring worker safety during post-tensioning operations.

General PPE Requirements

• Head Protection: Hard hats meeting ANSI Z89.2-1971, "Safety Requirements for Industrial Protective Helmets for Electrical Workers, Class B" are required where there is a potential for high voltage electrical contact. The employer must ensure that employees use this head protection.
• Eye Protection: Eye protection that meets the requirements of §1910.133 (a)(2) thru (a)(6) must be provided and used by employees in areas where foreign objects may enter the eyes. Examples include drilling, chipping, grinding, cutting, and cleaning operations.
• Hand Protection: Insulating gloves are required when handling cable suspension strands that are being installed on poles carrying exposed energized power conductors. Insulating gloves shall be worn when attaching or removing temporary bonds.
• Foot Protection: Safety shoes or boots that meet industry standards are recommended to protect feet from potential impact or compression hazards.
• Body Protection: Appropriate work clothing, such as long sleeves and pants, should be worn to protect against abrasions and minor injuries. Flame-resistant and arc-rated clothing may be required under 437-002-2311(8) of Division 2/RR.
• Fall Protection: 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.

Specific PPE Requirements for Post-Tensioning Operations

• Stressing Operations: During tensioning operations, ensure no employees (except those essential to the post-tensioning operations) shall be permitted to be behind the jack or the fixed end anchorage during tensioning operations. No employees shall be permitted above or alongside the full length of the tendons during tensioning operations.
• Safe Work Platform: Ensure there is an adequate safe work platform of a minimum of three feet measured from the end of the floor slab to the platform toeboard, such as an extension of the formwork, for stressing tendons, cutting tendon tails, and grouting where tensioning operations are above grade.

Electrical Safety and Grounding

• Grounding: 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.
• Temporary Grounding: The suspension strand shall be grounded to the existing grounds listed in paragraph (m)(4) of this section when being placed on jointly used poles or during thunderstorm activity.
• Insulated Tools: Employees should use properly insulated tools when manually applying visible grounds to high-voltage circuits after they are deenergized and before any employee performs work on the circuit or on the item or apparatus under test.

Additional Safety Measures and Considerations

• Training: Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall ensure 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.
• Competent Person Inspections: Before each day's use, the employer shall ensure that personal protective devices, tools, and equipment are carefully inspected by a competent person to ascertain that they are in good condition.
• Equipment Condition: Reel-handling equipment, including pulling and tensioning devices, shall be in safe operating condition and shall be leveled and aligned.

Citations

Head protection meeting the requirements of ANSI Z89.2-1971, "Safety Requirements for Industrial Protective Helmets for Electrical Workers, Class B" shall be provided whenever there is exposure to possible high voltage electrical contact, and the employer shall ensure that the head protection is used by employees. [8]

Eye protection meeting the requirements of $1910.133 (a)(2) thru (a)(6) shall be provided and the employer shall ensure its use by employees where foreign objects may enter the eyes due to work operations such as but not limited to: drilling or chipping stone, brick or masonry, breaking concrete or pavement, etc. by hand tools (sledgehammer, etc.) or power tools such as pneumatic drills or hammers [8]

The employer shall ensure that 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. [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. [8]

Ensure no employees (except those essential to the post-tensioning operations) shall be permitted to be behind the jack or the fixed end anchorage during tensioning operations. No employees shall be permitted above or alongside the full length of the tendons during tensioning operations. [7]

Ensure there is an adequate safe work platform of a minimum of three feet measured from the end of the floor slab to the platform toeboard, such as an extension of the formwork, for stressing tendons, cutting tendon tails, and grouting where tensioning operations are above grade. [7]

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]

The suspension strand shall be grounded to the existing grounds listed in paragraph (m)(4) of this section when being placed on jointly used poles or during thunderstorm activity. [3]

The employer shall ensure either that visible grounds are applied automatically, or that employees using properly insulated tools manually apply visible grounds, to the high-voltage circuits after they are deenergized and before any employee performs work on the circuit or on the item or apparatus under test. [6]

Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall ensure 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. [4]

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. [5]

Reel-handling equipment, including pulling and tensioning devices, shall be in safe operating condition and shall be leveled and aligned. [2]

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