Environmental, Health and Safety Brief

FYI...

Do you know what your North American Classification Code (NAICS) is and why it is important? 

• There are three main code numbers that are assigned by the Federal Government for the asphalt industry. They are:

o237310 – Asphalt Paving 

o238990 – Asphalt Coating and Sealing 

o32412 – Asphalt and asphaltic materials made in Refineries (e.g. AC)

• These numbers are used by the government and other institutions in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. They also are used in the preparation of environmental permits and other documents.

• Learn more at http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/sssd/naics/naicsrch

Environmental 

Reminder: With the current dry conditions, it is important to remember to comply with the dust control requirements of your air permits. This typically includes your plant site grounds and the transfer points on your material conveyors. The current outlook for minimal to no rainfall makes it a good time to inspect, repair or possibly install site storm water control devices such as rock berms and silt fences per requirements in your Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). 

Safety

On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a new standard for construction work in confined spaces, which will be effective starting August 3, 2015. Confined spaces can present physical and atmospheric hazards that can be avoided if they are recognized and addressed prior to entering these spaces to perform work. Specifically, the standard places new requirements for evaluating, planning, and monitoring confined space activities not previously required at construction job sites.  Employers will have to determine what kinds of spaces their workers and subcontractor workers might have to enter, what hazards could be there, how those hazards should be made safe, what training workers should receive, and how to rescue those workers if anything goes wrong. As an example, for a paving crew this might be where a worker needs to enter and clean out the inside of a shuttle buggy or where a worker needs to remove some hot mix that spilled over into a storm sewer during a paving operation. 

As for Hot Mix plants, they have been subject to confined space rules for years under the OSHA 1910 General Industry standards. However, the new rule provides some clarity on the definitions of some terms used in the 1910 Standard.

Relative to enforcement, OSHA has indicated that it will not delay the effective date of the new rule, but instead will postpone full enforcement of the new standard for 60 days from the effective date of August 3, 2015 to October 2, 2015. During this 60-day period, OSHA will not issue citations to an employer making good faith efforts to comply with the new standard, as long as the employer is in compliance with either the training requirements of the new standard, found at 29 CFR 1926.1207, or the training requirements found at former 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(6)(i). 

For more information click on the links below.

https://www.osha.gov/confinedspaces/index.html (Confined Space Rule and other information)

https://www.osha.gov/confinedspaces/faq.html (Frequently Asked Questions)