Lift Station Safety and a Common Question

 “Are we required to have safety nets over our pump access hatch openings?”

This is a question I have heard several times in my short tenure with the League of Minnesota Cities. It may be phrased in several ways. 

“Really, I’m supposed to have nets over my inspections hatches?!”

Or

“Are nets required or can I use my temporary manhole guards?”

The answer to all these questions is “YES.”

According to MNOSHA standard 29 CFR1926.502(c) any opening into which a person could walk (or fall) must be guarded. The specific requirements of the guard system can be found clearly and understandably within the language of the standard. In general industry the fall height of 4 feet or more requires guarding, in construction that height (or depth) is 6 feet.

So, what constitutes “guarded”? The short answer is permanent railings, temporary railing systems, mesh net systems, or expanded steel type grates. Once again, a web search of the standard will provide details you need to be compliant.

“How about fall arrest systems? A lanyard or retractable device?” The answer is “maybe.” In this case the first thing to remember is that the pit you are guarding is a confined space, so the primary goal is to keep people out of the area, not dangling safely above it. So, if you are following the two-person method of confined space entry and you have the proper rescue equipment and an attendant, then a lanyard may meet OSHA’s standard. However, consider the risk associated. What if the lanyard is longer than the distance to the surface of the wastewater? How about air quality for the entrapped person while the attendant retrieves them? Suddenly lanyards are not an acceptable option. Preventing a person from toppling into the hole should be the goal.

So in the end, take a look at your access hatches. Are there guard rails or safety nets installed? If not, consider applying for an OSHA safety grant to update your facilities today before you or a coworker is in up to their necks!

Samples of acceptable systems:

Photos courtesy of  Hillsborough County Water Resources Department

Resources:

OSHA fall protection standard

MNOSHA Safety Grant online application

Hillsborough County Wet Well Dilemma
Article from the Florida Water Resource Journal 

Submitted by: Marc Dunker, Loss Control Consultant

Time to get your playgrounds ready for spring

As the snow melts and the puddles dry, your parks and playgrounds will become popular places once again. The League of Minnesota Insurance Trust (LMCIT) has a few tips to help you prepare for the change in seasonal use.

Safety reminders for staff   
As your employees begin clean-up duties, remind them to work safely. Consider the personal protection equipment (PPE) needs of the job. Certainly, gloves are a must to prevent hand injuries such as cuts or puncture wounds. High-visibility vests or clothing should also be worn. Talk to your folks about situational awareness on the job: oncoming vehicles, changes in walking conditions, etc. It’s also a good time to review your city’s policy on earbuds and headphones.

Make a list as you go
As employees are out and about cleaning and picking up trash, have them make a physical list of items that need attention. Using a Playground Inspection Checklist can assist in documenting your inspection and can be used by management to create a “to-do” list. High-hazard issues should be addressed and documented right away.

Focus on landing surfaces
Keep in mind that about 70% of all playground injuries are a result of ineffective or insufficient soft landing surface materials. The League of Minnesota Cities has several resources available to help you determine if your playground meets general safety and ADA standards.

ADA compliance depends on proper surface materials. Acceptable surfaces include poured-in-place rubber, tiles, engineered wood fiber, or hybrid surface systems. More information on these surfaces can be found in the U.S. Access Board’s ADA play surface guidelines (pdf). 

LMCIT endorses the use of ADA-compliant materials for playground surfaces. However, we also understand that some playgrounds are still waiting to update for various reasons. In cases where you are relying on other forms of loose fill materials, be sure that substrates are where they belong and have an adequate effective thickness (generally 12”, but this may vary depending on your equipment).

Playground and park safety should be a priority for your staff. Using the suggestions in this article and some basic best practices, you can provide safe and enjoyable recreation to your community. Your League of Minnesota Cities staff can help! Contact your loss control consultant, or call (800) 925-1122 to be connected with the loss control consultant in your area.

Additional resources:

Consumer Product Safety Commission Handbook for Public Playground Safety (pdf) 

Institute for Human Centered Design ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities (doc)  

Safe 2 Play Playground Safety Inspection Checklist (pdf)

League of Minnesota Cities Parks and Recreation Loss Control Guide

Submitted by: Marc Dunker, Loss Control Consultant

FMCSA phishing scam alert

Important message from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

FMCSA has been notified of a phishing scam that you may receive from the FMCSA “Assistant of Administration” claiming you need to “complete your most recent up-to-date membership License certificate.” If you receive any suspicious email from info@fmcsa.dot.gov or any other entity that you are not expecting or looks suspicious, please delete the email from your inbox. Once the email has been deleted, go into your deleted mail and delete it from your deleted mailbox. Doing this will limit the exposure of the phishing email.

Note that the only legitimate way to log in to the Training Provider Registry is via login.gov. Never enter your email address and password into a third-party website claiming to give you access to the Training Provider Registry. 

How can I tell if a website is an official government website? 

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Check the URL for https://
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

If you believe your city has already experienced a data breach or other cyber/privacy liability, contact LMCIT claims staff immediately at (800) 925-1122.