Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/66838
74 • JUNE 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS OSHA fall protection rules continued from page 72 the entire length of the unprotected or leading edge and shall be approximately parallel to the unpro- tected or leading edge. • Control lines also must be con- nected on each side to a guardrail sys- tem or wall. When control lines are used, they shall be erected not less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) nor more than 25 feet (7.6 meters) from the unprotected or lead- ing edge, except when precast concrete members are being erected. In the latter case, the control line is to be erected not less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) nor more than 60 feet (18 me- ters) or half the length of the member being erected, whichever is less, from the leading edge. Excavations Each employee at the edge of an excavation 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more deep shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers. Where walkways are pro- vided to permit employees to cross over excavations, guardrails are re- quired on the walkway if it is 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more above the exca- vation. Hoist areas Each employee in a hoist area shall be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more by guardrail sys- tems or personal fall arrest systems. If guardrail systems (or chain gate or guardrail) or portions thereof must be removed to facilitate hoist- ing operations, as during the landing of mate- rials, and a worker must lean through the access opening or out over the edge of the ac- cess opening to receive or guide equip- ment and materials, that employee must be protected by a personal fall ar- rest system. Precast concrete erection and residential construction Each employee who is 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more above lower levels BD Loops seminar approved for Continuing Educational Units for certified technicians The board of directors of the Insti- tute of Door Dealer Education and Ac- creditation (IDEA) has approved a plan to implement Continuing Educa- tion Unit (CEU) for all certified tech- nicians, and BD Loops, manufacturer of preformed direct burial and saw-cut inductance loops, has had its "Every- thing You Need To Know About Loops" seminar approved to count to- wards the required nine hours of CEU per three year certification period. The BD Loops seminar's length varies from 15 minutes to two hours, depending on the venue and location, noted general manager Brian Dickson. Here are some upcoming seminar dates: • Chamberlain Training Day, June 14, 2012, Tucson, Arizona. • Controlled Products Systems Group – Phoenix, June 13, 2012, Tempe, Arizona. • Phoenix Fence, June 12, 2012, Phoenix, Arizona. (Private training event.) • CODA 2012 Western Regional Trade Show, September 28-29, 2012, The Hilton - Universal City, Universal City, California. • West Coast Regional Fence Show, October 5, 2012, John As- cuaga's Nugget, Sparks, Nevada. Dickson said he plans to conduct the seminar several more times in 2012, and interested persons should check the BDLoops.com calendar and events section for upcoming seminar dates. BD Loops's seminar will also be available in a "Class in a Box" format that allows industry leaders and BD Loops distributors to host the educa- tional seminar at their location. BD Loops is also working to de- How not to do it. Our friend, safety ex- pert Charles Roberts, submitted the photos above of two very unsafe prac- tices. At top, a worker kicks back the ladder he is standing on, perhaps the leading cause of falls. Above, a scaffold is set atop a stack of cinder blocks (!) to increase its height. Please don't do this! velop its seminar into an online webi- nar that would enable technicians to easily participate in training and earn CEU without having to travel. Inquiries may be sent to BD- Loops@aol.com or contact Dickson at 714-890-1604. If you have questions about this new enhancement to IDEA certifica- tion, you should contact Debra Wel- while erecting precast concrete mem- bers and related operations such as grouting of precast concrete members and each employee engaged in resi- dential construction, shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net sys- tems, or personal fall arrest systems, OSHA stipulates. Where the employer can demon- hener at 937- 698-1027, or via e-mail at dwelhener@longmgt.com. (The Institute of Door Dealer Ed- ucation and Accreditation is a non- profit educational foundation established to serve the needs of the general public through effective pro- fessional development within the au- tomated access systems industry, also known as the door and access systems industry.) The voice of experience continued from page 68 however. It is a good thing in that it al- lows a hard working man or woman an honest living; it is a bad thing as it al- lows for too many competitors and therefore makes it more difficult to make an honest profit. No matter; a hard working person can make it in fencing, but be correct in how you begin. I can only hope that anyone inter- ested in fencing does it in an honest and ethical way, with all the required insurances, licenses, etc. to do the job right. We as an industry do not need any more fly-by-night fencing contractors; we already have too many of them. If you want to get into the fencing busi- ness, do it legitimately. TL: Where do you see the indus- try going in the future? BG: There will always be mom and pop fencing companies, which I feel is a good thing. But not everyone can make it to the top of the heap, so to speak. It takes hard work, a lot of money and smart people around you. I have been lucky with all of that and I am also grateful for the help of my entire family. My son, Shannon, is the president of USA Fence and he does an out- standing job. My other son, Cody, runs the vinyl division and I have three grandsons working in the company, two of which are top notch salesmen and the third is our fleet manager. In that respect I feel very lucky. TL: Butch, as we all know, things are really tough these days, probably tougher than ever before. How have these events affected your business and what advice would you offer to others in our industry to survive this most recent crisis? BG: There is no doubt we had to strate, however, that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use those systems, the employer must develop and implement a fall protection plan that meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.502(k). A continuation of the OSHA out- reach program will be found in the July edition of World Fence News. Above, Brian Dickson conducts one of his popular "Everything You Need to Know About Loops" seminars. (BD Loops photo) tighten our belt, as probably most other fencing companies across Amer- ica have. You need to be as efficient as you can and eliminate waste. In the good times it is easy to let some things slip by, but not anymore. Watch every penny if you want to survive. In fact, in the hard financial times more than at any other time in busi- ness, watch the pennies and the dollars will watch themselves. TL: Butch, after all is said and done, are you glad you chose this pro- fession? Why? (Butch pondered for a moment.) BG: Am I glad I got into fence building? I have always thought that a speaker or instructor must first qualify him or herself before giving advice. I firmly believe you need to do it before you are qualified to speak about it. I have more than four decades in the fencing industry and I have come from a one-man show with one helper, a guy named Russell Post, to a com- pany with 129 employees, upwards of 100 trucks, cars and other major pieces of equipment. That being said, I know I made the right choice in getting into the fence industry and I am constantly grateful to the industry and my family for all of my successes. I am proud to be in the fence busi- ness; and as our motto says at USA Fence, "We Have Pride." If you would like to learn more about USA Fence and its operation – which includes a very thoughtful 3% discount for military veterans – visit the web site at www.myusafence.com. For convenient access to World Fence News OnLine, visit www.worldfencenews.com