The Safety Net

December 2021

By: Teddi Penewell, CSP, CIT
M.R.S. OSHA Safety, Inc.

Keeping Companies Like Yours Safe

For Over 30 Years

Red Flags

The red flag has been used throughout history as a signal that there is a problem or danger—encouraging people to stop and take notice.

Red flag warnings may be a signal of high fire danger due to weather conditions or of serious water hazards at the beach. In auto racing, a red flag indicates a race has been stopped.

Red-flag situations at work include:

  • Non-Routine Work
  • Stressors: physical environmental, etc.
  • Fatigue
  • Production Pressures
  • Inadequate Supervision and Follow-through
  • Working Alone
  • Inadequate Operating Procedures, Training and Follow-Up
  • Poor Equipment Task Design
  • New Employees
  • Lack of Engineering Controls

Construction and Manufacturing are high-hazard industries and have a higher probability of accidents or injuries. All companies need to have an implemented safety program that includes regular training and safety audits and inspections.

Impalement Protection

Impalement: to fasten, stick, or fix upon a sharpened stake or the like; to pierce with a sharpened stake thrust up through the body, as for torture or punishment (Dictionary.com)

We are familiar with the requirement to protect workers from impalement from rebar, but what does OSHA and Cal-OSHA require for other exposed steel?

Cal-OSHA T8 CCR CSO§1712(a) Scope. This section applies to all work sites and locations where employees work around or over exposed, projecting, reinforcing steel or other similar projections.

While Federal OSHA’s steel impalement standard only covers rebar; the federal general duty clause that mandates employers to provide a safe workplace free from known hazards.

  1. But how to protect workers?
  2. Which cover offers the only protection?

J-CAT Safety Products has a solution

  • J-CAP® will protect employees from other steel projections’ impalement hazards.
  • J-CAP® has Cal-OSHA’s approval! Want to try a J-CAP® on your project?
  • Contact J-CAT because we want to send you a free J-CAP®.

Kristin stated, “When companies see that the impalement hazards they’ve been struggling with can be solved by using the J-CAP®, it’s a no-brainer. Our mission is to eliminate impalement hazards from exposed steel and if we have to give a J-CAP® to every construction company to prove that they no longer have to worry about the risk of impalement, that’s just what we are going to do.”

Warm tidings of comfort and joy this holiday season