NEW OSHA ERECTION RULES HOW THEY AFFECT - AISC

1 NEW OSHA ERECTION RULES . HOW THEY AFFECT . R ICATOR. B. S. ERS FA. CONRACT. N E OR. S ENG. I. Barry L. Barger and Michael A. West Introduction It is suggested that posites, are included when they re- Since 1994, representatives of the you download both the informa- semble structural steel in their usage. steel industry have worked with the tion as it was printed in the Federal Department of Labor to establish Register and the Final Regulatory Definitions [.751]. new RULES for the safe ERECTION of Text and Joist Tables A and B. The The following definitions are structural steel. The recommenda- of particular interest: Final Regulatory Text is in a format tions of SENRAC (Steel ERECTION Ne- Bridging Terminus Point that is far easier to follow but is gotiated Rulemaking Advisory Column Committee) were largely followed by without the illustrations that are in Competent Person OSHA and the product of this effort, the Federal Register version.

2 Constructibility 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart R Steel Should you use the Federal Regis- Controlled Decking Zone ERECTION , was published in the Fed- ter download only, skip to the mid- Controlling Contractor eral Register on January 18, 2001 dle of page 5265 where the subpart Decking Hole Double Connection with the guidance that they would actually begins. The information Double Connection Seat become effective 180 days later. The from page 5196 that precedes it is ERECTION Bridging (for joists). Bush Administration imposed a 60- informative background material, Final Interior Perimeter day delay on the implementation of but will not be easy to follow with- Multiple Lift Rigging this and other regulations. The White Opening (in a decked area). out a basic understanding of the House has not given OSHA clear Post (as opposed to a column).

3 Regulations. Project Structural Engineer of guidance as to whether the 60-day 29 CFR Part 1926 is the OSHA reg- Record delay adds to the implementation pe- ulation for the construction industry. Qualified Person riod or runs concurrent with it. Subpart R is specific to steel ERECTION Shear Connector Therefore, the regulation may be- and is a series of articles to the sub- Systems Engineered Metal Build- come effective on July 18 or Septem- part starting with As much ing ber 18 of this year. as possible, the relevant article will This review is not intended to be referenced, but in the text that fol- list every aspect of the OSHA pro- lows 1926 will be omitted, as it is Contractor Responsibilities visions, as they are far too numer- repetitive. [.752]. ous and detailed.

4 Instead, it will The controlling Contractor (see highlight the changes from the cur- def.) for the construction site and ac- rent standard with emphasis on Scope of the Standard [.750] tivities now has specific responsibili- those of particular interest to engi- The scope is extremely broad and ties as outlined below. The encompasses virtually all activities of Controlling Contractor must: neers, fabricators and contractors. Provide notification that by testing, It will be more meaningful if used steel ERECTION . It applies to new con- foundation and supporting walls with a copy of the OSHA Regula- struction and the alteration or repair have attained sufficient strength of structures where steel ERECTION oc- to support the steel to be erected. tions, which can be downloaded curs.

5 Interestingly, other structural from the OSHA website at materials, such as plastics and com- Modern Steel Construction / May 2001. Code of Standard Practice, Section and Tripping Hazards [.754 (c) (1)]. The shop placement of shear con- nectors, weldable reinforcing bars, deformed anchors or threaded studs is prohibited where they would ob- struct the walking surfaces of beams Figure 1. Tripping hazards. or joists (Figure 1). The shop place- ment of threaded studs on column cap plates to receive strut joists, de- formed bars on column webs or shear studs on beam or column webs is not prohibited since these are not walking/ working surfaces (Figure 2). Slippery Paint [.754 (c) (3)]. The implementation of a require- ment that shop paints meet a mini- Figure 2. Permitted shop attachments.

6 Mum slip resistance on walking surfaces has been postponed for im- Provide notification of any repairs, the erector may only deviate from plementation until five years after replacements or modifications to regulations in three anchor bolts [see .755 (b) for instances: further requirements]. Modifications to Obtain approval from the Pro- crane hook ject Structural Engineer of Record safety latches for any repairs, replacements or [.753 (c) (5)]. modifications to anchor bolts. Setting strut joists Ensure that access roads and of over a 60 feet conditions are suitable for steel span in tandem ERECTION . [.757 (a) (4)]. Bar other construction processes Placing deck bun- below steel ERECTION unless overhead dles on joists protection from falling objects is pro- that are not fully Figure 3.

7 Opening frame. vided [.759 (b)]. bridged [.757 (e). The provisions regarding access (4)]. roads and site conditions are consis- Guidelines for tent with the AISC Code of Standard developing a site- the effective date of the rule so as to Practice, Section Fabricators and specific ERECTION plan are contained allow the technology of paint formu- erectors may want to be cautious that in Appendix A to subpart R. lation and means of measurement to these requirements are not contractu- develop. ally passed to them. Obviously, ac- Multiple-Lift Rigging Procedure cess roads and reasonable site [.753 (e)] Deck Openings [.754 (e) (2)]. conditions are required by and uti- The regulations provide for multi- Where design constraints and lized by all subcontractors. Note that ple lifts providing certain procedures constructibility allow, the structural subpart R uses the term anchor are used and training is documented.

8 Supports for deck openings are to be bolt where as AISC has adopted the However, the fabricator and/or erec- fabricated so that decking runs con- term anchor rod for embedded tor may be contractually obligated to tinuously over the openings (Figure materials to distinguish them from observe more restrictive require- 3). This does not apply to major steel-to-steel connectors. ments in owner or contractor safety openings such as elevator shafts or plans. stairwells. Other deck openings are Site-Specific ERECTION Plan not to be cut until the opening is [.752 (e)] needed. Contractual scopes should Many erectors have indicated that Structural Stability [.754(a)] make clear who is responsible for the they believe that a site-specific erec- Structural stability shall be main- cutting of these holes since the erec- tion plan describing their actions will tained at all times during the ERECTION tor may no longer be on the job or allow them to deviate from those re- process.

9 This is consistent with both ERECTION activities may be located quirements that do not suit them and the AISC Specifications and the AISC quite removed from the openings to act in some alternative form. In fact, be cut. quirements of the AISC Code of Stan- dard Practice, dated March 7, 2000, Sections and Minimum ERECTION Bolts [.756. (a) and (b)]. The requirements given in the reg- ulation are for the minimum number Figure 4. Four-rod base. of bolts to be used during ERECTION to support a member until the crane's Figure 5. 300 lb. load. load line is released. Two bolts in Column anchor bolts (rods) 9. When seats (Figures 10-12) are each connection are the minimum to [.755] used, the beam must have a positive connect solid web members and one Columns are required to have a connection to the seat, while the sec- bolt is the minimum for solid web minimum of 4 anchor bolts (rods) ond member is erected.

10 The figure in bracing members or the equivalent [.755 (a) (1)] (Figure 4) and those an- the Standard's Appendix H shows as specified by the project structural chor bolts (rods) as well as the col- clipped plates where end plates are engineer of record. The initial mini- umn foundation are to capable of used as shear connections. mum bolts are to be the same size supporting a 300 lbs. (the weight of and strength as shown in the ERECTION an erector and his tools) at the col- drawings. The erector is required to Column Splice Strength [.756. umn top located at both 18 inches maintain structural stability at all (b)]. from the face of the column flange times during the ERECTION process Column splices have the same and from a plane at the tips of the [.754 (a)] and the determination of 300-lb.