A clanging jackhammer that screams throughout the earliest morning hours. A work platform obstructing a renowned century-old façade. A crane blocking your skyline. Construction sites might appear as these nuisances to the public, but the worksites mark the tireless transitions of long lasting cities. Unfortunately, construction sites can also present pedestrians with significant hazards. An American National Standard, ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021: Protection Of The Public On Or Adjacent To Construction Sites, allows construction managers to address public safety.
Dangers of Construction Sites to the Public
On average, construction accidents injure one bystander each month in New York City. NYC, as with many metropolises, suffers from an unavoidable proximity between construction sites and the public. Any passerby lacks training and necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), so construction and demolition operations to be carried out in a manner that doesn’t put any pedestrians at risk.
Site perimeter, scaffolding, excavations, vibrations, explosives, vehicles, falling objects, fire prevention, airborne contaminants, severe weather, and hazardous substances are all elements that need to be considered in construction sites and operations, and their needs expand in relation to the nearby public. All these factors, as well as others, serve as parts of a system outlined by ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021 to keep the public safe.
In addition to featuring these various elements, the American National Standard’s public hazard control plans reduce hazards not always associated with the safeguarding of the public, such as lighting and noise. ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021 also features an emergency action plan, which outlines security systems to restrict access to construction sites and addressing any injuries made to members of the public.
Further Requirements for Falling Objects
Falling objects are further addressed in ANSI/ISEA 121-2018: American National Standard For Dropped Object Prevention Solutions. In fact, ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021 calls for any tethering systems used to adhere to ANSI/ISEA 121-2018 requirements. You can learn more about this American National Standard in our post New American National Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions.
Get ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021
ANSI/ASSP A10.34-2021: Protection Of The Public On Or Adjacent To Construction Sites is available on the ANSI Webstore. This standard revises ANSI/ASSE A10.34-2001 (R2012), with the change of ASSE to ASSP in its designation due to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) updating its name to the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) in 2018.
Any professionals in need of this American National Standard and the many other documents in the ASSP 10 series for construction and demolition operations can get them together at a discount as the ANSI/ASSE A10 Construction Package.
