Ladder Safety Training Programs

Training Requirements OSHA 3124-12R 2003

Employers must train all employees to recognize hazards related to ladders and stairways, and instruct them to minimize these hazards. For example, employers must ensure that each employee is trained by a competent person in the following areas, as applicable:

§  Nature of fall hazards in the work area; Correct procedures for erecting, maintaining and disassembling the fall protection systems to be used;

§  Proper construction, use, placement and care in handling of all stairways and ladders; and Maximum intended load-carrying capacities of ladders used.

Note: Employers must retrain each employee as necessary to maintain their understanding and knowledge on the safe use and construction of ladders and stairs.

Employee & Student Training

There are several good quality free, or inexpensive options for Ladder Training available. In the workplace they are and additional tool and resource for providing training to new employees as well as existing employees as a refresher every two or three years. The training is also good resource for students who have not entered the workforce as a self-study module.

Ladder Safety Training

The American Ladder Institute offers Free Ladder Training with a certificate of completion in three ladder categories:

• Stepladder
• Extension Ladder
• Mobile Ladders

Werner Ladder and ladder manufacturer provides training via BlueVolt in two categories:

• Ladder Safety
• Pump Jack Safety

Assessment

Both cover and document the training along with providing an assessment to document the training effort and compliance. In the workplace a manager can alternate between the two programs for refresher training.

Ladder Training Links

http://www.laddersafetytraining.org/

http://www.wernerco.com/us/en/support/online-safety-training


Safe Culture

Safety Programs require employee involvement with management leadership and commitment. To develop a  Health Safe Culture, management responsible for the administration should review and participate in the training initiatives as well.
 

HVAC Training _ Grants & Scholarships

For more than a decade the amount of people choosing a trade career path has declined as the number of skilled tradespeople reaching retirement age and was increasing. In the next 5-8 years these retirement numbers will spike again.This leaves a big void in the construction and service industries with many companies struggling to fill positions with qualified candidates.

Many people are not aware of various Scholarships and Grants for trade programs that are available locally and nationally. Many of these are available from equipment manufacturers and trade associations. Throughout the year when these programs become available, I share the information. The Fall 2015 Semester is fast approaching, and before you know it, registration for Winter/Spring 2016 will open for most institutions in October. Below is the information on another HVAC Scholarship opportunity. Please share the information with your operations staff, colleagues, friends and students, and for additional training resources visit my blog page where training resources are listed on the right side of the page.

Retool Your Future with a $5,000 Scholarship!
hilmor, the HVAC/R tool brand from the same people who brought you IRWIN and LENOX tools, is returning to launch the third annual Retool Your Future scholarship competition! This exciting scholarship contest provides HVAC/R students with an opportunity to retool their future and set the stage for success. I hope hilmor continues this commitment for many years to come.
Students have the chance to be one of six grand prize winners and receive:

• A $5,000 scholarship award
• An HVAC/R Starter Kit to outfit you with innovative new hilmor tools to get you started in the HVAC/R industry
• A 2016 AHR EXPO Prize Package to travel to the world’s largest HVAC/R trade show in Orlando, FL
• A hilmor Green Wall featuring exclusive new hilmor tools donated directly to their school

All you have to do is visit RetoolYourFuture.com to enter and submit a 250-word essay telling hilmor how the HVAC/R industry will “retool your life.” The online essay contest opens August 1, 2015 and closes October 31, 2015. For contest rules, and to enter, visit RetoolYourFuture.com.

Thank you

Refrigeration History, a question

While preparing a refrigeration systems class lesson I came across the following page on Refrigeration Research Inc page (http://www.refresearch.com/Social-Media/ArtMID/432/ArticleID/5/The-Grunow-Refrigerator ) on a refrigerator manufactured in the 1930’s that utilized a refrigerant identified as Carrene. This happened to be totally unrelated to the topic I was working on, but found it interesting.

I have never heard of a refrigerant named Carrene in the application used in the article. While I am aware of the name Carrene 7, first coming across a little round red metal tag affixed to an 06D or E cylinder head of a Carrier compressor in the late 1970’s. The tag only contained the chemical element compound for R-500, and the word Carrene 7. I was unaware until now the name referenced other refrigerant formulations.  Researching this further I found that in another article this refrigerant is identified as Dichloromethane, R-114 (http://musingsonentropy.com/2013/04/04/1930s-household-refrigerators/ ).  However, when I look up R-114 it is presently listed as Dichlorotetrafluoroethane.

My quest to learn more about the Carrene refrigerant lead me to an American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Refrigeration Research Museum page (https://www.asme.org/about-asme/who-we-are/engineering-history/landmarks/207-refrigeration-research-museum ), and other refrigeration system processes that I was aware of, but never really read about.  But in the last paragraph in this article states that the Grunow-type SD refrigerator was the only refrigerator to use the Carrene refrigerant. I also can’t find the origin of the word Carrene.

So as the industry transitions into the next generation of refrigerants and equipment, I think it’s relevant to look back at the history and some other industry advancement milestones and have the following questions: Does anyone have any information on the Grunow SD refrigerant, Carrene and the origin of the word? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

Picture Source: Refrigeration Research

Article was posted to LinkedIn Group Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators (CARE) on March 31, 2015

Continuing Education / Training of HVAC Journeyman

The following question was originally posted to a LinkedIn HVAC Educators Group on March 26, 2015 to open a dialog on continuing education of HVAC  journeyman based on personal observations.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Continuing-Education-Training-4642714.S.5986812180463448065?view=&gid=4642714&type=member&item=5986812180463448065&trk=hp-feed-group-discussion


In this area (SE. PA, NJ and De) a contractor promotes in their advertising that their techs receive 150 hours of training annually. My question is: Assuming a tech has completed a structured training program that includes a combination of school and field experience such as an apprenticeship, how many hours of annual training should a tech service tech receive a year to maintain / improve proficiency, learn about new technologies and equipment, and new equipment specific service practices?

The reason for the question is once a person achieves journeyman status it appears the number of these techs participating in continuing HVAC education programs appears extremely low. This observation is based on resumes, job applications and interviews reviewed over the past two years for open positions I was hiring for, as well as a low enrollment in training programs of techs that fall into this category I am associated with.

HVAC Service Practices - A Closer Look

HVAC Service Practices

We have all seen poor, or at a minimum, questionable HVAC installations. Trade publications frequently post some of these. One publication has a slide show compiled from reader submitted pictures titled “Wall of Shame”.  I have been doing something similar for a number of years. I incorporate pictures I take during my travels in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware areas into various Power Points for the respective training areas such as “How Not to Pipe”.  These are utilized in my training programs as examples and discussions on the problems and effects on the system.

Cost of Ownership, Efficiency and Life-Cycle

How do these poor practices really impact the overall operation, efficiency, cost of ownership and life-cycle?  After a class this semester in which some of the installations were discussed, I decided to find out and further chronicle five installations by engaging the owners of the equipment to look closer at the installation, equipment, and service history, along with their views of our industry as a result of their experiences.  

Purpose

The purpose of this project is not to criticize, or single out any segment of the industry or contractor, but analyze the information to see if the training that I provide can be improved as well as sharing the information for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Others as well as I, compare HVAC compressor failures to heart disease. In most instances, a compressor failure is not a result of a single action or misstep, but the effects of years of lack of proper timely preventive maintenance, poor installations, and service practices. What better of a way to demonstrate and reinforce the proper methods and procedures then by incorporating incorrect or poor practices and results?

Stay Tuned

Look for the detailed job analysis and pictures to begin in the next few weeks.

Non-Evasive Test Instruments, Thermal Imaging

Non-Evasive Test Instruments

One of the most underutilized non- evasive test instruments in the HVAC fields is thermal imaging.  I first utilized the technology for inspection of motor control and load centers about 15 years ago. The services were provided by an electrical contractor business partner and incorporated into our electrical preventive maintenance program for annual inspections.

Value of Thermal Scanning as a Reactive Maintenance Tool

After a myriad of roof leaks in an 11 year old building, and my concerns that the root causes were not properly being identified and corrective actions taken, I employed this technology. The roof leaks and damaged insulation areas, as a result of the leak, were identified within twenty minutes. It eliminated the destructive testing method of taking core samples of the roof material, insulation and patching along with the “wait and see” approach. More importantly, it saved countless in-house roofer labor hours and callbacks for the same leak until the issue was finally resolved.

Thermal Scanning to Identify Heating Loop Issues

Seeing the results, success and benefits of the thermal imaging as a preventive maintenance as well as a diagnostic tool I purchased a lower to mid-level price point model at the time as well as training.  While more features continue to be added, the biggest advancement to occur, in my opinion, in thermal imaging is the reduction of cost.  I became responsible for a healthcare facility that  had an aged infra-structure. The facility employed two screw chillers and  three hot water boilers in a dual temperature configuration with two zones for three buildings.

Energy usage was substantially higher than similar size facilities, along with the inability to maintain proper water treatment of the closed loops. Valve identification charts along with all Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) drawings were non-existent upon my assuming responsibility, not to mention more than half the valve tags were missing as well.  I love a challenge, and this was clearly a challenge. Hand sketches were made of the piping and panoramic pictures taken of the central plant and pieced together then mounted on foam board for offsite reviewing; valves were numbered and valve charts developed. After existing water flow pattern and valve positions were documented, thermal scans were first used to identify valves that were passing. In addition, valves were found in the incorrect positions with respect to the season. Corrective actions were taken and correct water flow patterns were established for the seasonal operational mode.

An area of concern was the inability to maintain proper water treatment on the closed loops.  I suspected a leak or open drain valve, but none was evident in the mechanical rooms.  Water meters were installed on the boiler and chilled water makeup lines. The boiler make up on Zone A indicated almost 950 gallons per day were being added to the system. I had staff check every accessible area of piping as well as all air vents and fan coil units.  No leaks were found other than minor valve packing leaks. One area of the piping distribution system was under slab. When a thermal scan was performed on the area, a leak under the slab was identified. The heat signature continued in the direction of an outside courtyard to a point about 30 yards away. At this location there was a set of store front doors; one side was inoperable due to a settling of a canopy support column. Thermal scan of this area indicated a temperature 78 degrees when the outside temperature was 33 degrees. The thermal scans not only located a leak, but the root cause of the column settling. A 21 – 26% reduction in energy associated with the equipment was realized depending on the month and ambient conditions as a result of the corrective actions. What could not be quantified was the resulting thermal satisfaction in terms of temperature and humidity control in the building. Unfortunate consequences of the condition were boiler tube failures from the lack of water treatment and oxygen.

Proactive Maintenance

The use of thermal scans ranging from bearing, motors, air duct leakage to identifying blocked passages of chilled water coils, thermal scans are another method to determine a cause, or contributing factor of a thermal complaint or problem.  Thermal scans are an efficient use of time and labor resources. The use of thermal scans allows an organization to move from a reactive to a preventive mode to improve operational efficiencies.

AuthorStream _ Link

Please contact me (johnrsmithjr@comcast.net) for a link to my AuthorStream page that contains PowerPoint (.ppt) presentations and other information related to the HVAC Training and Facility Management fields.  The majority of the information I have hosted on the AuthorStream site has the access rights currently set as private,  permission is required to access. I am in the process of relocating and condensing all of the information on  a single site.

My goal is to compile and mirror the information that I provide in the DCCC WebStudy programs I am associated with and maintain a single external site.

Thank you and have a great day.