BRECKENRIDGE, CO – The owner of a Vail construction company facing felony manslaughter charges has surrendered to local law enforcement. This is related to the findings of a federal safety investigation into a deadly trench collapse in November 2021. A worker installing residential sewer pipes suffered fatal injuries when the trench around him caved in. The collapse resulted from deteriorating conditions at the project, which could have been prevented by using legally required trench protection systems.

OSHA issued three willful citations for not ensuring the excavation was inspected by a competent person, failing to instruct employees on the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and not having a trench protective system in place. Investigators also issued an additional serious citation for not having a safe means of egress within 25 lateral feet of employees working in a trench.

“There is no excuse for failing to protect workers when federal requirements clearly outline and require safety measures proven to save lives,” explained Regional Solicitor of Labor John Rainwater in Dallas. “Today’s arrest cannot recover a life lost in this senseless tragedy but it is a step toward seeking justice for the family.”

Collapses and cave-ins pose the greatest threat to trenching and excavation workers. In 2022, OSHA reported that at least 39 industry workers died, 22 of them in the first six months of the year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 166 workers died in trench collapses from 2011 to 2018.

“Let this tragedy serve as a reminder to other employers who willingly fail in their responsibilities to keep workers safe that the U.S. Department of Labor will exhaust every resource to hold employers accountable for protecting workers, including recommending criminal prosecution.”

OSHA has a National Emphasis Program on trenching and excavations. Trenching standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than 5 feet. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.

Additional Resources

If you’re concerned that your rescue service may not be adequately prepared, give us a call or check out these resources for more information on how to keep you and your personnel safe around trenches.

• Trench Safety & Rescue Article: Read More
• Trench Training: Competent Person | Trench Rescue Technician
• OSHA’s Trenching and Excavation Webpage

We are often asked, “How should I clean my rescue rope?”

First and foremost, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and caring for your rescue rope. Your rope is a critical link in your rescue system, and it should be treated accordingly.

Excessive dirt and grit on your rope can lead to wear that reduces a rope’s strength and lifespan – so it’s important to clean your rope when needed. 

Here’s what NFPA 2500 says about cleaning and decontaminating rope:

Ref: NFPA 2500: Standard for Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents and Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services, 2022 Edition - Chapter 32 Cleaning and Decontamination (NFPA 1858)

32.2.3 Routine Cleaning Process for Life Safety Rope and Webbing

32.2.3.1 The organization shall determine its requirements for when rope or webbing shall be cleaned.

32.2.3.2 In the absence of manufacturer's instructions, the cleaning procedure shall be as follows:

1. Remove as much debris, dirt, and mud as possible at the scene.
2. Rinse off any excess dirt with a hose.
3. Soak the rope or webbing for a minimum of 30 minutes in a plastic tub of water with mild detergent added.
4. Rinse the rope or webbing by pulling it through a rope washing device twice.
5. Hang the rope or webbing in a cool, shady place to dry.

32.2.4 * Decontamination of Rope and Webbing (* references additional information in the Appendix)
(A.32.2.4 Biohazard cleaning agents can have an adverse effect on the strength of software products. The organization should determine the risk versus benefit of excessive decontamination of rope. At some point, it is best to take the rope out of service.)

32.2.4.1 The organization shall determine requirements pertaining to rope or webbing being taken out of service due to contamination.

32.2.4.2 Rope or webbing that has come into contact with blood or other body fluids shall be decontaminated using detergents or cleaning agents approved for removing biohazards according to the organization’s protocols for decontaminating PPE.

Here’s what PMI says about cleaning and decontaminating rope:

WASH IT – You can wash dirty ropes by hand or in a front-loading commercial washing machine using cold to warm water with a mild soap. Non-detergent soaps are best. Soap should not contain any bleaching agents. And PMI has a product called “Rope Soap” that is recommended.

PMI recommends that top loading washing machines with agitators not be used – they tend to tangle the rope and might even cause damage from friction produced by rubbing of the synthetic rope against the synthetic agitator.

It’s also important to note that ropes may shrink up to 6% after washing – you may want to verify rope length periodically.

LUBRICATE IT – Ropes may dry out and lose some flexibility after washing. Occasionally, you can add a small amount of fabric softener (about a cup) to the rinse cycle. Do not use more than this as it may damage your rope.

DRY IT – Dry your rope in a clean, dry area out of direct sunlight. For best results, it should be laid in a loose coil or coiled around two objects in a low-humidity environment.

AVOID:

1. Using a commercial dryer.
2. Placing wet ropes on a concrete surface.
   (Moisture in the concrete can create a mild acid vapor.)
3. Exposure to exhaust fumes.

And, write it down. Remember to record the cleaning on your rope log.

STORE IT SAFELY – Store your rope in a clean, dark, dry environment, away from exposure to acids, other harmful chemicals, noxious fumes or other abuse. Make sure it is completely dry before storing.

Note: Even properly stored rope can lose strength over time, so it’s critical to store it properly!

DECONTAMINATION – Disinfection of a rope may occasionally become necessary, such as when exposed to bloodborne pathogens. PMI recommends following the NFPA standard for cleaning rescue gear of bloodborne pathogens.

Prepare a solution of 60ml (approximately ¼ cup) of household bleach for every 4 liters of tap water (approximately 1 gallon). Soak the rope for 10 minutes in the solution and then rinse or wash the rope. The rinsing cycle is critical to prevent any damage to the rope from the bleach.

Note: It is vital that the bleach be thoroughly rinsed from the rope. And, repeated uses of bleach can cause damage to nylon fibers – use of bleach to disinfect should be used sparingly and only when needed.

Again, your rope is a critical part of your rescue system. It deserves your close attention in care, storage, cleaning, use and inspection. And, as always, if there’s any doubt – throw it out!!

Additional Resources

• Service Life of Rescue Equipment
• How often should I replace my rescue harness?
• Marking Rescue Hardware
  
  
  

The U.S. Department of Labor issues an OSHA National News Release that announces new enforcement guidelines that could exponentially increase penalties for companies who prioritize profits over safety. Specifically, OSHA addresses the expanded application of instance-by-instance citations and non-grouping of violations in certain cases that will go into effect on March 27th of this year.

Originally published in October 1990, CPL 02-00-080, also known as the “egregious or violation-by-violation penalty procedure,” was intended to “create large aggregate penalties” for willful citations in order to “provide an incentive to employers to prevent safety and health violations in their workplace”. In the first memo, OSHA expands the scenarios that “instance-by-instance” citations may be issued for “high-gravity serious violations of standards specific to falls, trenching, machine guarding, respiratory protection, permit-required confined spaces, lockout tagout, and other-than-serious violations specific to recordkeeping”. If you haven’t noticed, these closely align with OSHA’s “Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards”. The scope of this directive applies to general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture; in other words, this applies to everything under OSHA’s jurisdiction.

So, what does the expanded use for instance-by-instance citations include?

According to OSHA, a decision to use instance-by-instance should be based on the consideration of one or more of the following factors and does not preclude the use of other OSHA initiatives, directives, or emphasis programs.

• The employer has received a willful, repeat, or failure to abate violation within the past five years where that classification is current.
• The employer has failed to report a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye pursuant to the requirements of 29 CFR 1904.39.
• The proposed citations are related to a fatality/catastrophe.
• The proposed recordkeeping citations are related to injury or illness(es) that occurred as a result of a serious hazard.
  
  

This is intended to be a targeted strategy for those employers who repeatedly choose to put profits before their employees’ safety, health and well-being.

According to statements released by Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for OSHA, “Smart, impactful enforcement means using all the tools available to us when an employer ‘doesn’t get it’ and will respond to only additional deterrence in the form of increased citations and penalties.” He goes on further to state that “This is intended to be a targeted strategy for those employers who repeatedly choose to put profits before their employees’ safety, health and well-being. Employers who callously view injured or sickened workers simply as a cost of doing business will face more serious consequences.”

References

https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/01262023-0

https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/cpl-02-00-080

https://www.osha.gov/memos/2023-01-26/application-of-instance-by-instance-penalty-adjustments

https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards

https://www.osha.gov/memos/2023-01-26/exercising-discretion-when-not-to-group-violations

https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/cpl-02-00-164/chapter-4

Additional Resources

• Want a Safer Workplace? Get Employees Involved!

• How to Make an Impact as Safety Professionals

We are proud to announce that once again Roco has been reapproved as an OSHA VPP Star Worksite organization. VPP Star is the highest level of recognition awarded by OSHA. VPP participants serve as models for other employers, workers, and unions by operating excellent safety and health management programs. Roco has been a VPP Star worksite since 2013 and is excited to continue this tradition of raising the bar on its journey of maintaining an excellent safety and health program.

To earn this distinction, we implemented a comprehensive safety program and underwent a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts. The “Star” designation is reserved for companies that “demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards, as well as the development, implementation and continuous improvement of safety and health management systems.”

To our knowledge, we are the only rescue training, services and equipment company to achieve the VPP Star designation. The process of earning and renewing our VPP Star is an important way for us to get external feedback and confirm that we are “walking the walk” as an organization.

Roco’s Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and Days Away Restricted or Transferred (DART) were 100% below the national average for our industry. Having maintained our status as a VPP Star Worksite for another year has once again validated that we are living up to the highest standards of OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program. This achievement would not be possible without a dedicated commitment to safety by all Roco employees.

Additional Resources

• Is OSHA VPP a Good Fit for Your Company?
  
  
  
  

As part of our efforts to support municipal emergency responders, Roco Rescue will be offering quarterly scholarships to our open-enrollment 50-hour Rescue Essentials Courses conducted at the Roco Training Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. To be considered, applicants will complete an online form and explain why they are interested in attending a course and how it will benefit them and their department. One student will be selected per quarter. 

Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ Course:

• This 50-hour course is the starting point for rescuers working on rope and in confined spaces. This hands-on training course is for rescuers who respond to emergencies ranging from the depths of a confined space to the heights of an elevated structure or industrial platform.
• Participants will be provided an opportunity to become proficient at utilizing some of the most current equipment in the rescue world while learning and practicing safe, efficient, and proven rescue techniques. These skills will allow them to perform effectively in the rigorous environments faced by urban and industrial rescuers.
• Courses will be conducted at the Roco Training Center (RTC), participants will practice rescue operations from all six (6) confined space types including rescues from elevated vessels and towers. Simulated rescues from IDLH-type atmospheres that require the use of breathing air (SCBA) will also be included. These realistic scenarios can be used to document annual practice requirements as required by OSHA 1910.146.

Roco Rescue hopes that this free training will help broaden the range of skills in confined space and rope rescue for firefighters and their departments.

Offer valid for USA-based emergency responders only based on space availability. Must be 18 years or older and physically fit to participate in hands-on rescue exercises. Offer is valid for limited time and subject to change without notice. 

Additional Resources

• Roco Rescue Videos 
• Using Local Emergency Services vs Contracted Rescue Services