I climbed a topsoil pile today to get some photos. Someone pointed it out to the safety officer on site. He mentioned it to me as kind of a warning although he didn't seem particularly concerned about it. My thought was - if I've climbed up there before to measure the volume was that wrong too? This thing isn't that big and does not feel unsafe at all. I've been asked to do things before that felt dangerous and refused. This is not one of those times.
I thought I read somewhere recently that things have changed and surveyors are no longer supposed to climb topsoil piles. Anyone else read that?
Dan
As is quite often the case it may not be an OSHA regulation. OSHA sets minimum standards. Companies can and do set standards above the OSHA minimums. It would be a full time job for someone to become familiar with and keep up with OSHA standards and regulations.
Now for my opinion, it would depend on the angle of repose of the soil.
Andy
MSHA and wheel chocks
Had to do some work at local limestone quarry. We are laying a 1400' pipe through a spoil area. I had to set some control to run the GPS excavator from. My brother works there and took me in Saturday to set it. I noticed every time he got out of the truck he threw a wheel chock behind the back wheel. So I went back over Monday with our foreman to calibrate the site, and passed by one of our D8 dozers setting next to the site with the ripper and blade on the ground on a level spot. There was a wheel chock laying in front of the dozer the quarry folks had left so the foreman could make sure the dozer wouldn't roll off. Seems the MSHA guy had warned them, foreman thought he was joking and said "well it's on a level spot", Mr. MSHA says "prove it".
MSHA and wheel chocks
> Had to do some work at local limestone quarry. We are laying a 1400' pipe through a spoil area. I had to set some control to run the GPS excavator from. My brother works there and took me in Saturday to set it. I noticed every time he got out of the truck he threw a wheel chock behind the back wheel. So I went back over Monday with our foreman to calibrate the site, and passed by one of our D8 dozers setting next to the site with the ripper and blade on the ground on a level spot. There was a wheel chock laying in front of the dozer the quarry folks had left so the foreman could make sure the dozer wouldn't roll off. Seems the MSHA guy had warned them, foreman thought he was joking and said "well it's on a level spot", Mr. MSHA says "prove it".
It's important to be safe....don't get me wrong, but some of these safety zealots reduce the concept to absurdity...
MSHA and wheel chocks
The way I was told, it wouldn't matter if you were stuck in a mudhole, you better chock the wheels before you walk off to get someone to pull you out.
James