Environmental Health and Safety Plan draft for Staten Island Landfill,

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Staten Island Landfill Debris Disposal Operation Health and Safety Program

4.2 PHYSICAL HAZARDS

The two biggest hazards on this site include getting hit or run-over by equipment/trucks and flying or rapidly shifting pieces of debris. Special care should be used when working in the proximity to these concerns.

4.2.1 Noise

Noise associated with the operation of heavy equipment is a potential physical hazard. Exposure to excessive noise levels for prolonged periods of time may result in hearing loss and threshold shifts in hearing sensitivity. Their employers will require some workers,, to wear approved hearing protection when working in or around the work site. Workers operating equipment fitted with a cab designed to reduce sound levels may not be required to wear hearing protection, while in the cab.

Periodic noise evaluations at various locations around work area will be performed. If areas are found to have sound levels in excess of 82.5 decibal weighted in the “A” scale (dBA), noise dosimetry monitoring based on a 12-hour time-weighted average (TWA) will be performed on workers. If the level of noise exceeds the current OSHA Permissible Noise Exposure standard (adjusted for a 12 hour work shift) of 87.5 dBA, personnel will be required to wear approved hearing protection. While the OSHA standard calls for personnel who are exposed to elevated noise to be enrolled in a hearing conservation program, this may not be technically feasible due to the number of transient site workers on this project. While this Plan describes minimally acceptable standards for the work, individual agencies and contractors working on the site are encouraged to follow the OSHA standard.

4.2.2 Fire

Based on the existing site conditions, fire watches will not be conducted at this time. However, in the event of a land fill gas extraction wellhead breach, the potential for fire and/or explosion is increased and the NYFD and DSNY should be contacted immediately. The local fire department

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