Working Near Water Hazards
HAZARD - Working around, over, or near water
POTENTIAL OUTCOME - Entrapment, drowning
RISKS – Traveling or operating equipment near water, equipment weight and vibration, undercut banks, sloughing ground, varied water depth, swift currents, inadequate berms, narrow roadways, electrocution.
Best Practices
- Conduct daily workplace examinations.
- Know the water depth and subsurface conditions and ground conditions before you begin work.
- Keep equipment a safe distance back from the water’s edge.
- Avoid traveling over ice covered water.
- Provide handrails around docks and work boats.
- Properly berm roadways near water hazards.
- Always wear a Coast Guard approved Type I or Type V personal flotation device (PFD) when working around water, even when inside mobile equipment. Auto-inflatable, if possible.
- Keep water rescue equipment easily accessible.
- Know where extra PFDs and rescue rings are stowed.
- Practice good housekeeping and keep all travel ways clear around water hazards.