Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Union Bridge, Md. A seven-person team of emergency responders was formed and equipped to provide immediate response to plant emergencies. Employees on this team also are members of local volunteer fire companies, each with medical, fire, rescue, and HazMat training. In November 1995, the Union Bridge emergency response team helped to save the life of an electrical power company worker who had been electrocuted and had fallen into a sinkhole near the plant.

Phoenix Cement Co., Clarkdale, Ariz. A fall arrest system on the bridge area of the reclaimer allows employees cleaning on top of the bridge to attach their safety harnesses to an overhead cable secured to both ends of the machine, with guides through the digger wheel structure. The cable tie-off allows safe access for clean-up, inspection, maintenance, and lubrication. Approximate cost for the tie-off system was $250.

Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Union Bridge, Md. A dual cable and hook system was installed under the bed of a truck to maintain the bed in the raised position when work was being done between the bed and the frame. The restraint system protects against injuries from failure of the hydraulic raising mechanism. Parts were fabricated for $550, and installation took 8 hr. Design and drawings preparation required 12 hr, according to Lehigh.

Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Union Bridge, Md. A safe access platform provides passive fall protection to drivers of flatbed trucks while they spread tarps over their loads of palletized cement bags. Employees can safely work on top of the flatbeds by utilizing the restraint system, which consists of a spring-loaded gate at the opening, access steps, a safe access walkway, and overhead side railings. Cost of the structure, including installed foundations, steel, roofing, and siding, was about $33,000, with a six-month timetable from conception to fabrication and erection.

Ash Grove Cement Co., Louisville, Neb. A safety trapeze installed on a rail car shaker provides support for a 6-ton car shaker when it was not in use. This safety control is a secondary measure used to prevent injuries in case the electrical hoist or chains fail. A hand-crank winch allows the operator to swing the trapeze out from under the car when required. Total cost for the safety trapeze was about $2,500.

Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Union Bridge, Md. Bird waste fouled the steps and handrails of stairwells to the cement storage silos and the raw mill dust collector. To prevent birds from roosting in the open areas on and above the steps, fabric netting screens were installed at stairway locations. The screens eliminate health hazards as well as the need for costly power washing, disinfecting, waste collection, and disposal. Contractor fabrication and installation costs were $15,000 for the silos area and $17,000 for the raw mill dust collection tower.