Safety Manual | 2024

Inspections Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems shall be made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in possible cave ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres or other hazardous conditions. An inspection should be conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the day. Inspections shall also be made after every rainstorm or other hazard-increasing occurrence. These inspections are required when Employee exposure can be reasonably anticipated. An Excavation/Trenching Permit must be completed by the competent person to document the inspections. Hazardous Atmosphere Inspections should include testing for hazardous atmosphere if the excavations are more than 4 feet deep and contain the potential for a hazardous atmosphere or oxygen deficiency (atmospheres containing less than 19.5% oxygen). Water Accumulation Employees shall not work in excavations in which there is accumulated water, or in excavations in which water is accumulating, unless adequate precautions have been taken to protect Employees against the hazards posed by water accumulation. The precautions necessary to protect Employees adequately vary with each situation, but could include special support or shield systems to protect from cave-ins, water removal to control the level of accumulating water or use of a safety harness and lifeline. Walkways Walkways or bridges with OSHA-compliant guardrails shall be provided where Employees or equipment are required to cross over excavations. Shoring All excavations 5 feet or deeper, or less in unstable soil, shall be sloped, shored or shielded to prevent cave-ins. Ladders All excavations 4 feet or deeper shall have a ladder for access into excavation with no more than 25 feet of travel in any direction between ladders. Stabilizing Excavations and Adjacent Areas

Material and Barricades All excavated and available material shall be retained two (2) feet or more from the edge of the excavation. All excavations shall be barricaded using the appropriate barrier tape and other protective devices, as required. Undermining The existing ground immediately adjacent to excavations is susceptible to undermining and cave-ins. Trench walls can undermine leaving the edge of the excavation unsupported. Employees should maintain a safe distance when observing excavations or trenches from the surface. Employees should pay particular attention to this hazard when observing excavations within existing roads, parking lots or other impervious areas. Excavations in these areas may appear to be stable, however, the materials used to construct these surfaces are weak when unsupported making them vulnerable to cave-ins. Personal Protective Equipment Proper personal protective equipment must be worn when entering an excavation that may be considered a hazardous environment by site safety representatives.

8.6 General Office Safety

Purpose To provide work conditions so as to prevent the typical accidents that can potentially occur within the office.

Scope This Section applies to all BL Employees at all operations.

Policy Each Employee will be instructed in general office safety procedures so as to reduce the number of “office” accidents. General Safety in the office, like anywhere else in BL Companies, does not just happen. It is the result of planning and individual effort. Unfortunately, safety in the office is a somewhat neglected area, the assumption being that its accident potential is not as great as other areas of Employee activity. Accidents, however, do occur in offices regularly. Falls from office chairs or bumps against open drawers or sharp edges of file cabinets, etc., do result in painful injuries. The following are suggested procedures, in an effort to maintain a safe workplace.

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Section 8 // safety practices & procedures //