Document Control and Revision History

Document Title: Employee Safety, Health & Conduct Handbook Document Owner: Safety Director Review Cycle: Annual, or as required by regulatory change, operational change, or incident findings

Distribution: This handbook is issued to all Liquidmetal Industrial Solutions employees at orientation and is available through the Safety Department upon request. Revised versions supersede all prior versions. Employees may be required to acknowledge receipt of updated materials when significant revisions are made.

Retention: Completed acknowledgment forms are retained in the employee's personnel file. This document is retained for the duration of its active use plus a minimum of three years following supersession.

How to Use This Handbook

Purpose

This handbook exists to answer one question clearly:

"If I am a new LIQUIDMETAL employee starting work tomorrow, what do I need to know?"

It tells you what the company expects from you as an employee, how LIQUIDMETAL approaches safety, what you need to understand about the hazards in the work we perform, and what you are responsible for documenting. Read it before your first day on the job. Keep it available throughout your employment. Use it when you have a question.

Scope

This handbook applies to all LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employees (full-time, part-time, temporary, and outage personnel) in every role, at every location, including Liquimetal controlled worksites and customer facilities.

It establishes the minimum expectations for conduct, safety, and health at LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions. Minimum means exactly that. Customer sites, applicable regulations, and task-specific training may require more — and when they do, the more protective standard applies. This handbook does not override those requirements. It supplements them.

Who This Handbook Applies To

This handbook applies to every person who works for LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions — from a new hire on their first orientation to an experienced journeyman returning for their tenth outage. It applies equally to field employees, warehouse employees, and office personnel.

Supervisors, foremen, and project managers are held to every standard in this handbook, and are additionally responsible for ensuring the employees under their direction understand and follow it.

Relationship to Customer Requirements, Regulations, and Training

Customer site requirements. Every facility LIQUIDMETAL works in has its own safety rules, access requirements, and operational standards. LIQUIDMETAL employees must comply with customer requirements in addition to this handbook. When a customer's standard is more protective than what is written here, follow the customer's standard. When a conflict arises that you cannot resolve on your own, contact your supervisor before proceeding.

OSHA regulations and applicable law. LIQUIDMETAL maintains separate written safety programs that address regulatory requirements in full detail. This handbook communicates those requirements in practical, field-level terms. It is not the company's OSHA compliance documentation and does not replace task-specific written programs.

Task-specific training. This handbook provides awareness-level information on hazards and safe work practices. It does not substitute for hands-on task training, equipment-specific instruction, or the certification requirements for regulated work activities. Employees are responsible for understanding the difference between awareness and qualification. See Chapter 1.15 for training requirements.

How This Handbook Is Organized

Section 1 — Employment Expectations covers conduct, attendance, and professional standards. It tells you what LIQUIDMETAL expects from you as an employee from day one.

Section 2 — Corporate Safety Philosophy explains how LIQUIDMETAL approaches safety — the values, rules, and responsibilities that define how this company manages safety on every project.

Section 3 — Safety Programs provides the practical safety information you need for the work LIQUIDMETAL performs. Chapters are organized the way work happens — starting with what you put on before you begin, then working through specific tasks and hazards.

Section 4 — Safety Documentation explains your responsibility for completing required safety records accurately, completely, and on time.

A Note on the Word "Must"

When this handbook uses the word "must," it is not a suggestion. It is a requirement. When this handbook uses the words "should" or "recommended," it reflects best practice that LIQUIDMETAL expects employees to follow except where specific conditions make an alternative approach appropriate.

If you are ever unsure what this handbook requires in a specific situation, ask your supervisor. If your supervisor is unavailable, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative. Never assume — especially on a task that involves significant hazards.

Welcome Letter from the Safety Director

To every LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employee:

Welcome to LIQUIDMETAL.

Whether you are a first-year apprentice or a craftsman with twenty years in the trade, this handbook was written for you. Not for a regulatory file. Not for a customer audit. For you — the person who is going to walk onto a jobsite tomorrow morning and do the work that makes this company run.

The work we do is not simple, and it is not without risk. We weld, rig, and fit pipe inside some of the most complex and demanding industrial environments in the country. We do outage work on tight schedules with customer eyes on every crew. We perform maintenance inside power plants, refineries, and manufacturing facilities where a single error in judgment can have consequences that go far beyond the person who made it.

That reality is why this handbook exists — and it is why the expectations in it are not optional.

LIQUIDMETAL's position on safety is not complicated:

Every employee goes home safe. Every day. No exceptions.

That expectation does not bend for schedule pressure. It does not bend for a customer request. It does not bend because a task looks simple or because someone says "we've always done it this way." The moment you set foot on a LIQUIDMETAL jobsite, you have one job that sits above every other job on your assignment: do the work safely, or don't do it yet.

Here is what that means in practice:

It means you read and understand this handbook before you begin work — not after something goes wrong.

It means you complete required safety documentation honestly and completely — not because someone is checking, but because that record may protect the next crew that does this work.

It means you speak up when something is not right — when a condition looks wrong, when a task does not feel safe, when someone on your crew is about to make a serious mistake. Every LIQUIDMETAL employee has the authority to stop work. Use it.

It means you represent this company with professionalism on every customer site — because LIQUIDMETAL's reputation, and every employee's livelihood, is built on how our crews perform in the field.

And it means you look out for the person working beside you, because they are counting on you to do exactly that.

If you ever have a question about a safety requirement, a work procedure, or anything in this handbook — ask. No question about safety is a bad one. The only mistake is not asking when you are unsure.

I am glad you are part of this team. Now let's go to work safely.

Work Safe. Work Smart. Go Home Safe.

Ray Flowers Safety Director LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions

Section 1Employment Expectations

About This Section

This section covers what LIQUIDMETAL expects from you as an employee — how you show up, how you conduct yourself, and how you treat the people you work with. Section 2 onward covers how the company approaches safety. Both matter, and they are not separable: an employee who does not show up rested, sober, and ready to work is a safety problem before they ever pick up a tool.

This handbook is the abbreviated version. It exists so that every employee can carry a copy and find the answer quickly in the field. The governing document is the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manual, which is longer, more detailed, and more complete on every subject it covers.

Where this handbook and the Safety Manual differ, the Safety Manual governs. Each chapter below identifies the Safety Manual program it summarizes, with the page number, so you can go to the full text when you need it. Where a chapter has no corresponding program in the Safety Manual, that is noted as well.

Ask your supervisor or the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative for access to the Safety Manual at any time.

1.1Attendance and Punctuality

Governing document: No corresponding Safety Manual program. This chapter stands on its own.

Why It Matters

Industrial construction and outage work is crew work. A pipefitter who does not show up does not just lose their own shift — the welder waiting on the fit, the crew that cannot start the next step, and the customer holding a unit offline all lose with them. On outage schedules, one absent crew member can cost a full shift of progress across an entire work front.

Attendance is also a safety issue. Crews compensate for a missing member by rushing, doubling up, or assigning work to someone who is not qualified for it. Every one of those is how people get hurt.

Requirements

• Report to your assigned work location, ready to work, at your scheduled start time. Ready to work means dressed out, PPE on hand, and prepared for the pre-job briefing — not arriving at the gate at start time.
• Be present for the full shift, including pre-job briefings, toolbox talks, and end-of-shift housekeeping.
• Return from breaks and meal periods on time.
• Do not leave the jobsite during your shift without your supervisor's approval. On customer sites, this includes leaving your assigned work area for anything other than the work.
• Overtime and shift extensions are a normal part of outage and shutdown work. When overtime is scheduled in advance, it is treated the same as regular scheduled time.

Patterns Matter

Attendance is evaluated as a pattern, not incident by incident. Repeated absences, a habit of late arrivals, frequent absences adjacent to weekends or holidays, or leaving early without approval will be addressed under Chapter 1.14.

Nothing in this chapter is intended to interfere with leave you are legally entitled to take, including leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, military leave, workers' compensation leave, or any state or local leave law that applies to your work location. Absences protected by those laws are not counted against you. If you believe you need protected leave, contact LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources at 423.541.3210.

1.2Reporting Absences and Call-Off Procedures

Governing document: Related — Safe Return to Work, p. 397; Drug and Alcohol Program, p. 143.

The Standard

If you cannot make your shift, or you will be late, call your supervisor directly at least two hours before your scheduled start time.

Call. Do not text, do not email, and do not send word through a coworker unless you are physically unable to make the call yourself. A phone call is the only method that confirms your supervisor actually received the message in time to cover the work.

What to Report

• That you will be absent or late.
• Your expected return, if you know it.
• Any work in progress the crew needs to know about — an open permit, a partially completed lockout, equipment you left staged somewhere.

Ongoing Absence

If you will be out more than one shift, call your supervisor each day unless you have made a different arrangement in advance. If your absence extends beyond three consecutive days, or involves a medical condition, contact LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources to determine whether leave documentation is required.

Job Abandonment

Failure to report for work and failure to notify your supervisor for three consecutive scheduled shifts is treated as voluntary resignation.

Returning After Extended Absence

An absence of more than 90 days requires a return-to-work drug and alcohol screening before you resume work, per the LIQUIDMETAL Drug and Alcohol Program. Depending on the reason for the absence and the physical demands of your assignment, a fitness-for-duty evaluation may also be required. See Chapter 1.3.

1.3Reporting to Work Fit for Duty

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Fit for Duty program, Safety Manual p. 202.

What Fit for Duty Means

Fit for duty means you are able to perform your job safely, effectively, and appropriately — free from the adverse effects of physical, mental, emotional, or personal problems, and free from impairing substances. This standard is drawn from the LIQUIDMETAL Fit for Duty program, which is the governing document.

Fit for duty is not a judgement about your character. It is a recognition that this work does not tolerate impaired judgement, slowed reaction time, or divided attention. A worker who is exhausted, ill, distracted by a crisis at home, or affected by medication is exposed to the same hazards as everyone else — with less capacity to recognize and avoid them.

What You Are Responsible For

• Arrive rested. Fatigue is a recognized hazard at LIQUIDMETAL and is addressed in Chapter 2.12. Sleep is not optional; it is a safety requirement.
• Arrive free of impairing substances. See Chapter 1.7.
• Self-assess honestly. If you are not fit to work safely — for any reason — tell your supervisor before the shift starts. You will not be disciplined for raising a legitimate fitness concern in good faith. Working impaired and causing an injury is a far worse outcome for everyone, including you.
• Report impairing medication before your shift. If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medication that could affect alertness, coordination, judgement, or reaction time — including allergy, cold, and flu medications — report it to your supervisor before you arrive for work, or before you arrange transportation to a remote site. You are not required to disclose your diagnosis or medical condition. What the company needs to know is whether the medication could impair your ability to work safely, so the assignment can be adjusted.

How the Company Handles It

Medical information you provide is confidential and is used only to determine safe work assignment. It is kept separate from your general personnel file, as required by law.

When a supervisor has a reasonable concern about an employee's fitness for duty, the supervisor works with LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources and the Safety Department to address it. That may mean reassignment to a lower-hazard task, being sent home for the shift, a fitness-for-duty evaluation, or testing under Chapter 1.7 where reasonable cause exists.

1.4Timekeeping Expectations

Governing document: No corresponding Safety Manual program. This chapter stands on its own.

Accurate Time Is Not Optional

Your time record is a legal document. It determines your pay, it supports what LIQUIDMETAL bills the customer, and it is subject to audit. Falsifying it — yours or anyone else's — is grounds for termination.

Requirements

• Record your own time. Never record time for another employee, and never ask another employee to record time for you.
• Record time accurately as worked, including the actual start and stop of the shift and the actual duration of meal periods.
• Record all time you actually work. If you work through a break, come in early, or stay late, that time goes on the record — whether or not it was authorized in advance.
• Charge time to the correct project, cost code, or work order.
• Review and confirm your time record for accuracy before it is submitted.
• Correct errors through your supervisor. Do not alter a submitted record yourself.

Working Off the Clock Is Prohibited

LIQUIDMETAL does not permit any employee to perform work without recording it. This applies even if you are trying to help the schedule, finish a task you started, or avoid overtime. If you worked it, record it.

If a supervisor asks you to work off the clock, to under-report hours, or to move hours to a different day or project, do not do it — and report it to LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources or the Safety Director. That request is a violation of company policy and of federal wage law.

Overtime

Overtime must be authorized in advance by your supervisor except where it is unavoidable to complete a task safely — finishing a lockout, closing a permit, or completing a lift already in progress. Report unplanned overtime to your supervisor as soon as the shift ends.

1.5Professional Conduct and Respectful Workplace

Governing document: Related — Behavior-Based Safety, p. 46; General Safety Health, p. 222; Disciplinary Program, p. 140.

The Standard

LIQUIDMETAL crews work inside other companies' facilities, alongside other contractors, under the eye of customer personnel. How this workforce conducts itself determines whether LIQUIDMETAL is invited back. That is not an abstraction — it is the source of everyone's next job.

But the more immediate reason is simpler. A crew that does not communicate well, does not trust each other, or does not treat each other decently is a crew that misses hazards. Someone who is being talked down to does not speak up when they see something wrong. That is how a respect problem becomes a safety problem.

What Is Expected

• Treat every coworker, customer employee, contractor, and visitor with respect — regardless of trade, seniority, role, or background.
• Communicate directly and professionally, especially under schedule pressure.
• Follow reasonable direction from supervisors. If you disagree with an instruction, raise it. If you believe it is unsafe, use Stop Work Authority under Chapter 2.7.
• Resolve disagreements through conversation, and through your supervisor when conversation does not resolve it.
• Represent LIQUIDMETAL professionally at customer facilities at all times — in the work area, in the break room, in the parking lot, and at the gate.

What Is Prohibited

The following will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination:

• Fighting, threats, intimidation, or any attempted or actual physical force.
• Horseplay or practical jokes. On an industrial site these are not harmless — they have killed people.
• Insubordination — refusing a legitimate work instruction. Refusing unsafe work under Stop Work Authority is not insubordination and is explicitly protected.
• Theft, dishonesty, or falsification of any company or customer record.
• Possession of weapons on any LIQUIDMETAL or customer jobsite, in company vehicles, or in personal vehicles on customer property where prohibited by the site.
• Sleeping on the job.
• Deliberate damage to company or customer property.

1.6Harassment and Workplace Violence

Governing document: No corresponding Safety Manual program. This chapter stands on its own.

LIQUIDMETAL's Position

Harassment and violence have no place on any LIQUIDMETAL jobsite. This is not only a legal obligation — it is a condition of employment.

Harassment

LIQUIDMETAL prohibits harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Harassment includes:

• Slurs, epithets, jokes, or comments directed at or about a protected characteristic.
• Displaying or circulating offensive images, drawings, or written material — including on hard hats, coolers, tool boxes, vehicles, and phones.
• Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
• Conduct that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile, or offensive, and that interferes with someone's ability to do their job.

The standard is the effect of the conduct, not the intent behind it. "I was only joking" is not a defense.

Workplace Violence

LIQUIDMETAL prohibits threats, threatening behavior, intimidation, stalking, and any act or threat of physical violence. This includes conduct occurring on customer property, in company vehicles, and in company communications.

If you believe there is an immediate threat of violence, call 911 first, then notify your supervisor.

How to Report

If you experience or witness harassment or threatening conduct, report it. You may report to any of the following, in any order — you do not have to go to your supervisor first, and you do not have to report to the person closest to the problem:

• Your supervisor
• Your project manager
• LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources — 423.541.3210
• Ray Flowers, Safety Director — 423.541.3210

Reports are investigated promptly and handled as confidentially as the investigation allows. Where LIQUIDMETAL employees work at a customer facility, the customer's reporting requirements may also apply — but reporting to the customer does not replace reporting to LIQUIDMETAL.

No Retaliation

No employee will be retaliated against for reporting harassment or violence in good faith, or for participating in an investigation. Retaliation is itself a violation of this policy and will be treated as one. If you believe you have experienced retaliation, report it through the contacts above.

1.7Drug and Alcohol Policy

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Drug and Alcohol Program, Safety Manual p. 143.

Zero Tolerance

LIQUIDMETAL maintains a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy. This chapter summarizes the LIQUIDMETAL Drug and Alcohol Program, which is the governing document and which applies to employees and subcontractors alike.

The reason is the work. Welding, rigging, confined space entry, energized electrical work, and crane operations do not leave room for impaired judgement. An impaired worker on an industrial site is a hazard to the entire crew, not only to themselves.

What Is Prohibited

• Possessing, using, selling, distributing, or being under the influence of alcohol or any illegal drug on any LIQUIDMETAL jobsite, on customer property, in company vehicles, or while performing LIQUIDMETAL work.
• Reporting to work with any measurable level of alcohol or illegal drugs, in any amount.
• Misusing prescription or over-the-counter medication.
• Adulterating, substituting, or tampering with any test sample.

Testing

Drug testing is conducted by a certified collector and analyzed by a certified laboratory under a Medical Review Officer, using a 12-panel screen. Alcohol testing is by breath, blood, or saliva with breath confirmation. On-site preliminary screening may be used where reasonable cause exists.

Testing is conducted:

Some customer sites require a negative test within the previous 12 months as a condition of access. Your supervisor will identify these requirements at project orientation.

Post-Incident Testing

Drug and alcohol testing will be performed following an accident or incident. Affected employees will not return to work on a customer's premises until documentation of a negative result has been received.

Testing after an incident is not a judgement about you, and it is not a response to the act of reporting. No employee will be disciplined, penalized, or discouraged for reporting an injury, illness, or near miss. That protection is absolute and is stated again in Chapters 2.1 and 2.8.

Refusal

Refusing to submit to a required test is treated as a positive result.

Consequences

A confirmed positive result, or a refusal, results in immediate removal from LIQUIDMETAL and customer property and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Searches

Entry onto LIQUIDMETAL or customer property constitutes consent to inspection of your person, locker, vehicle, and personal effects by authorized representatives. Customers may conduct their own unannounced searches. Refusal to cooperate results in removal from the customer's property.

Medication

Report any prescription or over-the-counter medication that could impair your ability to work safely to your supervisor before your shift. See Chapter 1.3. You do not have to disclose your condition — only that a medication may affect your ability to work safely.

Confidentiality

All test results and related medical information are confidential and are maintained separately from personnel files.

1.8Cell Phone and Mobile Device Use

Governing document: Related — Driving Safety, p. 146; Journey Management, p. 296.

Why This Is a Safety Rule

A phone takes your eyes off the work, your hands off the tool, and your attention off the hazard. In an industrial environment, all three at once is how people walk into moving equipment, miss a signal, or step off an edge.

Requirements

• Personal phone use is limited to breaks, meal periods, and designated areas.
• Do not use a phone while operating any vehicle or mobile equipment, walking through an active work area, working at elevation, performing any task covered by a CRAFT Core Life Saving Rule, or serving as fire watch, confined space attendant, spotter, or signal person. These roles require undivided attention by definition.
• Do not use a phone in any area where the customer prohibits it, or in any classified or potentially explosive atmosphere unless the device is intrinsically safe and approved for that area.
• Do not take photographs or video on any customer site without explicit authorization. Many facilities treat this as a serious security violation. See Chapter 1.13.
• Company-issued radios and phones are work tools. Keep them charged, keep them available, and use them for work.

Personal Music Devices

Earbuds, headphones, and personal music players are prohibited in industrial work areas. They mask the sounds you need to work safely — alarms, backup beepers, shouted warnings, and equipment that is beginning to fail. See Chapter 3.2.

Emergencies

If you need to be reachable for a family emergency, tell your supervisor at the start of the shift and make an arrangement. Nobody is asking you to be unreachable when it matters.

1.9Smoking and Tobacco Use

Governing document: Related — General Safety Health, p. 222.

Requirements

• Smoke and use tobacco products only in designated smoking areas. On customer sites, the customer designates these areas — never assume an area is approved because you saw someone else use it.
• Smoking, vaping, and use of any open-flame or spark-producing device is prohibited in all industrial areas, anywhere flammable liquids or gases are stored or handled, in any area posted against it, and anywhere a hot work permit would be required.
• Dispose of all tobacco waste properly in designated containers. Do not discard cigarette butts on the ground, into drains, or into any container that is not intended for them.
• Vaping devices are treated the same as smoking under this policy, and are additionally prohibited in classified areas because they contain a battery and a heating element.
• Smokeless tobacco is subject to the same area restrictions. Do not use it where chemical contamination is possible — hand-to-mouth contact is an ingestion route. See Chapters 3.26 and 3.27.

1.10Personal Appearance and Work Attire

Governing document: Related — Personal Protective Equipment & Assessment, p. 365; Flame Resistant Clothing, p. 205.

The Baseline

Your appearance on a customer site is LIQUIDMETAL's appearance. Beyond that, most of the requirements in this chapter exist because loose clothing, jewelry, and unrestrained hair are entanglement, snag, and conduction hazards.

Requirements

• Wear clothing appropriate for the work and the hazards. PPE requirements are in Chapter 3.1 and govern where they are more specific.
• Clothing must be in serviceable condition — no large tears, frayed hems, or excessive wear that creates a snag hazard.
• Sleeveless shirts and shorts are not permitted in industrial areas.
• Long hair must be tied back or secured when working near machinery, rotating equipment, or at elevation.
• Remove dangling jewelry — bracelets, necklaces, and rings with protruding features — anywhere rotating machinery, electrical equipment, or entanglement hazards are present.
• Clothing and personal items must not display language or images that would violate Chapter 1.6.
• Company-issued or customer-required identification must be visible at all times on site.

Facial Hair and Respirator Use

If your assignment requires a tight-fitting respirator, facial hair that crosses the sealing surface prevents the respirator from working. This is a physical limitation, not a grooming preference. See Chapter 3.3.

If a religious practice or a medical condition affects your ability to comply with this requirement, contact LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources rather than simply not complying. Alternatives exist — including loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirators and reassignment to work that does not require a tight seal — and LIQUIDMETAL will engage in that discussion. What is not available is working in a respirator that does not seal.

1.11Customer Site Conduct

Governing document: Related — Contractors Subcontractor Working Relations, p. 128.

You Are a Guest

LIQUIDMETAL performs most of its work inside facilities that belong to someone else, under their rules, with their people watching. Every customer relationship this company has was built by crews that behaved well on site, and every one of them can be lost the same way.

Requirements

• Complete the customer's site orientation before beginning work, and follow every requirement it establishes. Where a customer rule is more protective than LIQUIDMETAL's, the customer's rule applies.
• Stay in your assigned work area. Do not wander, explore, or take shortcuts through areas you have not been cleared for.
• Do not operate, adjust, open, close, or touch any customer equipment, valve, switch, or control that is not part of your assigned scope. In a process plant, an unauthorized valve turn can start an event that affects the entire unit.
• Follow all site access, badging, sign-in, and escort requirements.
• Park only in designated contractor areas. Observe site speed limits and traffic patterns.
• Use designated break areas, restrooms, and smoking areas only.
• Leave the work area clean. See Chapter 2.11.
• Do not take photographs, video, or documents from a customer site without explicit authorization.
• Do not remove any material, scrap, or equipment from a customer site without documented authorization. Scrap has an owner.

Conflicts Between Requirements

If a customer requirement conflicts with a LIQUIDMETAL requirement, follow the more protective standard and notify your supervisor. If you cannot determine which is more protective, or if the customer directs you to do something you believe is unsafe, stop and contact your supervisor before proceeding. Stop Work Authority applies on customer sites exactly as it does on LIQUIDMETAL sites.

1.12Company Property and Care of Equipment

Governing document: Related — Hand and Power Tools, p. 232; General Safety Health, p. 222.

Requirements

• Company tools, equipment, vehicles, and materials are provided for company work. Use them for that.
• Inspect tools and equipment before each use. Remove defective equipment from service, tag it, and report it. See Chapter 3.10.
• Report damaged, lost, or stolen company property to your supervisor immediately. Damage reported honestly is a maintenance issue. Damage concealed is a discipline issue.
• Do not modify, alter, or repair company equipment unless you are qualified and authorized to do so.
• Return tools to the tool crib or designated storage at the end of the shift. Secure equipment left on site.
• Company vehicles are subject to Chapter 3.15.
• Company property — including computers, email, phones, and vehicles — may be inspected by LIQUIDMETAL at any time. Do not treat company systems or company vehicles as private.

On Separation

All company property, including this handbook, tools, keys, badges, uniforms, and any documents or data belonging to LIQUIDMETAL or its customers, must be returned when your employment ends.

1.13Confidentiality and Social Media

Governing document: No corresponding Safety Manual program. This chapter stands on its own.

Customer Information

LIQUIDMETAL works inside power plants, refineries, and chemical facilities. What you see inside those facilities — equipment configurations, process conditions, security arrangements, outage schedules, incidents, and drawings — belongs to the customer and frequently carries security significance well beyond the commercial relationship.

• Do not photograph, record, or copy anything on a customer site without documented authorization.
• Do not discuss customer operations, incidents, or conditions outside the work.
• Do not post about customer sites, customer equipment, or customer incidents on any public platform.
• Do not share LIQUIDMETAL bid information, pricing, project financials, or personnel information outside the company.

Social Media

You are free to maintain a personal presence online, and this policy does not restrict your right to discuss your wages, hours, or working conditions with coworkers or others — that right is protected by law and nothing here limits it.

What this policy does require:

• Do not post photographs or video taken on a customer site.
• Do not post content that identifies a customer, a customer location, or a customer incident.
• Do not post anything on behalf of LIQUIDMETAL unless you are authorized to speak for the company.
• Do not post content directed at a coworker that would violate Chapter 1.6.
• Do not post images of an injured coworker or of an incident scene. Beyond the obvious, families frequently learn what happened from social media before anyone from the company reaches them.

When You Are Not Sure

Ask before you post. A question takes a minute. A post that violates a customer's security requirements can end LIQUIDMETAL's access to that site.

1.14Progressive Discipline

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Disciplinary Program, Safety Manual p. 140.

Purpose

LIQUIDMETAL's disciplinary process exists to correct behavior, not to catch people. Most issues are resolved at the first conversation. This chapter summarizes the LIQUIDMETAL Disciplinary Program, which is the governing document.

The Steps

How the Steps Are Counted

Offenses accumulate on a sliding twelve-month scale. They do not have to be the same violation — a verbal warning for smoking in a prohibited area, a written reprimand for a forklift violation, and a third for failing to use required PPE all count toward the same progression.

Skipping Steps

For serious violations — bypassing machine guarding, or other conduct that puts the violator or others at serious risk of injury — a manager may move directly to the second or third step. Where an employee's actions put themselves or others at risk of death or dismemberment, the manager may terminate with no further warning.

Certain conduct results in immediate termination regardless of prior record. This includes fighting, weapons, theft, falsification of records, a confirmed positive drug or alcohol test, and violation of a CRAFT Core Life Saving Rule.

Your Rights in the Process

• You must sign a written reprimand. Signing acknowledges you received it — it does not mean you agree with it.
• You have the right to submit a written rebuttal. The reprimand and your rebuttal both become part of your employment record.
• If you believe discipline was issued unfairly or in retaliation for a safety report, escalate it to LIQUIDMETAL Human Resources or the Safety Director. Retaliation for exercising Stop Work Authority, reporting a hazard, reporting an injury, or participating in an investigation is prohibited under Chapters 2.1 and 2.7, and that protection is absolute.

At-Will Employment

Nothing in this chapter creates a contract of employment or a guarantee that discipline will follow a particular sequence. LIQUIDMETAL may skip steps, repeat steps, or terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, to the extent permitted by law. Employment at LIQUIDMETAL is at will.

1.15Employee Qualifications and Training

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Job Competency program, Safety Manual p. 294. Also — Short Service Employees, p. 408; Access to Employee Records, p. 15.

Qualified Means Documented

At LIQUIDMETAL, being qualified for a task means the qualification exists on paper, has been verified, and is current. Experience alone is not qualification. This chapter summarizes the LIQUIDMETAL Job Competency program, which is the governing document.

How Qualification Is Established

LIQUIDMETAL identifies minimum qualification requirements for each role — a combination of education, experience, certification, and completed training — and records them in a training matrix for each worksite. Qualification is verified through some combination of:

• Prior employment reference checks
• Certification, license, and credential verification
• Task testing
• On-the-job monitoring
• Performance evaluation
• Training completion and retention

Documentation is confirmed during hiring and maintained by the Safety Manager or designee. Required safety training for your job title must be complete before you begin work.

Awareness Is Not Qualification

This handbook provides awareness-level information. Awareness tells you a hazard exists and why it matters. It does not authorize you to perform regulated work.

Tasks including confined space entry, lockout/tagout, rigging and signaling, aerial lift and forklift operation, scaffold erection, respirator use, and energized electrical work require specific, documented training and authorization. Knowing what the chapter says is not the same as being qualified to do the work.

Your Responsibilities

• Attend all assigned training and complete it.
• Keep your certifications and licenses current, and provide documentation when asked.
• Refuse any task you have not been trained and authorized to perform — and say so before the work starts, not after. This is a professional obligation, not an admission of weakness. See Chapter 2.6.
• Tell your supervisor if you are assigned work that falls outside your qualification.

Training Records

All training is documented with the date, employee name and signature, instructor name and signature, and topics covered. Records are maintained by the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department. You may request a copy of your own training record at any time.

1.16Reporting Unsafe Conditions

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Stop Work Authority, Safety Manual p. 432; Incident Investigation and Reporting, p. 276; Hazard Identification and Assessment, p. 245.

Report It — Every Time

An unsafe condition that nobody reports stays unsafe until it hurts somebody. LIQUIDMETAL cannot correct what it does not know about.

Report any of the following to your supervisor immediately:

• Damaged, defective, or missing equipment, tools, or PPE
• Missing or bypassed machine guards
• Uncontrolled energy sources
• Unstable materials, unsecured loads, or dropped object hazards
• Damaged, missing, or improperly placed barricades and signs
• Inadequate lighting
• Housekeeping conditions that create slip, trip, or fire hazards
• Missing or expired inspection tags
• Any condition that has changed since the pre-job briefing
• Anything that does not look right, even if you cannot say why

How to Report

Tell your supervisor. Verbally, immediately, in person or by radio. If the condition presents an immediate risk of injury, stop work first under Chapter 2.7, then report.

If your supervisor does not address it, or if your supervisor is the source of the condition, escalate to the project manager, the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative, or the Safety Director. That right is protected and you are expected to use it.

What Happens Next

Your supervisor corrects the condition, or guards it and initiates the repair. Critical hazards are corrected immediately or work stops. Non-critical hazards are tracked to completion. See Chapter 2.5.

Protection From Retaliation

No LIQUIDMETAL employee will be disciplined, threatened, reassigned, or retaliated against for reporting an unsafe condition in good faith. This applies whether the report turns out to identify a serious hazard or a condition that, on investigation, was less critical than it appeared.

You also have the right to report safety concerns to OSHA, and to do so without retaliation. That right is protected by federal law and nothing in this handbook limits it. LIQUIDMETAL's preference is that you tell us first so we can fix it faster — but the choice is yours.

If you believe you have experienced retaliation for reporting a safety concern, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Director immediately.

Section 2Corporate Safety Philosophy

2.1Corporate Safety Policy

Liquidmetal Industrial Solutions is a company built on the skill and professionalism of its workforce. We perform some of the most technically demanding work in industrial construction and maintenance and we do it inside facilities where the consequences of a safety failure extend far beyond the person who made the error.

Our corporate safety policy reflects that reality.

Accident prevention is not a secondary consideration at Liquidmetal. It is a primary operational requirement, equal in priority to quality, schedule, and customer service but ahead of all three when they conflict. No production target, no customer deadline, and no cost pressure justifies exposing an employee to a hazard that has not been properly identified and controlled.

Liquidmetal Industrial Solutions commits to the following as a matter of company policy:

We will provide a safe and healthy work environment. Liquidmetal will supply the tools, equipment, PPE, and training necessary for employees to perform their work safely. We will maintain that equipment, enforce safe work practices, and invest in the safety programs this workforce requires.

We will comply with all applicable safety regulations. Liquidmetal meets or exceeds the requirements of OSHA and all other applicable federal, state, and local safety regulations. Where customer site requirements are more protective than regulatory minimums, we will comply with the customer's standard.

We will investigate every incident. When an injury, illness, near miss, or safety event occurs, Liquidmetal will investigate it — not to assign blame, but to understand what happened and prevent it from happening again. Employees are expected to participate fully and honestly in incident investigations.

We will hold every level of the organization accountable. Safety accountability does not begin and end with the field crew. It begins in the office and extends to every supervisor, foreman, project manager, and company officer. Leaders are expected to model safe behavior, enforce safety requirements, and address unsafe conditions without hesitation.

We will never ask an employee to choose between safety and their job. Any employee who refuses unsafe work, exercises Stop Work Authority in good faith, or reports a hazard or incident will not be disciplined for doing so. That protection is absolute.

This policy applies to all Liquidmetal employees, at all locations, at all times. It applies to temporary and outage personnel with the same force as it applies to full-time employees. It applies on customer sites, in company vehicles, and at any location where LIQUIDMETAL work is being performed.

Safety at Liquidmetal is not a department. It is not a meeting. It is not a form. It is the way we work, every crew, every shift, every job.

2.2Safety Principles

The following principles are not rules that were invented for this handbook. They are the beliefs that drive how LIQUIDMETAL approaches every project, every pre-job briefing, and every decision made in the field. Read them as statements of what this company believes — because they are.

All injuries and occupational illnesses are preventable. This is not optimism. It is the operational foundation of everything LIQUIDMETAL does in safety. Every injury has a cause. Every cause can be identified. Every identified cause can be controlled. The goal is zero injuries — and we pursue it as though it is achievable, because it is.

Safety comes before production. Schedule pressure is real. Customer expectations are real. Deadlines are real. None of them supersede the requirement to work safely. When safety and production are in conflict, safety wins. Every time.

Every employee is responsible for safety — not just supervisors. Safety is not something that happens to employees. It is something employees actively participate in. You are responsible for your own safety, for the safety of the people working beside you, and for speaking up when you see a condition or behavior that puts either at risk.

Hazards must be identified before work begins. The time to find a hazard is during planning — not after someone has been hurt. Pre-job briefings, job safety analyses, and pre-task inspections are not administrative obligations. They are the mechanism by which LIQUIDMETAL identifies and controls hazards before they cause harm.

Leaders set the standard. Every supervisor, foreman, and project manager at LIQUIDMETAL is a safety leader — whether they think of themselves that way or not. Crews watch what leaders do, not just what they say. A supervisor who walks past a hazard without addressing it has communicated something to every person on that crew. A supervisor who stops work to correct a safety issue has communicated something far more important.

Personal protective equipment is the last line of defense, not the first. PPE matters — LIQUIDMETAL requires it and provides it. But PPE does not eliminate hazards. Engineering controls, safe work procedures, and proper planning reduce hazards before they reach an employee. PPE is the backup, not the solution.

Near misses are warnings. Treat them that way. A near miss is an incident that did not result in injury — this time. It is not a good outcome. It is a signal that a hazard exists and is not fully controlled. Near misses are reported, investigated, and acted on at LIQUIDMETAL with the same seriousness as recordable injuries.

Stop work authority is real authority. Every LIQUIDMETAL employee — from the newest laborer to the most experienced journeyman — has the authority to stop any work activity they believe is unsafe. That authority is not conditional on rank, approval, or justification beyond a genuine safety concern. It will never result in retaliation.

We go home safe. Every day. This is not a slogan. It is the standard against which every shift, every decision, and every safety program at LIQUIDMETAL is measured. If an employee does not go home safe, something in this system failed — and LIQUIDMETAL will find out what it was and correct it.

2.3Core Life Saving Rules — CRAFT

Some hazards in the industrial environments LIQUIDMETAL operates in are so severe that a single failure to follow the correct procedure can result in immediate death or catastrophic injury. These are not the hazards that sneak up on people over years of repeated exposure. They are the ones that kill in a single moment — and that moment comes without warning.

LIQUIDMETAL has identified five categories of work where the consequences of deviation are irreversible. These are our Core Life Saving Rules. They are non-negotiable. They apply on every job, to every employee, without exception.

The five Core Life Saving Rules are remembered using the acronym CRAFT.

C - Confined Space Entry

All confined spaces must be evaluated, classified, and permitted before entry.

No Liquidmetal employee enters a permit-required confined space without a completed, signed entry permit. No exceptions. Not for a quick look. Not to retrieve a dropped tool. Not because the space "looks fine."

Confined space atmospheres cannot be assessed by sight. A space that has killed workers before your entry can look, smell, and feel completely normal. The permit process — atmospheric testing, isolation, ventilation, attendant, rescue plan — exists because the hazard is invisible until it is too late.

Violation of this rule is a critical safety event. It will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

For full confined space entry requirements, see Chapter 3.18.

R - Rigging and Lifting

Personnel shall never work or walk beneath a suspended load.

A suspended load is never truly at rest. Rigging can fail. Equipment can malfunction. Loads can shift. The space directly beneath a lifted load is a zone where a single equipment failure results in a fatality — and there is no warning before it happens.

LIQUIDMETAL riggers perform lift planning, inspect rigging before every use, and control the lift path to keep people out of the load's fall zone. Every employee on a job where lifting is occurring is responsible for staying out from under suspended loads — whether the lift is being performed by LIQUIDMETAL or by another contractor.

Violation of this rule — walking or working under a suspended load — is a critical safety event. It will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

For full rigging and crane requirements, see Chapter 3.16.

A - Arc Flash and Electrical Safety

Wear required PPE and follow electrical safe work practices whenever working on or near exposed electrical equipment.

Electrical hazards kill in two ways: electrocution from contact with energized conductors, and arc flash — an explosive release of electrical energy that generates temperatures exceeding 35,000°F and a blast pressure wave capable of causing fatal injuries at distances well beyond the point of contact.

Both hazards are present in the industrial environments LIQUIDMETAL works in. Both require specific PPE, specific work practices, and in most cases, specific authorization. Unqualified employees do not perform electrical work. Qualified employees do not perform electrical work without the correct PPE and a verified de-energization procedure.

The assumption that governs all electrical work at LIQUIDMETAL is stated in the Electrical Safety chapter and is repeated here: Treat every piece of electrical equipment as energized until it has been de-energized, locked out, and verified by a qualified person using a properly rated testing device.

Violation of electrical safe work practices involving energized equipment is a critical safety event. It will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

For full electrical safety requirements, see Chapter 3.20.

F - Fall Protection

Use fall protection whenever exposed to a fall hazard at or above the required threshold.

Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. At LIQUIDMETAL, fall protection is required at four feet above a lower level in general industry settings and six feet in construction activities. When site conditions or customer requirements set a lower threshold, comply with the more protective standard.

No schedule justifies working at elevation without fall protection in place. No task is so quick that it cannot wait for the harness to be put on and tied off. The time it takes to properly don and connect fall protection is trivial. The time it takes to recover from a fall, if recovery is possible, is not.

Fall protection includes more than a harness. It includes the inspection of that harness before each use, the selection of an adequate anchorage point, the proper connection of the lanyard or self-retracting lifeline, and the understanding of how the entire system works before any employee is exposed to the fall hazard.

Violation of fall protection requirements is a critical safety event. It will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

For full fall protection requirements, see Chapter 3.7.

T - Tagout / Lockout / Clearance Control

All hazardous energy must be isolated, locked out, and verified before any employee begins work on equipment that could be inadvertently energized or released.

Machines and equipment that injure workers during maintenance and servicing do not malfunction. They do exactly what they were designed to do — and the employee working on them was not protected from the energy that drove that motion, opened that valve, or released that pressure.

LIQUIDMETAL's Lockout/Tagout program is the procedure that changes that outcome. Every energy source — electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, thermal, gravitational, chemical — must be isolated and controlled before work begins. The authorized employee applies their personal lock. The equipment is tested to confirm it will not operate. Work begins only after that confirmation.

This rule has no informal version. There is no "quick maintenance" that is too short to require lockout. There is no equipment that is too familiar to require verification. The employee who has worked on a piece of equipment a hundred times without incident is not protected by that history — they are protected by the lock on the energy isolating device.

Violation of LOTO requirements is a critical safety event. It will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

For full Lockout/Tagout requirements, see Chapter 3.19.

CRAFT — A Summary

A Note on Customer Life Saving Rules

Many of the facilities where LIQUIDMETAL employees work — particularly power generation plants, refineries, and chemical facilities — have their own Life Saving Rules or Cardinal Rules that apply to all contractors on site. These customer rules carry the same weight on that site as LIQUIDMETAL's CRAFT rules. During project orientation, your supervisor will identify any site-specific Life Saving Rules that apply to your assignment. You are expected to know them and follow them.

2.4Management Commitment to Safety

What Management Commitment Means at Liquidmetal

Management commitment to safety is not measured by what is written in a policy document. It is measured by what managers and supervisors do on the job — how they respond when schedule conflicts with safety, how they react when an employee stops work, and whether they lead their crew the same way they would if the Safety Director were watching.

At Liquidmetal, management commitment to safety means the following — and employees should expect to see these behaviors from every supervisor, foreman, and project manager on every job.

What Liquidmetal Management Commits To

Providing a safe workplace. LIQUIDMETAL management is responsible for ensuring that the tools, equipment, PPE, training, and procedures necessary to perform work safely are available before work begins. A supervisor who allows work to proceed without required resources has failed this commitment.

Leading by example. Supervisors wear their PPE, always. They conduct pre-job briefings, every shift. They address unsafe conditions when they see them, immediately. They do not ask employees to do anything they would not do themselves under the same conditions.

Supporting Stop Work Authority. When an employee stops work due to a safety concern, Liquidmetal management responds by addressing the concern, not by questioning the employee's judgment, minimizing the concern, or applying pressure to resume. The employee who stops unsafe work is doing their job correctly. Management's job is to confirm that and resolve the hazard.

Investigating incidents and near misses. When something goes wrong, or nearly goes wrong, Liquidmetal management investigates it. Not to find someone to blame, but to understand what failed and prevent it from happening again. Employees are expected to cooperate fully. Management is expected to act on what the investigation finds.

Holding everyone accountable consistently. Safety accountability applies to everyone equally. An experienced employee who bypasses a safety requirement is held to the same standard as a new hire. A supervisor who tolerates unsafe behavior is accountable for the behavior their tolerance enables. Inconsistent enforcement destroys safety culture faster than almost anything else.

Communicating openly about safety. Liquidmetal management communicates safety expectations before work begins, addresses safety concerns when employees raise them, and shares lessons learned from incidents and near misses so that every crew benefits from what was discovered. Safety information is not kept at the management level — it flows to every employee on the project.

Ensuring training is completed before work begins. No employee is assigned to perform work for which they have not been trained and authorized. Management is responsible for verifying qualifications before assigning tasks — not after an incident reveals the gap.

What Employees Can Expect

You can expect Liquidmetal management to take your safety concerns seriously. You can expect them to address hazards when you report them. You can expect them to provide the PPE and training you need to do your job safely. And you can expect them to back you up when you make the right safety decision, even when it creates a problem for the schedule.

If you find that your supervisor is not meeting these commitments, if you are being pressured to work unsafely, to skip required procedures, or to ignore a hazard, you have the right to escalate that concern to the project manager, to the Liquidmetal Safety Department, or directly to the Safety Director. That right is protected. Use it.

2.5Safety Program Goals

Liquidmetal Industrial Solutions measures safety performance because what gets measured gets managed. Our safety goals are reviewed annually by company leadership and the Safety Department and adjusted based on what the data shows. They are not aspirational statements — they are operational targets with real accountability behind them.

Liquidmetal's Safety Goals

Zero serious injuries and fatalities. Every other goal exists in service of this one. LIQUIDMETAL does not accept serious injuries as an inevitable cost of the work we perform. We design our programs, our training, and our daily operations around the belief that every serious injury is preventable.

Reduction in recordable injury and illness rates. LIQUIDMETAL tracks its OSHA recordable injury and illness rate as a primary performance metric. Improvement year over year is expected. When the rate increases, the company analyzes why and responds with specific corrective actions — not general awareness campaigns.

Full compliance with OSHA standards and customer safety requirements. LIQUIDMETAL does not treat regulatory compliance as a ceiling. It is a floor. Zero regulatory violations during audits and customer evaluations is the standard, not the stretch goal.

100 percent completion of required safety training. No employee performs work for which they have not completed required training. This goal is tracked by role, by project, and by individual employee. Gaps in training compliance are addressed before employees are deployed to the field.

Increased near-miss and hazard reporting. The number of near misses and hazards reported is a leading indicator of safety culture health. A crew that reports near misses is a crew that is paying attention, communicating openly, and engaged in preventing incidents. LIQUIDMETAL actively works to increase this number — because more reports means more hazards identified before they become injuries.

Prompt corrective action on identified hazards. Identifying a hazard is only valuable if the hazard is corrected. LIQUIDMETAL sets a goal of resolving identified hazards within defined timeframes based on severity. Critical hazards are corrected immediately or work is stopped. Non-critical hazards are tracked to completion.

Continuous improvement in safety program effectiveness. Safety programs are reviewed annually and updated based on incident data, regulatory changes, industry best practices, and employee feedback. A safety program that has not been updated in several years is a safety program that is falling behind.

How Goals Are Communicated to Employees

Safety performance data — including injury rates, near-miss trends, and training compliance — is shared with LIQUIDMETAL employees through project safety meetings, toolbox talks, and direct communication from supervisors. Employees are not expected to be passive recipients of safety information. They are expected to contribute to it — by reporting hazards, completing documentation accurately, and providing feedback on programs that are not working as intended.

If you have a suggestion that would improve safety at LIQUIDMETAL, bring it to your supervisor or the Safety Representative. LIQUIDMETAL's safety programs were built on lessons learned in the field. The next improvement probably is too.

2.6Safety Responsibilities

Safety at LIQUIDMETAL is everyone's job. That phrase gets used so frequently in industrial safety that it risks losing its meaning. Here, it is not a slogan — it is a description of how accountability is actually distributed. The sections below state specifically what each level of the organization is responsible for.

Employee Responsibilities

Every LIQUIDMETAL employee — regardless of title, trade, or years of experience — is responsible for the following:

• Performing all work in accordance with this handbook, applicable OSHA standards, customer site requirements, and any task-specific training received.
• Reporting to work fit for duty — physically capable, mentally alert, and free from impairing substances.
• Wearing required PPE correctly and consistently whenever it is required.
• Completing required safety documentation accurately, completely, and on time.
• Participating fully in pre-job briefings and job safety analyses before beginning any task with significant hazards.
• Reporting all injuries, near misses, unsafe conditions, and unsafe acts to your supervisor immediately.
• Exercising Stop Work Authority when you observe or are asked to perform work that you believe is immediately unsafe.
• Refusing to perform work for which you have not been trained or authorized.
• Treating every coworker with the respect necessary for a functional, safe team.
• Following CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules without exception.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervisors and foremen are LIQUIDMETAL's frontline safety leaders. The safety performance of every crew is a direct reflection of the safety leadership the supervisor provides.

Supervisors are responsible for:

• Ensuring every employee under their direction has completed required training and holds required qualifications for the tasks they are assigned.
• Conducting a pre-job briefing and completing a JSA before every shift and before any new high-hazard task begins.
• Identifying and correcting hazards in the work area before employees are exposed to them.
• Assigning tasks only to employees who are qualified, physically capable, and fit for duty.
• Never tolerating unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, or deviations from established safe work procedures.
• Responding immediately when an employee is injured — ensuring they receive appropriate medical care before initiating the incident investigation.
• Completing incident reports and near-miss reports accurately, thoroughly, and within required timeframes.
• Enforcing CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules without exception.
• Supporting employees who exercise Stop Work Authority — addressing the concern before work resumes.
• Communicating safety expectations clearly and consistently, including customer site-specific requirements during project orientation.

Project Manager Responsibilities

Project managers carry operational responsibility for the safety performance of the entire project. They set the tone from the planning phase forward.

Project managers are responsible for:

• Incorporating safety requirements into project planning — including identification of high-hazard activities, required permits, and resource needs for safe execution.
• Ensuring that pre-job safety planning accounts for the specific hazards of the work scope and the site.
• Verifying that qualified employees and required equipment are in place before high-hazard work begins.
• Reviewing safety performance data — incident rates, near-miss reports, inspection results — and acting on what the data shows.
• Escalating unresolved safety issues to the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department when site-level resolution is not achieved.
• Ensuring customer site safety requirements are communicated to all LIQUIDMETAL supervisors and crew members.

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions Responsibilities

As a company, LIQUIDMETAL is responsible for:

• Providing a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
• Supplying all required PPE, safety equipment, and tools at no cost to employees.
• Ensuring all employees receive safety training required for their roles before beginning work.
• Maintaining written safety programs that comply with applicable OSHA standards.
• Investigating all workplace incidents and near misses to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Reviewing and updating this handbook and associated safety programs at least annually.
• Protecting employees who report safety concerns, exercise Stop Work Authority, or participate in incident investigations from retaliation.

2.7Stop Work Authority

Every Employee Has It. Every Employee Is Expected to Use It.

Stop Work Authority is the right — and the responsibility — of every LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employee to stop any work activity that they believe presents an immediate risk of injury, illness, or property damage.

It is not a privilege granted to senior employees. It is not conditional on rank, approval, or a perfect explanation of the hazard. It belongs to every person on every LIQUIDMETAL job from their first day of employment.

When to Use Stop Work Authority

Use Stop Work Authority when you observe or are directly involved in any of the following:

• A task is about to begin or is underway without required permits, controls, or protective measures in place.
• A CRAFT Core Life Saving Rule is being violated or is about to be violated.
• A hazard exists in the work area that has not been identified, communicated, or controlled.
• Conditions have changed since the pre-job briefing in a way that introduces new hazards that have not been addressed.
• An employee appears unfit for duty — physically, mentally, or due to substance impairment.
• You are asked to perform work that you have not been trained to perform safely.
• Something does not feel right and you cannot immediately identify why.

That last point deserves emphasis. You do not need to be able to articulate a specific OSHA violation to stop work. If your experience and instincts are telling you that something is wrong, that is enough. Stop the work. Figure out what is wrong. Correct it. Then resume.

How to Stop Work

Stopping work does not require a formal process or special language. What it requires is a clear, direct communication to the crew and supervisor.

When you stop work:

• State clearly that work needs to stop. "Stop work" or "hold on" communicated clearly to the crew is sufficient. You do not need to justify it before you say it.
• Move people to a safe area away from the immediate hazard.
• Notify your supervisor as soon as possible. Explain what you observed and why you stopped the work.
• Do not resume work until the concern has been addressed and the supervisor or Entry Supervisor has confirmed it is safe to proceed.

If your supervisor is the source of the unsafe condition — if you are being directed to perform work that you believe is immediately dangerous — escalate immediately to the project manager or the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative. You have that right. Use it.

After the Stop

The expectation at LIQUIDMETAL is that a Stop Work event is handled promptly and professionally. The supervisor investigates the concern, addresses the hazard, communicates the resolution to the crew, and authorizes resumption of work when it is safe to do so.

Every Stop Work event should be documented — not as a disciplinary record against the employee who stopped the work, but as a record of a hazard that was identified and corrected before someone was injured. These records inform LIQUIDMETAL's safety improvement process.

The Non-Retaliation Guarantee

No LIQUIDMETAL employee will be disciplined, threatened, pressured, reassigned, or otherwise retaliated against for exercising Stop Work Authority in good faith.

This protection is absolute. It applies whether the stop turns out to reveal a serious hazard or a condition that, upon investigation, was less critical than it appeared. An employee who stops work in good faith has done their job correctly. LIQUIDMETAL will respond to that action accordingly.

If you ever believe you experienced retaliation for stopping work, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Director immediately. That concern will be investigated with the same seriousness as any other safety incident.

2.8Incident, Injury, and Near Miss Reporting

The First Rule: Report Everything

No matter how minor an injury appears at first, no matter how close a near miss seemed, no matter how certain you are that everything is "fine" — report it to your supervisor immediately.

Injuries that appear minor at the time of occurrence sometimes reveal themselves to be more serious hours or days later. Near misses are warnings that a hazard exists and has not been fully controlled. Hazards that are not reported cannot be corrected. LIQUIDMETAL cannot investigate what it does not know about, and it cannot improve what it does not investigate.

Reporting is not a failure. Not reporting is.

What Must Be Reported

Injuries and Illnesses Any injury or occupational illness sustained while performing LIQUIDMETAL work must be reported to your supervisor immediately — regardless of whether it requires medical treatment beyond first aid. This includes cuts, abrasions, sprains, burns, chemical contacts, hearing changes, heat illness, respiratory symptoms, and any other physical harm that occurs during the workday or in connection with work activities.

Do not decide on your own whether an injury is "serious enough" to report. Report it. Let the supervisor and the Safety Department make that determination. An employee who fails to report an injury — and whose condition then worsens — has made a difficult situation worse for everyone, including themselves.

Near Misses A near miss is any unplanned event that did not result in injury or damage, but had the potential to do so under slightly different circumstances. If a load shifted and nearly struck a worker, if a tool fell from a platform and landed in an unoccupied area, if a slip on a wet surface was caught before a fall — these are near misses. Report them.

Near misses are the most valuable safety data LIQUIDMETAL has access to, because they reveal hazards before anyone is hurt. A workforce that reports near misses consistently is a workforce that is actively preventing the next injury. LIQUIDMETAL treats near-miss reports as positive contributions to safety — not as admissions of failure.

Unsafe Conditions and Hazards Unsafe conditions — damaged equipment, missing guards, uncontrolled energy sources, unstable materials, inadequate lighting, or any other condition that could cause injury — are reported under Chapter 1.16 and are handled separately from injury and near-miss reports. If an unsafe condition directly contributed to a near miss or injury, include it in the incident report.

How to Report

Immediately notify your supervisor. Do this verbally, in person or by phone, as soon as possible after the event. Do not wait until the end of the shift. Do not wait until you have decided the injury is serious enough. Notify your supervisor immediately.

For injuries requiring medical attention: Your supervisor will coordinate medical care. If the injury is life-threatening or involves a serious emergency, call 911 first. Then notify your supervisor.

Complete the required documentation. Your supervisor will initiate the formal incident or near-miss report using LIQUIDMETAL's required documentation process. You will be asked to provide a factual account of what happened. Provide it honestly and completely. Do not speculate about causes. Do not minimize what occurred. State what you observed and what happened, in order, as accurately as you can.

Cooperate with the investigation. After an incident, LIQUIDMETAL will conduct an investigation to identify the root cause and determine corrective actions. Participation in that investigation is expected of all employees involved. The purpose of the investigation is to prevent recurrence — not to assign blame or build a disciplinary case.

Reporting Timeframes

Injuries and illnesses: Report to your supervisor immediately. Formal documentation completed within 24 hours of the event, or as required by the customer site's program — whichever is sooner.

Near misses: Report to your supervisor immediately. Documentation completed before the end of the shift in which the event occurred.

OSHA-reportable events: Certain events require OSHA notification within specific timeframes. These include work-related fatalities (8-hour notification), and in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye (24-hour notification). LIQUIDMETAL management will handle OSHA notifications — employees are responsible for notifying their supervisor immediately so the company can meet these requirements.

Customer Site Reporting Requirements

Many customer facilities require contractors to report incidents, near misses, and injuries through the site's own reporting system in addition to LIQUIDMETAL's internal process. These requirements — including reporting timeframes and the specific forms or contacts involved — will be communicated during project orientation. Customer-required reporting does not replace LIQUIDMETAL's internal reporting requirements. Both must be completed.

Medical Treatment

LIQUIDMETAL will ensure that injured employees receive prompt medical care. In the case of non-emergency injuries, the company may direct initial medical treatment to a designated occupational health provider. Employees who seek outside medical treatment without notification may be responsible for confirming that treatment records are provided to LIQUIDMETAL as part of the injury management process.

An employee's right to medical treatment after a workplace injury is protected. LIQUIDMETAL will not discourage, delay, or interfere with an employee seeking medical attention for a legitimate work-related injury.

Drug and Alcohol Testing After an Incident

Post-incident drug and alcohol testing is a component of LIQUIDMETAL's Drug and Alcohol Policy (Chapter 1.7). Drug and alcohol testing will be performed following an accident or incident. Affected employees will not return to work on a customer's premises until documentation of a negative result has been received. Refusal to test following an incident is treated as a positive result.

Testing is part of incident response. It is not a response to the act of reporting, and no employee will be disciplined, penalized, or discouraged for reporting an injury, illness, or near miss.

2.9Pre-Job Briefings and JSA Expectations

The Conversation That Prevents the Injury

A pre-job briefing is a structured conversation between a supervisor and the work crew that happens before any task with significant hazards begins. It is not a formality. It is not a box to check before the real work starts. It is the point in the day when the hazards of a specific task are identified, the controls are confirmed, and every person on the crew has the opportunity to ask a question or raise a concern before anyone is exposed to the hazard.

Most injuries happen to employees who already knew how to do the work they were doing when they were hurt. They did not lack skill. They lacked awareness of a specific condition, a changed circumstance, or a hazard in that particular situation on that particular day. A pre-job briefing is the tool that addresses that gap.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

A Job Safety Analysis — commonly called a JSA — is a written document that breaks a task into individual steps, identifies the hazards at each step, and specifies the controls that will be used to manage those hazards. The JSA drives the pre-job briefing. Together, they are LIQUIDMETAL's primary field-level hazard management tools.

When a JSA is required:

• Before any task that presents a significant hazard — including but not limited to work at elevation, work involving hazardous energy, confined space work, hot work, and any task involving a CRAFT Core Life Saving Rule.
• Before any task for which conditions at the jobsite differ materially from what was expected.
• At the start of each shift on multi-day tasks where conditions may have changed overnight.
• Whenever a customer site requires a JSA or equivalent pre-task document as a condition of beginning work.
• Whenever a supervisor determines that the complexity or hazard level of a task warrants one — even if it is not specifically required.

What a JSA must contain:

• A description of the task and the work location.
• A step-by-step identification of each significant step in the task.
• The specific hazards associated with each step.
• The specific controls that will be used to manage each hazard — not generic controls like "use PPE," but specific controls: "full-body harness, shock-absorbing lanyard, tied off to structural steel at Column B-4."
• The names and signatures of all crew members who participated in the briefing.
• The date, time, and supervisor's signature.

A JSA that is too generic is not a JSA. If the controls listed could apply to any version of this task at any site under any conditions, the document has not done its job. The value of a JSA is its specificity to this task, on this site, with this crew, today.

Employee Responsibilities During a Pre-Job Briefing

Every employee who participates in a pre-job briefing is responsible for the following:

Pay attention. The briefing is not background noise before work starts. It is the most important conversation you will have before performing any high-hazard task. Listen to it.

Raise concerns before work begins. If you have a question, an observation about the work area, a concern about a procedure, or a condition that was not mentioned in the briefing — say it now. Once work begins, the window for easy course correction closes. A concern raised during a briefing can be addressed in five minutes. The same concern left unspoken can result in an injury.

Read and understand the JSA before signing it. Your signature on a JSA is not a formality. It is a professional statement that you participated in the briefing, you understand the hazards identified, and you understand the controls specified. Do not sign a JSA that you have not read. Do not sign a JSA if something in it does not reflect what you understand the work plan to be.

Speak up if conditions change. A JSA reflects the conditions and the plan at the time of the briefing. If conditions change after work begins — new hazards identified, an equipment change, a change in scope, changed atmospheric conditions — stop work, notify your supervisor, and conduct a new or updated briefing before proceeding.

Stop Work Is Always Available

If at any point during a task you encounter a condition or hazard that was not addressed in the JSA and pre-job briefing, you have the authority to stop work immediately under Chapter 2.7. A briefing that did not anticipate a hazard does not remove your right — or your responsibility — to stop when you encounter one.

2.10General Safety Rules

The following rules apply to all LIQUIDMETAL employees at all locations without exception. They are the baseline minimum for safe conduct on any LIQUIDMETAL job. Violation of these rules is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

If you are ever unsure about the safe way to perform a task, stop and ask your supervisor before proceeding. There is no acceptable reason for guessing when the answer is a supervisor's phone call away.

• All injuries, regardless of severity, must be reported immediately to your supervisor. Do not wait. Do not treat it yourself and say nothing. Report it.
• No alcohol or illegal drugs are permitted on any LIQUIDMETAL jobsite, in company vehicles, or at any customer facility at any time.
• Horseplay, fighting, intimidation, or any conduct that puts yourself or others at physical risk is prohibited and will result in immediate termination.
• Fall protection is mandatory when working at four feet or more above a lower level in general industry settings and six feet or more in construction activities. When site conditions or customer requirements set a lower threshold, comply with the more protective standard.
• Eye protection — safety glasses with side shields meeting ANSI Z87.1 — must be worn in all industrial areas at all times. Face shields are required in addition to safety glasses for grinding, chipping, burning, and chemical splash hazards.
• Hard hats meeting ANSI Z89.1 Class E must be worn in all industrial areas. Wear the brim forward with the nape strap behind the head. Nothing is carried inside the shell.
• All tools and equipment must be inspected before use. Defective tools are tagged out of service and removed from use immediately. Do not use a tool that is damaged, incomplete, or missing required guards.
• Only the right tool for the job is used. Improvised tools, cheater bars, and field-fabricated equipment substitutes are not permitted.
• Work areas must be maintained in an orderly condition throughout the shift. Materials, tools, cords, hoses, and debris are managed so that they do not create tripping hazards, block emergency access, or create a hazard for others.
• Comply with all posted signs, barricades, and safety markings. Do not cross a barricade — red or yellow — without understanding the hazard it identifies and obtaining appropriate authorization.
• All personally owned safety equipment brought to the jobsite must meet LIQUIDMETAL's PPE standards and must be approved by the supervisor before use.
• Smoke and use tobacco products only in designated areas. Dispose of all tobacco waste properly.
• Running is not permitted on any jobsite except in a genuine life-safety emergency.
• Do not step, stand, or walk on piping, valves, conduit, equipment housings, or any surface not designed to support the weight of a person. Use ladders, platforms, scaffolding, or aerial lifts for elevated access.
• All employees working at customer facilities must follow the site's safety rules in addition to LIQUIDMETAL's requirements. When the customer's rule is more protective, comply with the customer's rule.
• Any employee who does not know how to safely perform an assigned task has a professional and legal obligation to say so before beginning the work — not after.
• Look out for your coworkers. Consider how your work, your position, and your tools create hazards for the people working around you. We are responsible for each other.

2.11Housekeeping

Why Housekeeping Is a Safety Issue, Not a Cleanliness Issue

An industrial job site where tools are left in walkways, hoses cross every aisle, scrap materials are stacked wherever there was room, and the floor has not been swept since yesterday is not just messy. It is dangerous. Slips, trips, and falls — the most consistent source of workplace injuries across every industry — are directly enabled by poor housekeeping. So are fire hazards, dropped objects, and the kind of disorganized environment where a small problem escalates into a serious incident because nobody noticed it developing.

Good housekeeping at LIQUIDMETAL is not about appearances. It is about maintaining a work environment where hazards can be seen, controlled, and corrected before they cause harm.

Standards That Apply to Every LIQUIDMETAL Work Area

Walkways and access paths are kept clear at all times. No tools, materials, hoses, cables, or debris in any path used by personnel to access work areas, equipment, or emergency exits. This applies continuously throughout the shift — not just at the start and end of the day.

Materials are stored properly, not staged wherever they fit. Pipe, bar stock, lumber, and similar materials are stored on racks or blocking to prevent rolling and falling. Stacked materials are secured and stable. Nothing is stored against fire suppression equipment, electrical panels, or emergency exits.

Scrap, waste, and trash are disposed of as the job progresses. LIQUIDMETAL does not clean up at the end of the job. We clean up as we work. Scrap metal, cut material, packaging, and other waste go into designated containers when they are generated — not at the end of the shift.

Cords, hoses, and cables are managed. Electrical cords, welding leads, air hoses, and instrument cables are routed overhead wherever possible. Where they must cross a walking surface, they are covered with appropriate cord covers or supported so they do not create a tripping hazard. They are never run under walkway grating or through doorways where they can be pinched and damaged.

Spills are addressed immediately. Any liquid spill — oil, water, chemical, or process fluid — is cleaned up or contained immediately when it occurs. A wet floor sign or barricade is placed to warn others while the cleanup is in progress. No spill is left for the next shift.

Tools are returned to their storage location when not in use. Tools left on overhead surfaces, grating, scaffold platforms, or the edges of elevated work areas become dropped objects. Tools left in walkways become tripping hazards. When you are done with a tool, put it away.

Work areas are inspected and cleaned before each shift ends. The crew that created the condition is the crew that corrects it. Do not leave a mess for the next shift.

Specific Housekeeping Requirements by Work Type

Welding and thermal cutting: Weld spatter, slag, and cut material are cleaned from work surfaces, grating, and adjacent areas before they migrate to areas below. Weld curtains and shields are maintained in position during work and properly stored when not in use. Electrode stubs are disposed of in a designated container — not dropped on the floor.

Grinding and tool work: Grinding dust and metal debris are cleaned from work surfaces and surrounding areas at the end of each use. Grinding wheels, cutting discs, and abrasive materials are stored properly and disposed of when worn or damaged.

Scaffold and elevated work: All tools, materials, and debris are removed from scaffold platforms at the end of each shift. Toe boards are in place on all platform edges. Nothing is left on a scaffold overnight that could fall, blow off, or become a dropped object hazard.

Confined space work: All tools and materials brought into a confined space are logged in and logged out. The count is verified when the entry permit is closed. Nothing is left inside a confined space at the end of an entry.

Warehouse and laydown areas: Materials are organized and labeled. Walking paths are marked and maintained. Nothing is stored on top of sprinkler heads, in front of emergency equipment, or in a way that would prevent quick access to stored items.

Housekeeping Is Everyone's Job

Housekeeping is not the foreman's job. It is not the helper's job. It belongs to everyone on the crew. A journeyman who walks past a tripping hazard and does nothing about it because "that's not my mess" has made the jobsite more dangerous for everyone. Pick it up. Move it. Put it where it belongs.

2.12Fatigue Management

Fatigue Is a Hazard

A fatigued worker makes slower decisions, misses details they would normally catch, and is significantly more likely to make the kind of error that causes an injury. Research consistently shows that severe fatigue impairs performance in ways comparable to alcohol intoxication — yet employees who would never consider working while intoxicated routinely push through fatigue as though it carries no risk.

LIQUIDMETAL recognizes fatigue as a real workplace hazard — particularly on outage and shutdown projects involving extended shifts, overnight work, and physically demanding tasks performed under schedule pressure. Managing fatigue is a shared responsibility between the company, supervisors, and employees.

What Causes Fatigue in Industrial Work

The conditions most likely to produce dangerous fatigue in LIQUIDMETAL's work environment include:

• Shifts exceeding 10 hours, particularly when sustained over multiple consecutive days.
• Night shift and rotating shift schedules that disrupt normal sleep patterns.
• Insufficient rest time between shifts — less than 10 hours off between the end of one shift and the start of the next.
• Physically demanding work — sustained heavy lifting, working in awkward positions, operating vibrating tools — that produces muscular fatigue in addition to mental fatigue.
• Working in extreme heat or cold, which accelerates fatigue onset.
• Dehydration and inadequate nutrition during extended shifts.

Recognizing Fatigue

You may be dangerously fatigued if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Difficulty staying focused on the task at hand.
• Making errors you would not normally make.
• Slowed reaction time — noticing that your responses to normal events feel delayed.
• Difficulty keeping your eyes open or staying alert.
• Increased irritability or difficulty thinking clearly.
• Microsleeps — brief, involuntary losses of attention that you may not even notice.

If you observe these signs in a coworker — particularly one operating equipment, working at elevation, or performing high-risk tasks — notify your supervisor immediately. Fatigue in another person can be easier to observe than fatigue in yourself.

Employee Responsibilities

Arrive at each shift adequately rested. LIQUIDMETAL understands that project schedules are demanding. But an employee who shows up to a 12-hour outage shift having slept three hours is not ready to work safely. Sleep is not optional — it is a safety requirement.

Self-assess honestly before and during each shift. If you are too fatigued to work safely, tell your supervisor. You will not be disciplined for communicating a legitimate safety concern. The alternative — pushing through severe fatigue and causing an injury to yourself or a coworker — is far worse.

Do not use substances to manage fatigue. Energy drinks, caffeine, stimulant medications, and other substances may mask fatigue temporarily, but they do not restore the cognitive function and reaction time that adequate sleep provides. They create a false sense of alertness that can be more dangerous than recognized fatigue.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Plan work schedules to provide adequate rest time. Minimum 10 hours off between shifts under normal conditions. Extended shift lengths require supervisor and safety department review. During outage work, schedule recovery into the rotation.

Monitor crew members throughout the shift. Fatigue builds over the course of a shift and across consecutive days of hard work. A crew that is alert at the start of a 12-hour night shift may be dangerously fatigued by hour 10. Supervisors who are watching their crews will see it.

Take action when fatigue is observed. Assign a rest break. Rotate the task to a different crew member. If fatigue is severe enough to create an immediate safety risk, remove the employee from the hazardous task. This is not a punitive action — it is a safety decision.

Take breaks when the work and the conditions call for them. There is no fixed schedule — how often you need to stop depends on the workload, the shift length, the heat, and the person. Rest in shaded or climate-controlled areas whenever possible.

Stay ahead of dehydration. Drink water steadily through the shift rather than waiting until you are thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already behind. Go easy on caffeine and energy drinks on hot shifts.

Stop and cool down at the first symptom. Do not push through any of these — in yourself or in someone working next to you:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint
• Headache
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps
• Heavy sweating, or sweating that suddenly stops
• Skin that is unusually hot, dry, or flushed
• Dark urine, or not needing to urinate across a long shift
• Confusion, slurred speech, stumbling, or unusual irritability

The last two are late signs. Confusion, or sweating that has stopped, is a medical emergency — not a reason to sit down for a minute. Get help immediately and follow Chapter 3.28.

Section 3Safety Programs

The chapters in this section provide the practical safety information required for the work LIQUIDMETAL performs. They are organized the way work happens — starting with what you put on before you begin, then working through specific tasks and hazards.

Group 1Personal Protection

3.1Personal Protective Equipment

PPE Is the Last Line of Defense — Not the First

Personal protective equipment protects you from the residual hazard that remains after every other control has been applied. Engineering controls, safe work procedures, and proper planning reduce hazards before they reach you. PPE is what stands between you and the hazard that could not be eliminated any other way.

That distinction matters because it tells you something about how PPE must be used. It cannot be treated as optional. It cannot be worn incorrectly and expected to perform. It cannot be skipped because a task looks quick or because the hazard seems manageable. When PPE is required at LIQUIDMETAL, it is required because a real hazard exists that has not been fully eliminated by other means.

LIQUIDMETAL provides all required PPE at no cost to employees.

General PPE Requirements

Inspect before every use. Before putting on any piece of PPE, inspect it. Look for cracks, tears, worn components, damaged hardware, and any sign of deterioration that could affect its protective function. Remove defective PPE from service immediately — tag it out and notify your supervisor. Do not use it in the meantime.

Wear PPE correctly. PPE that is improperly fitted, worn loosely, or applied incorrectly provides substantially less protection than its rating indicates — in some cases, almost none at all. If you are not sure how to properly wear or adjust a piece of PPE, ask before you use it.

Never modify PPE. Do not drill, cut, paint, sand, or otherwise alter PPE. Modifications compromise the protective design of the equipment and may invalidate its ratings.

Replace when required. PPE has a service life. Manufacturer guidance on replacement intervals must be followed. Any PPE that has been involved in a fall arrest event, a significant impact, chemical exposure, or visible damage is removed from service immediately — regardless of how it appears afterward.

Personally owned PPE must meet LIQUIDMETAL's standards for that equipment type and must be approved by the supervisor before use on any LIQUIDMETAL job.

Eye and Face Protection

Safety glasses with permanently attached side shields meeting ANSI Z87.1 must be worn in all industrial areas at all times. This requirement is continuous — not limited to specific tasks.

Exceptions apply only to designated office areas and areas specifically exempted through a documented PPE hazard assessment. When leaving an exempted area and entering an industrial environment, safety glasses must be donned before crossing into the industrial area.

Lens requirements:

• Polycarbonate or equivalent impact-resistant lenses are required for all activities where UV or infrared radiation is generated — including energized electrical work, work near welding arcs, and racking in or out of breakers.
• Tinted lenses are not permitted indoors unless rated for indoor/outdoor use or the lenses are photochromic and approved for indoor areas by the supervisor.
• Contact lens wearers working with hazardous chemicals must consult the applicable Safety Data Sheet for any restrictions on contact lens use with that specific substance.

Face shields are required in addition to safety glasses — not instead of them — for:

• Grinding, chipping, needle gunning, and wire brushing operations.
• Chemical splash hazards.
• Any operation generating large or high-velocity particles.
• Arc-rated face shields for electrical work within arc flash boundaries.

Welding eye protection: Welders, helpers, and fire watch personnel must wear the correct shade of filter lens for the specific welding or cutting process being performed. Refer to the Welding chapter and the pre-job briefing for the correct shade. Wearing an incorrect or insufficiently shaded lens during welding operations can cause permanent eye injury.

All eye and face protection must meet ANSI Z87.1.

Head Protection

Head protection meeting ANSI Z89.1 must be worn in all industrial areas. The class of hard hat is selected for the hazard. The PPE hazard assessment for your task determines which class you need.

Hard hats are also rated by impact type. Type I protects against blows to the top of the head. Type II adds lateral protection and is required where the hazard assessment identifies a side-impact hazard.

If you are not certain which class your assignment requires, ask before you start. When in doubt, Class E is the safe answer — it covers everything Class G covers and adds electrical protection.

• Wear the brim forward and the nape strap behind the head.
• Nothing is stored inside the hard hat shell, no papers, cloth, or personal items. The clearance between the shell and the suspension system is part of the protective design. Filling that space eliminates it.
• Inspect the shell and suspension before each use. Cracks, gouges, holes, or damaged suspension components mean the hard hat must be replaced.
• Any hard hat that has sustained a significant impact, even without visible damage, must be replaced. The shell absorbs impact energy and may be internally compromised without any outward sign.
• Replace hard hat shells per the manufacturer's guidance. Most manufacturers recommend replacement no later than five years from the date of manufacture stamped inside the shell.
• Chin straps or hard hat lanyards must be used at heights, in high wind, or wherever the hat could be dislodged.

Hand Protection

All Liquidmetal employees working in industrial areas must carry gloves on their person at all times. Gloves must be immediately available and worn when the task requires them.

Select gloves appropriate to the specific hazard:

Rotating machinery exception: Gloves worn near rotating machinery — lathes, drill presses, and exposed rotating shafts — may present a higher entanglement risk than the hazard they protect against. Evaluate glove use near rotating equipment on a task-by-task basis. When the risk assessment determines gloves should not be worn, the supervisor documents that decision and communicates it before work begins.

Foot Protection

Safety-toed footwear meeting ASTM F2413 is required in all industrial and warehouse areas. Sandals, open-toe shoes, open-backed shoes, athletic shoes with mesh or canvas uppers, and high heels are prohibited in industrial areas.

Metatarsal protection is required in addition to safety toes where the task creates a risk of impact to the top of the foot — heavy material handling, rigging of heavy components, and any operation identified in the PPE hazard assessment.

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection requirements and proper use are covered in full in Chapter 3.2. Wear hearing protection in all areas posted as Hearing Protection Required, and whenever performing or working near operations that generate hazardous noise levels.

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory protection requirements, respirator types, fit testing, and proper use are covered in full in Chapter 3.3. Wear respiratory protection whenever required by the task, the SDS, or the pre-job briefing.

Flame-Resistant and Arc-Rated Clothing

For hot work operations — welding, cutting, brazing, and grinding — long-sleeved shirts and long pants made of cotton, wool, or flame-resistant material are required. Synthetic fabrics including polyester, nylon, and rayon are prohibited for hot work. These materials melt and adhere to skin when ignited, greatly increasing burn severity.

• Shirt sleeves are worn down and cuffs secured during hot work.
• Pants are worn without cuffs and extend to cover the top of the boot.
• All garments worn during hot work must be free of grease and oil, which can ignite.

For electrical work within arc flash boundaries, arc-rated clothing with an ATPV (arc thermal performance value) appropriate to the incident energy at the work location is required. The arc flash hazard analysis for the specific equipment determines the required PPE category. See Chapter 3.20 for arc flash PPE requirements.

High-Visibility Clothing

High-visibility vests or clothing meeting ANSI Class 2 or higher are required when working in or adjacent to areas with active vehicle or mobile equipment traffic. Your supervisor will specify high-visibility requirements during the pre-job briefing.

Wearing Apparel — General

• Sleeveless shirts are not permitted in industrial areas.
• Shirt sleeves are rolled down during hot work and when working near physical hazards including steam lines, abrasive surfaces, and brush.
• Shirt sleeves are rolled up past the elbow when operating lathes, drill presses, or other rotating machinery where dangling fabric could be caught.
• Long hair must be tied back or secured whenever working near machinery, rotating equipment, or at elevation.
• Dangling jewelry — bracelets, necklaces, rings with protruding features — must be removed in all areas where rotating machinery, electrical equipment, or other entanglement or conduction hazards are present.

PPE Hazard Assessments and Job Safety Analyses

Specific PPE requirements for tasks and work locations are established through documented PPE hazard assessments and through the JSA process. The pre-job briefing communicates the required PPE for each task before work begins. If you are assigned to a task and the required PPE has not been communicated, ask your supervisor before starting.

3.2Hearing Protection

Hearing Loss Is Permanent

The hair cells inside the human inner ear that convert sound into nerve signals do not regenerate. When they are damaged by noise exposure, that damage is permanent. No surgery, no medication, and no hearing aid restores the hearing that noise has taken. A hearing aid makes sounds louder — it cannot restore the clarity of hearing that existed before the damage occurred.

Noise-induced hearing loss develops gradually, over months and years of repeated exposure. It does not hurt as it happens. Most people who develop it do not notice the change until it begins affecting their daily life — following conversations in a crowded room, hearing clearly on the phone, understanding what someone says across the dinner table. By the time the loss is obvious, years of irreversible damage have already accumulated.

Liquidmetal employees work in some of the noisiest environments in industry. Protecting your hearing requires consistent use of hearing protection on every exposure — not just the obviously loud ones.

Where the Noise Comes From

Most of the noise on an industrial site is not yours. Ambient plant noise — turbines, compressors, blowers, fin-fans, process equipment — is generated and controlled by the host facility. The facility determines where hearing protection is required and posts those areas. Wear hearing protection in every posted area, without exception. Where LIQUIDMETAL works on a customer site, the customer's noise program takes precedence over ours.

What you control is the noise you create. Grinding, chipping, needle-gunning, air tools, abrasive blasting, and hammering routinely exceed 100 dBA at the operator's ear — and they expose everyone working near you, not just you.

When You Are the Noise Source

• Put hearing protection on before you start, not after the noise starts bothering you.
• Warn the crew around you before beginning a high-noise task, and give them time to protect themselves or move.
• Use the quieter method where one exists — a different tool, a different technique, or a shield.
• Coordinate high-noise work so several crews are not stacking noise into the same area at the same time.

The Reference Point

OSHA's action level is an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA — the level at which a hearing conservation program applies. You cannot judge that by ear, but there is a reliable field test: if you have to raise your voice to be understood by someone an arm's length away, you are likely at or above it. Report those conditions to your supervisor so exposure can be evaluated.

Audiometric Testing

Hearing testing is provided through a third-party occupational health provider and monitored by LIQUIDMETAL. If your work places you in the hearing conservation program, you will be scheduled. Attend when you are scheduled — testing is how hearing loss gets caught while it is still early and still limited. Noise-induced hearing loss does not come back.

Direct questions about your testing schedule or your results to the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department.

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Noise Awareness program, Safety Manual p. 344.

When Hearing Protection Is Required

Wear hearing protection in all of the following situations without exception:

Posted Hearing Protection Areas: Any area marked with a Hearing Protection Required sign requires hearing protection for all personnel entering the area — regardless of how long you plan to be there, what you are doing, or whether work is actively in progress when you arrive. The sign means the area has been assessed and determined hazardous. Comply immediately upon entering.

Loud Tool and Equipment Operations: Wear hearing protection whenever you are operating or working near any of the following without designated noise controls in place:

• Angle grinders, die grinders, and cut-off wheels
• Needle guns, chipping hammers, and pneumatic chisels
• Impact wrenches and pneumatic impact tools
• Power saws and reciprocating saws
• Abrasive blasting equipment
• Compressed air tools and pneumatic equipment
• Generators and diesel-powered equipment
• Pump operations and valve venting
• Hydro blasting equipment

When Others Are Generating Hazardous Noise: You do not have to be operating the noisy tool to be at risk. If you cannot hold a normal conversation at arm's length without raising your voice significantly, the noise level in that area requires hearing protection — for everyone present, not only the operator.

Dual Protection — Plugs and Muffs Together: When working in areas where noise levels exceed 105 dBA — certain turbine and compressor operations, continuous heavy blasting, and similar extreme-noise environments — wear both earplugs and earmuffs simultaneously. Neither device alone provides adequate protection at these levels.

Customer Site Requirements: Many customer facilities have hearing protection requirements that apply across specific plant areas or throughout the entire site. These requirements may be more extensive than LIQUIDMETAL's standard and will be communicated during project orientation. When customer requirements are more protective, comply with the customer's standard.

Types of Hearing Protection

Disposable Foam Earplugs The most widely used hearing protection in industrial construction. When properly inserted, foam earplugs provide excellent noise reduction. When improperly inserted — resting at the opening of the ear canal rather than seated inside it — they provide almost none. Insertion technique is everything.

Earmuffs Cup-style earmuffs seal around the outer ear and are practical when workers move frequently between noisy and quieter areas. Their limitation is seal integrity — eyeglass temples, hard hat straps, and facial hair can all break the seal and reduce protection significantly. When using earmuffs with a hard hat, use earmuffs specifically designed for hard hat attachment to maintain an adequate seal.

Both types are acceptable for standard hearing protection requirements. Your supervisor will ensure the appropriate type is available for your assignment.

How to Wear Hearing Protection Correctly

Foam Earplugs — Proper Insertion:

Correct insertion is the single most important factor in the protection foam earplugs actually provide.

• Roll the earplug between your fingers until it is compressed into the smallest, narrowest cylinder possible.
• Reach over your head with your opposite hand and gently pull your outer ear upward and back to straighten the ear canal.
• Insert the compressed plug fully into the ear canal — not just at the entrance. It should feel as though it is going in further than seems necessary.
• Hold it in place with your fingertip for 20 to 30 seconds while it expands to fill the canal.
• A properly inserted earplug is barely visible from the front. If it protrudes noticeably from the ear, it is not fully inserted.

Earmuffs — Proper Fit:

• Position the cups so the cushions seal completely against the sides of the head.
• Confirm that no hair, eyeglass temples, cap brims, or clothing lies between the cushion and the skin. Any gap in the seal substantially reduces protection.
• Adjust the headband for firm, comfortable contact.

Inspection, Care, and Replacement

Foam earplugs: Inspect before each use. Discard any plug that is misshapen, no longer springs back to full size after compression, hardened, or visibly contaminated. Disposable earplugs are single-use. Do not wash disposable foam earplugs — washing degrades the foam structure and reduces attenuation.

Earmuffs: Inspect cushion seals for cracks, stiffness, and flattening. Cracked or hardened cushions do not seal. Inspect the headband for cracks and loss of tension. Clean earmuff cups and cushions regularly with a damp cloth and mild soap. Allow to dry before use. Do not store earmuffs where they will be compressed or exposed to prolonged heat.

Report the need for replacement hearing protection to your supervisor. Employees working in hearing hazard areas will not be required to use worn-out or inadequate protection.

What Hearing Protection Cannot Do

Hearing protection reduces your noise exposure — it does not eliminate it. Even properly worn protection may not reduce extreme noise levels to completely safe levels, which is why engineering controls — quieter equipment, mufflers, enclosures — are always evaluated first.

More importantly, hearing protection only protects you while you are wearing it. Brief, unprotected exposures in high-noise areas can account for a disproportionate share of your total daily noise dose. An employee who wears hearing protection for 95 percent of their noise exposure and skips it for the other 5 percent receives far less protection than the device's rating suggests.

Personal Music Devices

Personal music players, earbuds, and wireless headphones are prohibited in all industrial work areas where noise hazards are present. These devices do not provide rated hearing protection. They mask the situational sounds you need to work safely — alarms, warnings from coworkers, and abnormal equipment sounds. Customer sites may have additional or more explicit prohibitions. Comply with site requirements.

Employee Responsibilities

• Wear hearing protection correctly and consistently whenever it is required.
• Carry hearing protection on your person when working in or near areas where it may be required.
• Inspect hearing protection before each use and report the need for replacement to your supervisor.
• Report hearing-related symptoms — ringing in the ears after a shift, difficulty understanding speech in normal conversation, or a feeling of fullness or muffling — to your supervisor and seek medical evaluation. These are early warning signs of noise-induced damage.
• Follow customer site hearing protection requirements in addition to LIQUIDMETAL's requirements.

3.3Respiratory Protection

Purpose

Respiratory protection is required when airborne hazards — dusts, fumes, mists, gases, or vapors — cannot be adequately controlled through engineering controls alone, or when working in atmospheres that are or may be immediately dangerous to life and health. LIQUIDMETAL's respiratory protection program complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134.

Respirators are provided by LIQUIDMETAL at no cost to employees. They are the control of last resort — engineering controls such as ventilation, wet methods, and process substitution are always evaluated first. When those controls are not sufficient, respirators protect employees from the hazard that remains.

Medical Evaluation

Before wearing a respirator for work purposes, every employee must complete a medical evaluation to confirm they are physically capable of wearing the specific respirator required for their assignment. This evaluation uses a standardized medical questionnaire reviewed by a physician or licensed health care professional.

No employee may wear a respirator for work purposes until medical clearance has been received. An employee who is denied clearance may not be assigned to tasks requiring that respirator until clearance is obtained or the task is modified to eliminate the respirator requirement.

If you refuse to complete the medical questionnaire, notify management. You cannot be assigned to respiratory hazard tasks without evaluation.

Respirator Types

Understanding the type of respirator you are using — and what it can and cannot do — is essential to the protection it provides.

Air-Purifying Respirators (APRs) use filters, cartridges, or canisters to remove contaminants from ambient air. They clean the air you breathe. They have two critical limitations: they do not work in oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and they only protect against the specific contaminants they are rated for.

• Half-mask APR: Covers the nose and mouth. Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 10 — reduces your exposure to one-tenth of the ambient concentration when properly fitted and used. Used for welding fumes, dusts, and common chemical vapors with the correct cartridge.
• Full-facepiece APR: Covers the entire face including eyes. APF of 50. Used when greater protection is required or when eye protection from the airborne contaminant is needed.
• Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR): A blower draws air through filters and delivers it to a hood or facepiece. More comfortable for extended use. APF varies by design. Must be rated for welding use when used in welding environments.

Supplied-Air Respirators provide breathing air from a clean external source — not the ambient environment. Required in IDLH atmospheres and oxygen-deficient atmospheres.

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): Self-contained compressed air. Maximum protection. Required for IDLH entry, confined space rescue, and firefighting. Air supply is limited — typically 30 to 60 minutes depending on cylinder size and work rate.
• Supplied-Air (Airline) Respirator: Connected to a compressed air supply by a hose. Allows extended operation but limits mobility. Must be used with an escape SCBA bottle when operating in IDLH atmospheres.

Basic Respirator Selection — Common LIQUIDMETAL Exposures

This table provides general guidance. Actual respirator selection is based on the exposure assessment for the specific task and must be confirmed with the supervisor or Safety Representative before work begins.

Fit Testing

Before any employee uses a tight-fitting respirator — half-mask or full-facepiece — they must pass a qualitative or quantitative fit test confirming the specific respirator model and size achieves an adequate seal on their face.

• Fit tests are conducted before initial assignment and repeated annually at minimum.
• Fit tests must be repeated whenever a significant change in facial structure occurs — notable weight change, major dental work, or facial scarring.
• No employee may be fit tested — or may use a tight-fitting respirator — while wearing a beard, stubble, sideburns, or any other facial hair that passes between the sealing surface and the face. Facial hair that breaks the seal defeats the respirator entirely. This is not a policy preference. It is a physical fact about how respiratory protection works.
• Employees who require prescription eyeglasses must use a full-facepiece respirator model that accommodates spectacle inserts. Standard eyeglasses cannot be worn under a full-facepiece respirator — the temples break the seal.

Using a Respirator Correctly

Before donning:

• Inspect the facepiece for cracks, tears, or deterioration.
• Check that valves are properly seated.
• Confirm filters or cartridges are the correct type and are not expired or exhausted.

Field seal check — every time you don the respirator:

• Negative pressure check: Cover the inhalation valves with your palms, inhale gently, and hold for 10 seconds. The facepiece should collapse slightly and stay collapsed — no air leaking around the seal.
• Positive pressure check: Cover the exhalation valve, exhale gently. The facepiece should pressurize slightly with no leakage around the seal.

During use:

• Do not remove the respirator in the hazardous area for any reason until you have exited to clean air.
• If you experience difficulty breathing, skin irritation, headache, dizziness, or any unusual symptom, leave the hazardous area immediately and notify your supervisor.
• Follow the cartridge change schedule for chemical cartridges. Most chemical hazards provide no sensory warning when a cartridge is exhausted. The schedule — not your sense of smell — governs when cartridges are replaced.

IDLH Atmospheres

An Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) atmosphere is one that poses an immediate threat of death, severe injury, or impairment that would prevent escape. Only SCBA or pressure-demand supplied-air respirators may be used in IDLH conditions. Air-purifying respirators of any type are prohibited.

Additional requirements for IDLH work:

• At least one trained standby person must be stationed outside the IDLH atmosphere at all times, in continuous communication with workers inside.
• The standby must have appropriate rescue equipment ready, including respiratory protection.
• Employees working in IDLH atmospheres must wear a safety harness and retrieval line to enable non-entry rescue if they are incapacitated.

Cleaning, Inspection, and Storage

Cleaning: Clean and sanitize respirators after each use. Wash the facepiece in a mild detergent solution, rinse thoroughly, and sanitize using an appropriate sanitizing solution at the correct concentration. Rinse all sanitizing solution completely from the facepiece before storage or reuse.

Inspection: After cleaning and before storage, inspect the facepiece, straps, valves, and hardware. Replace any component showing wear, cracking, loss of elasticity, or damage.

Storage: Store respirators in a clean, sealed bag or dedicated container. Protect from sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and chemical vapors. Store so the facepiece is not compressed or distorted — a distorted facepiece will not seal correctly.

Repairs: Only qualified personnel using manufacturer-approved replacement parts may repair respirators. Do not attempt field repairs.

Training

Employees required to wear respirators receive training before initial assignment and annually thereafter. Training covers the hazards requiring respiratory protection, the limitations of the respirator provided, how to inspect, don, use, and maintain the equipment, and the requirements for medical evaluation and fit testing.

3.4Hazard Communication and Chemical Hazards

Your Right to Know

Federal law requires that employees have access to information about the hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to during their work. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), 29 CFR 1910.1200, requires chemical manufacturers to communicate hazard information through labels and Safety Data Sheets, and requires employers to make that information available to employees and to train them on how to use it.

At LIQUIDMETAL, that obligation is taken seriously. You have the right — at any time — to request and receive a Safety Data Sheet for any hazardous chemical you work with or may be exposed to. That right does not require a supervisor's approval or a specific reason.

Never handle a hazardous chemical you do not understand. If you do not have access to the SDS for a chemical you are about to use, stop and contact your supervisor before proceeding.

GHS Labels — What Every Employee Must Be Able to Read

All hazardous chemicals are labeled using the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling. Every LIQUIDMETAL employee must be able to read and interpret GHS labels before working with any chemical product.

Signal Word: Indicates severity of hazard.

• DANGER — more severe hazard
• WARNING — less severe hazard

Hazard Statements: Standardized phrases describing the nature of the hazard. Example: "Causes serious eye damage" or "May cause cancer."

Precautionary Statements: Actions to prevent harm — storage requirements, PPE to wear, first aid response, and disposal instructions.

GHS Pictograms: Standardized symbols indicating the hazard category.

Container Labeling Requirements

• Do not deface, remove, or cover manufacturer labels on chemical containers.
• All chemicals must remain in their original containers or in properly labeled secondary containers. Secondary containers must show the chemical name and key hazard information.
• Small quantities transferred for immediate use may be in unlabeled containers only if they are used completely during that work period — the container is not set aside, stored, or reused.
• Any unlabeled container of any size found in a work area must be reported to the supervisor and treated as an unknown hazard until identified. Do not use it.

Safety Data Sheets

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be available for every hazardous chemical used at LIQUIDMETAL-controlled locations. SDSs follow a standardized 16-section format. The sections most critical for field employees are:

• Section 2 — Hazard Identification: What are the hazards?
• Section 4 — First Aid Measures: What do I do if exposed?
• Section 5 — Firefighting Measures: How do I respond to a fire involving this chemical?
• Section 7 — Handling and Storage: How do I use and store it safely?
• Section 8 — Exposure Controls and PPE: What protection do I need?

SDSs are accessible through the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative and through the company's SDS management system. If you cannot locate the SDS for a chemical you are working with, contact your supervisor immediately. Do not start work with a chemical for which you cannot obtain an SDS.

Before beginning any chemical task: locate the nearest emergency eyewash station and safety shower. Know how to reach them before you need them.

Handling and Storage

• Handle all chemicals in accordance with the SDS and any site-specific requirements.
• Wear the PPE specified in the SDS. SDS PPE requirements are the minimum — site conditions or supervisor direction may require additional protection.
• Store chemicals in approved, labeled containers in designated storage areas, separated by chemical compatibility. Acids and bases are not stored together. Oxidizers are separated from flammables.
• Do not eat, drink, chew tobacco, or smoke in any area where chemicals are in use or stored.
• Wash hands thoroughly before eating, drinking, or using tobacco — even if gloves were worn during chemical handling.

Chemical Spills and Overexposure

If a chemical spill or overexposure occurs:

• Notify your supervisor immediately.
• Follow the emergency response procedures in Section 6 of the applicable SDS.
• Flush exposed skin or eyes with water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Call 911 if any employee shows signs of serious chemical injury.
• Evacuate the area if the spill creates a hazardous atmosphere.
• Do not attempt to clean up a major chemical spill without proper training, PPE, and equipment.

Chemical Hazard Awareness — Substances Common in Liquidmetal work

The following substances are commonly encountered in LIQUIDMETAL's industrial construction, maintenance, and outage work. Full awareness chapters on Silica and Hexavalent Chromium appear later in this section. The summaries below address other substances employees may encounter.

Asbestos Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) may be present in older industrial facilities — pipe insulation, valve packing, floor tile, ceiling materials, fireproofing, and gasket material in buildings and equipment manufactured or installed before 1980. LIQUIDMETAL does not perform asbestos abatement. If you suspect you have encountered ACM — materials that appear fibrous, layered, or deteriorated in high-heat areas — stop work immediately, do not disturb the material, evacuate the area, and notify your supervisor. Do not resume work in the area until the material has been assessed and addressed by the site owner.

Lead Lead may be present in paint on older structural steel and piping, in solder, and in certain equipment components. Welding, cutting, grinding, or abrasive blasting on lead-painted surfaces generates lead fume and dust. If lead-containing coatings are suspected, test before applying heat or abrasion. Follow OSHA 29 CFR 1926.62 for construction work involving lead. Do not dry sweep lead dust — use HEPA vacuum or wet methods.

Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S) A colorless, toxic gas with a rotten egg odor at low concentrations. Found in sewers, manholes, areas near petroleum processing, and spaces with decaying organic material. Critical warning: at concentrations above approximately 100 ppm, H₂S paralyzes the olfactory nerve — the odor disappears even as concentrations continue to rise to lethal levels. Never rely on smell to assess H₂S safety. Use a calibrated continuous monitor. Evacuate immediately when the monitor alarms. Do not attempt rescue in an H₂S atmosphere without SCBA.

Nitrogen An odorless, colorless inert gas used extensively in industrial operations for purging and blanketing. Not toxic — it kills by displacing oxygen. Because nitrogen has no odor or sensory warning, workers can be incapacitated without any indication of danger. Any space where nitrogen has been used for purging must be treated as potentially oxygen-deficient until atmospheric monitoring confirms safe oxygen levels.

Ammonia A colorless gas with a sharp, pungent odor. Used as a refrigerant and in certain industrial processes. Corrosive to eyes, skin, and lungs. Evacuate upwind if levels exceed 25 ppm. Do not enter ammonia-contaminated atmospheres without SCBA. Emergency eyewash and safety shower must be within 10 seconds of any ammonia handling area.

Combustible Dust Dust from metals, wood, coal, and certain organic materials can form explosive clouds when suspended in air at sufficient concentration with an ignition source. Prevent accumulation of combustible dust on surfaces, equipment, and structural members. Use HEPA vacuums or wet methods for cleanup — never compressed air. Use non-sparking tools and explosion-proof electrical equipment in areas with combustible dust accumulation.

Hydro Blasting High-pressure water jetting for cleaning heat exchangers, boiler tubes, and industrial equipment presents a fluid injection hazard. A high-pressure water jet that penetrates the skin may appear as a small puncture wound but involves extensive internal tissue destruction that can require amputation. Any suspected injection injury is a medical emergency — transport to a trauma center immediately regardless of the wound's superficial appearance.

Employee Training All Liquidmetal employees receive Hazard Communication training during new employee orientation. Site-specific chemical hazard training is conducted at project orientation when the customer facility has unique chemical hazards. Annual refresher training is provided as part of LIQUIDMETAL's safety training program.

Group 2Working At Heights

3.5Walking-Working Surfaces

Slips, Trips, and Falls on the Same Level Kill People

Falls from elevation get most of the attention in industrial safety — and they deserve it. But slips, trips, and falls on the same level are among the most consistent sources of workplace injuries across every industry, including industrial construction and maintenance. A wet floor, a hose across a walkway, or a piece of scrap left where it should not be can put an experienced employee in the hospital as effectively as any process hazard.

The difference between a slip and a tragedy is often nothing more than the direction of the fall, the surface hit, and the position of the person when they land. LIQUIDMETAL takes walking-working surface conditions seriously because they cannot be controlled after someone has already fallen.

General Requirements

• Keep all walking and working surfaces clean, dry, and free from debris, clutter, and obstructions throughout the shift — not just at the start and end of the day.
• Guard all unprotected edges, holes, and floor openings that are four feet or more above a lower level in general industry settings and six feet or more in construction activities. See Chapter 3.7 for guardrail and floor cover specifications.
• Mark permanent aisles and passageways clearly. Maintain minimum aisle widths of 28 inches for foot traffic — wider where equipment must pass.
• Inspect walking and working surfaces at the beginning of each shift and after any event that could create a new hazard — rain, a spill, maintenance work that left debris, or a change in the work in progress nearby. Report and correct defects before employees are exposed to them.
• Ensure adequate lighting in all work areas, aisles, and access paths. Report inadequate or failed lighting to your supervisor immediately. Do not accept working in poorly lit conditions as normal.
• Do not step, stand, or walk on piping, valve bodies, conduit, equipment housings, or any surface that was not designed and intended to support the weight of a person. Use ladders, scaffolding, platforms, or aerial lifts to reach work at elevation.

Recognizing Common Hazards

Be alert for the following conditions throughout every shift. Each one is a documented cause of slips, trips, and falls on the same level:

• Wet or oily floors from spills, process leaks, cleaning operations, or weather.
• Loose, curled, or unsecured floor mats and anti-fatigue pads.
• Electrical cords, air hoses, welding leads, and instrument cables crossing foot traffic paths at floor level.
• Open file cabinet drawers, cabinet doors, and storage unit doors left extended into walkways.
• Tools, materials, packaging, and scrap left in travel paths.
• Uneven surface transitions at doorways, between flooring types, and at damaged floor sections.
• Ice and snow on outdoor walkways, stairways, and access points.
• Poor or inadequate lighting that prevents employees from seeing surface hazards in time to avoid them.
• Jumping from elevated surfaces — truck beds, equipment steps, loading dock edges, and platform edges.
• Floor opening covers that are displaced, unlabeled, or inadequate for the load imposed on them.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Supervisors are responsible for maintaining safe walking and working surfaces in all areas under their control.

• Inspect surfaces and aisles at the start of each shift and after any event that could create a new hazard.
• Correct hazards immediately when it is within the supervisor's means to do so. When a hazard cannot be immediately corrected, guard it with barricades, covers, or warning signs and initiate the repair process — do not leave it and walk away.
• Ensure adequate housekeeping is maintained throughout the shift as described in Chapter 2.11.
• Provide non-skid mats in areas prone to wet or slippery conditions.
• For floor holes and openings of two inches or greater, ensure covers are in place, secured against accidental displacement, and marked "HOLE" or "COVER."
• For unprotected edges four feet or more above the lower level, ensure guardrails are installed or personal fall arrest equipment is in use as required.

Safe Work Practices

Spill Response Clean up liquid spills immediately. While cleanup is in progress, place wet floor signs or establish a barricade to warn others. Do not leave a spill unattended and unguarded — even for a moment.

Cord and Hose Management Route electrical cords, welding leads, air hoses, and instrument tubing overhead wherever possible. When overhead routing is not practical and lines must cross a walking surface, support them at least seven feet above the floor where clearance allows, or lay them flat against the side of the walkway and protect them with covers or ramps rated for the traffic. Never bundle multiple cords and run them through doorways, under mats, or in locations where they can be damaged and become a simultaneous cord and tripping hazard.

Floor Mat Security Secure all floor mats, anti-fatigue mats, and area rugs so they cannot curl, bunch, shift, or slide. An unsecured mat is a tripping hazard. Remove mats that cannot be properly secured.

Ice and Snow When ice and snow are present on outdoor walkways, stairs, parking areas, and access paths, take immediate action. Apply ice melt, sand, or grit to improve traction. Clear snow from access paths and stairs before shift start. Alert employees to icy conditions that cannot be immediately corrected. When walking on ice or potentially icy surfaces, take shorter steps, keep hands free for balance, and move deliberately.

Stairways

• Use handrails when ascending and descending all stairways — both hands on the rail when carrying nothing, at least one hand on the rail when carrying materials.
• Never run on stairways.
• Keep stairway treads clear of tools, materials, and debris at all times.
• Do not carry loads so large or heavy that your view of the steps is blocked. Ask for assistance or use mechanical means.

Jumping Do not jump from one level to another — from truck beds, loading docks, elevated platforms, ladders, or equipment. Use the designated means of descent regardless of how minor the height difference appears. Ankle, knee, and back injuries from jumping are common and frequently affect employees for years after the incident.

Floor and Ground Openings Any floor or ground opening created or uncovered during work must be immediately guarded. Guard floor openings by one of the following methods:

• Install a floor cover of adequate strength secured against displacement and marked "HOLE" or "COVER."
• Install a standard guardrail system with toe boards on all exposed sides.

Do not remove floor plates, grating, stair sections, handrails, or guardrails without immediately providing equivalent protection for all personnel in the area. When work is complete, replace all covers and guarding before leaving the area.

Training

Walking-working surface hazard awareness is included in new employee orientation for all LIQUIDMETAL employees. Ongoing awareness is reinforced through pre-job briefings, toolbox talks, and supervisor observation. If you identify a walking-working surface hazard that your supervisor has not addressed, report it — do not wait for the next inspection cycle.

3.6Ladder Safety

Ladders Kill When Used Incorrectly

Falls from ladders are consistently among the leading causes of fatal and serious injuries in construction and maintenance. The ladder was not defective in most of those incidents. The procedure was. Improper placement, overreaching, carrying materials while climbing, and using the wrong ladder for the task account for the overwhelming majority of ladder injuries.

Every rule in this chapter exists because a worker was injured — or killed — doing exactly what the rule prohibits.

General Requirements

• Use only non-conductive fiberglass ladders when working in or near energized electrical equipment or conductors. Metal and aluminum ladders conduct electricity.
• Inspect every ladder before each use. Check all rungs, steps, side rails, safety feet, spreader braces, rope and pulleys (extension ladders), and locking devices. A ladder with any broken, missing, loose, or visibly damaged component must not be used.
• Remove defective ladders from service immediately. Tag them "DO NOT USE," note the specific defect, and report them for repair or disposal. Do not leave a defective ladder where another employee might pick it up.
• Do not make improvised repairs to ladders — no wire, tape, rope, or fasteners used to bridge a damaged component. Repair or replace.
• Do not paint fiberglass ladders with paint or coatings that could obscure cracks, damage, or deterioration.
• Never exceed the ladder's Duty Rating — the maximum gross weight it is designed to support, including your body weight plus all tools, materials, and equipment you are carrying.
• Do not splice two short ladders together to reach additional height.
• Do not use a ladder constructed from a single rail with cleats, or any other field-fabricated ladder.

Climbing Correctly

• Maintain three points of contact at all times when ascending or descending — two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand. Three points of contact means you are not carrying anything in your hands while climbing.
• Always face the ladder when ascending and descending. Never climb backward or sideways.
• Use rope buckets, tool bags, or hand lines to move tools and materials to and from an elevated work position. Do not carry items in your hands while climbing.
• Keep ladder rungs, your hands, and your boot soles free of grease, oil, mud, and other slippery materials before climbing.
• If you need to reach beyond arm's length while more than four feet off the ground, descend and reposition the ladder. Do not lean or stretch to the side. To verify you are centered: your belt buckle should remain between the side rails while you work from the ladder.
• If reaching creates a need to overextend in any direction while on a ladder at height, fall protection equipment must be worn.

Ladder Placement

• Ensure ladder feet are on level, stable footing before beginning to climb. Test for side sway from the bottom rung before ascending.
• Do not place ladders in front of doors, passageways, or driveways where they could be struck unless the door is locked, blocked open, or guarded by a barricade.
• Do not place a ladder on boxes, pallets, or materials to gain additional height.
• Do not use a ladder on a scaffold platform to gain additional height.

Extension Ladders

• The top of an extension ladder must extend at least three feet above the point of support — the roofline, platform edge, or landing — to provide a secure handhold when stepping on or off the ladder.
• Set the base of an extension ladder out from the wall or support surface at a distance equal to one-quarter of the ladder's extended working length — the 4:1 ratio. A ladder extended to 20 feet must have its base 5 feet from the wall. This angle provides the safest climbing geometry.
• Secure extension ladders at the top whenever possible. Tie off the ladder or have a second employee hold the base until the top is secured. Never leave an extension ladder unsecured against a wall.
• All portable rung ladders must have non-slip safety feet.
• Do not allow extension sections to telescope down uncontrolled. Use the rope lanyard to control extension adjustments.

Required minimum section overlap for extension ladders:

Fixed Ladders

• When climbing un-caged fixed ladders that exceed 20 feet in height, use a personal fall arrest system with a full-body harness connected to a fall arrest device designed for fixed ladder use — a ladder safety system, vertical lifeline with rope grab, or self-retracting lifeline on a vertical rail.
• Do not use a standard ladder in a horizontal position as a platform, runway, or scaffold.

Stepladders

• Open stepladders fully and lock both spreader braces before each use.
• When using stepladders on grating, expanded metal, or similar open surfaces, use safety feet designed for grating or place rubber mats under the feet to prevent them from dropping through openings.
• Do not stand on the top cap or the top two steps of a stepladder unless the ladder is specifically designed and rated as a platform ladder.
• Do not climb the back braces of a stepladder.
• Never climb a closed, un-spread stepladder.
• Fall protection is not required when working from within the plane of the stepladder — when your body remains between the side rails and you are not leaning to either side.

Inspection Tags

Many LIQUIDMETAL customer facilities — particularly power generation plants and refineries — require all ladders brought onto the site to carry a current color-coded inspection tag. Inspection tags indicate the period during which the ladder was last inspected and are rotated on a defined schedule. Before bringing ladders onto a customer site, confirm whether tagging is required and ensure tags are current. Do not use customer-supplied ladders that are missing or carry expired inspection tags without first reporting the condition to the site safety coordinator.

Transporting and Storing Ladders

• Balance ladders properly before attempting to carry them. Long ladders are unwieldy and can strike overhead electrical lines, other workers, and equipment during carrying.
• When transporting ladders on vehicles, pad all support points with wood or rubber material. Secure the ladder at every support point — do not rely on friction.
• Store ladders where they can be retrieved without creating a hazard — not stacked in walkways, over equipment, or in locations where they can fall.
• Store portable ladders horizontally on racks or vertically in secured positions. Do not lean ladders unsupported against walls or structures.
• Do not store ladders where they will be exposed to sustained dampness, freezing temperatures, corrosive chemicals, or excessive heat.

3.7Fall Protection

Fall Protection Is a Core Life Saving Rule

Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry and a primary cause of serious injuries across all industrial work. Fall Protection is the F in LIQUIDMETAL's CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules. A violation of fall protection requirements is a critical safety event that will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The goal of fall protection is not simply to arrest a fall after it happens. It is to prevent the fall from occurring in the first place. Primary fall protection systems that eliminate the exposure are always preferred over secondary systems that catch a worker who is already falling.

When Fall Protection Is Required

Fall protection is required for all LIQUIDMETAL employees when exposed to:

• A fall hazard of four feet or more above a lower level in general industry settings.
• A fall hazard of six feet or more above a lower level in construction activities.
• Any fall hazard above dangerous equipment, caustic materials, energized electrical equipment, or other conditions where any fall — regardless of height — could cause serious injury.
• A reach of more than 10 inches below the working surface level when a fall potential of four feet or more exists.
• Scaffold ladder access at heights of 20 feet or more unless rest platforms are installed at intermediate levels.
• Work from a ladder when three-point contact cannot be maintained and the employee must extend beyond the side rails, or when the fall hazard below is greater than the height at which the ladder is positioned.

When a customer site sets a more protective fall protection threshold than LIQUIDMETAL's requirements, comply with the customer's standard.

Primary Fall Protection — Eliminate the Exposure First

Primary fall protection systems prevent falls by eliminating unprotected sides, edges, and openings. They must always be given first consideration and used whenever practicable.

Guardrail Systems

• Top rail at approximately 42 inches above the walking-working surface.
• Mid-rail at approximately 21 inches — midway between the top rail and the platform surface.
• 4-inch toe board on all edges where tools, materials, or debris could fall onto employees below.
• Guardrail systems must withstand a force of at least 200 pounds applied within two inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction at any point along the top rail without failure.
• Guardrail surfaces must be free of sharp edges, burrs, and points that could cause injury.
• Safety chains or swing gates must be in place at all ladder platform openings when work is being performed at that level.

Floor and Opening Covers

• Covers over floor openings must completely cover the opening and be capable of supporting the maximum load that could be imposed on them.
• Covers must be secured against accidental displacement.
• All covers must be marked "HOLE" or "COVER" to alert employees.

NOTE: Primary fall protection must always be installed and in place before employees are exposed to the fall hazard. Secondary fall protection may be required temporarily during the installation of primary systems.

Secondary Fall Protection — Personal Fall Arrest Systems

A Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) consists of three components working together: a full-body harness, a connecting device (lanyard or self-retracting lifeline), and an anchorage point. A properly assembled and used PFAS limits fall arrest forces on the body to 1,800 pounds or less and prevents free fall of more than six feet.

Full-body harnesses only. Body belts — waist belts — must not be used for fall arrest. Body belts apply all arrest force to the abdomen and can cause severe internal injuries in a fall. A body belt may be used only as a positioning device to hold a worker in place for two-handed work — never for fall arrest.

PFAS requirements:

• Rig the system so the employee cannot free fall more than six feet or contact a lower level or structure before the system arrests the fall.
• The dorsal D-ring — the D-ring at the middle of the back between the shoulder blades — is the only approved attachment point for fall arrest lanyards and self-retracting lifelines. Side D-rings are for positioning only.
• Position the shock absorber of any shock-absorbing lanyard closest to the body, attached to the harness D-ring, not to the anchorage.
• Do not tie a lanyard back onto itself unless it is specifically designed for that purpose, such as a backbiter tie-back lanyard.
• Self-retracting lifelines (SRLs) are recommended when working at heights less than 18½ feet, where a standard 6-foot shock-absorbing lanyard may not arrest the fall before the worker contacts the lower level.
• Do not allow lanyards or SRL leads to drag on the ground or surfaces. When not in use, connect lanyard legs to the harness breakaway tabs or secure with cable ties.

Articulating (boom) lifts: Full-body harness and lanyard attached to the manufacturer's designated anchor point inside the platform are required at all times when the lift is elevated. See Chapter 3.9 for aerial lift fall protection requirements.

Scissor lifts: A full-body harness connected to the manufacturer's designated platform anchor is required whenever the platform is elevated, per the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manual. Where the manufacturer's operator manual imposes additional or more restrictive requirements, follow the manual. Never stand on the guardrail or position yourself above it.

100 Percent Tie-Off

Many LIQUIDMETAL customer sites — particularly power generation facilities — require 100 percent tie-off: continuous fall protection at all times while at elevation, including during movement between work positions. This means an employee is never disconnected from one anchorage without first connecting to the next.

100 percent tie-off requires a two-lanyard system or a dual-leg self-retracting lifeline. Plan your movement path before moving to identify anchorage points along the route. When 100 percent tie-off is required by the customer site or by LIQUIDMETAL supervision, the requirement will be communicated during the pre-job briefing.

Harness Inspection

Inspect your full-body harness before every use. Remove any harness from service immediately if any of the following are found:

• Cuts, burns, abrasion, or fraying of webbing.
• Chemical damage — stiffness, softening, discoloration, or deterioration from chemical contact.
• Broken, cracked, distorted, or missing hardware — buckles, D-rings, snaphooks.
• Snaphooks that do not close and lock automatically and positively.
• Evidence that the harness has arrested a fall — deformed D-rings, torn webbing, activated shock absorber.
• Illegible or missing load rating label.

If a PFAS has arrested a fall or received a significant impact load, remove every component from service immediately. Do not return it to use. The components may appear undamaged but may have been stressed beyond their design limits. Mark the equipment "DAMAGED — DO NOT USE" and report it to your supervisor for proper disposal.

Harnesses have a service life established by the manufacturer. Inspect the manufacture date stamped or printed on the label. Retire harnesses per manufacturer guidance regardless of apparent condition.

Anchorage Points

All anchorage points used for fall arrest must be capable of supporting a minimum static load of 5,000 pounds per attached employee, or must be part of a designed and engineered fall arrest system with a safety factor of at least 2, certified by a qualified person.

Acceptable anchorage points when confirmed by a qualified person:

• Structural steel members — beams and columns that are part of the building framework.
• Scaffolding where the manufacturer has specifically approved the design to withstand fall arrest forces.
• Dedicated engineered fall arrest anchor points installed by a qualified engineer.

These must never be used as fall arrest anchorage points:

• Snubbers, struts, and spring cans.
• Instrument tubing and tubing supports.
• Process equipment — vessels, heat exchangers, and pumps.
• Valves and valve actuators.
• HVAC ductwork, conduit, and cable trays.
• Handrails — unless engineered and certified for fall arrest loads.
• Scaffold planking, decking, or cross-bracing not designed for fall arrest.

When the suitability of an anchorage point is uncertain, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative before use. Do not proceed on the assumption that a point looks sturdy enough.

Lifelines

Vertical lifelines must be at minimum 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch nylon rope equipped with an approved rope grab, connecting lanyard, and full-body harness. Each employee must have a separate vertical lifeline — sharing a single vertical lifeline between two or more employees is not permitted.

Horizontal lifelines must be at minimum 3/8-inch wire rope, properly supported and tensioned to withstand 5,000 pounds of impact force, and designed and installed by a qualified person who has analyzed the system for the number of users and the resulting anchorage loads. Horizontal lifelines are more complex than they appear — the force applied to the anchorage points is substantially higher than the weight of the person attached, particularly when the lifeline has any sag.

Self-retracting lifelines that limit free fall to two feet or less must sustain a minimum tensile load of 3,000 pounds. SRLs that do not limit free fall to two feet must sustain 5,000 pounds. Inspect before each use per manufacturer instructions.

Other Fall Protection Systems

Safety monitoring systems, safety nets, and warning line systems may be used in limited circumstances where OSHA permits them. These systems require specific conditions, employee training, and management approval before use. Contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative before implementing any of these systems. Do not use them based solely on the existence of this reference.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Conduct a fall hazard assessment before work at elevation begins and address all identified fall hazards in the pre-job briefing.
• Ensure primary or secondary fall protection is in place before any employee is exposed to a fall hazard.
• Confirm that all anchorage points have been evaluated and approved by a qualified person before use.
• Ensure employees are trained in the fall protection systems they are required to use for the specific task.
• Consult the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative whenever fall protection requirements for a specific task are unclear or not covered by this chapter.

3.8Scaffold Standards

Overview

Scaffold work is among the most hazardous activities in industrial construction and maintenance. Falls from scaffolding, scaffold collapse, and dropped objects from scaffold platforms cause fatalities and serious injuries in our industry every year. LIQUIDMETAL employees erect, use, modify, and work around scaffolding during outage work, plant maintenance, and construction projects.

This chapter applies to all LIQUIDMETAL employees who erect, inspect, modify, or use scaffolding in any form. Requirements comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L. Customer site scaffold programs may impose additional requirements — comply with the more protective standard.

The Competent Person

A competent person must oversee all scaffold erection, modification, and dismantlement. OSHA defines a competent person as someone who is capable of identifying existing and predictable scaffold hazards and who has the authority to take prompt corrective action to eliminate them. The competent person must be on-site and performing their duties — not accessible by phone from another location.

The competent person for scaffolding must be clearly identified to all employees working on or around the scaffold.

Scaffold Tags — The Three-Color System

LIQUIDMETAL uses a three-color scaffold tag system to communicate the status of every scaffold to all personnel. Every employee must understand and follow the tag system before accessing any scaffold.

GREEN TAG — Approved for Use The scaffold has been erected, inspected by the competent person, and is approved for use as specified on the tag. Review the tag before using the scaffold — it specifies the load rating, fall protection requirements, and any use limitations. A current shift inspection must be documented on the tag before accessing the scaffold at the start of each shift.

YELLOW TAG — Use with Precautions The scaffold may be used but has specific limitations, hazards, or conditions requiring precautions. The Yellow Tag identifies what those precautions are — which may include fall protection requirements, load limitations, restricted access areas, openings in the decking, or absence of toe boards or guardrails in specific locations. Read the Yellow Tag completely before accessing the scaffold and comply with all listed precautions.

RED TAG — Do Not Use The scaffold is not approved for use. Do not access a Red-Tagged scaffold for any reason. Red tagging occurs when a scaffold is partially erected, has identified defects, has been damaged, or has not yet been inspected. If you need access to a Red-Tagged area, contact your supervisor — do not cross the tag.

Customer sites may use their own scaffold tagging programs in addition to or in place of LIQUIDMETAL's system. During project orientation, confirm the site's scaffold tagging requirements. When customer requirements differ, apply the more protective standard.

Scaffold Construction

Only trained and qualified employees authorized by the competent person may erect, modify, move, or dismantle scaffolding.

• Erect and maintain all scaffolding in strict accordance with the manufacturer's requirements and applicable site procedures.
• Post scaffold tags at all access points as the scaffold is built. No section is accessed until the competent person has inspected it and issued an appropriate tag.
• Establish guardrails, toe boards, and fall protection as erection progresses — do not wait until the scaffold is complete.
• When scaffolding is erected in proximity to energized electrical equipment, a qualified electrician must evaluate clearance distances and grounding requirements before the scaffold is used.
• Construct scaffolds over passageways or areas where personnel work below with approved debris netting installed to at least the mid-rail height.
• Scaffold platform decking must not have gaps or openings larger than one inch between planks. Cover gaps between the platform and adjacent vertical surfaces.
• Do not modify a scaffold in any way after it has been erected and tagged for use. All modifications must be performed by qualified workers under the direction of the competent person and must be followed by new inspection and re-tagging before use resumes.

Scaffold Use

Only employees who have completed Scaffold User training may access scaffolding. This requirement applies to all LIQUIDMETAL employees and to any subcontractors, vendors, or external agency personnel working on LIQUIDMETAL-supervised projects.

Before accessing any scaffold:

• Check the tag at the access point. Confirm Green or Yellow — if Red, stop and notify your supervisor.
• Confirm the tag shows a current shift inspection for the current shift.
• Read and understand all precautions, limitations, and hazard notes on the tag.
• Confirm your planned work falls within the tag's limitations.

During scaffold use:

• Report immediately to your supervisor if you notice any issue with scaffold construction, stability, or condition — loose components, damaged planks, missing guardrails, unusual movement, or any change from when the scaffold was last inspected. Do not continue using it until the concern is resolved.
• Use scaffold access ladders — not cross-bracing — to reach platform levels. Cross-bracing is structural and must not be used as a ladder.
• When scaffold access ladders exceed 20 feet in height, use fall protection unless rest platforms are installed at intermediate levels.
• Do not carry materials in your hands when ascending or descending access ladders. Use rope-and-bucket systems or a well-wheel to move tools and materials vertically.
• Do not allow tools, materials, and debris to accumulate on the scaffold platform in quantities that exceed the scaffold's rated load, create tripping hazards, or create a dropped object risk for people below.

Structural Requirements

All supported scaffolds must withstand four times the maximum intended load. Suspended scaffolds must withstand six times the maximum intended load.

Platform decking requirements:

• Space between adjacent platform units must not exceed one inch, except where a wider gap is demonstrated necessary — in that case, the gap must be no more than 9½ inches between the platform and the scaffold uprights.
• Each platform plank end must extend at least 6 inches beyond its support, or be secured against movement by cleats or hooks.
• No platform plank end may extend more than 12 inches beyond its support.
• Access to platforms more than 24 inches above or below the point of access must be provided by ladder, stairway, ramp, or integral prefabricated access. Cross-bracing may not be used as access.

Fall Protection on Scaffolding

Fall protection is required for all employees on scaffolds more than 10 feet above a lower level.

• Supported scaffolds: fall protection may be provided by a guardrail system or a personal fall arrest system.
• Suspended scaffolds: employees must be protected by both a guardrail system and a personal fall arrest system simultaneously.

Guardrail specifications for scaffolding:

• A top rail and a mid-rail are required.
• The top rail must withstand a 200-pound force without deflecting below 38 inches.
• Cross-bracing may serve as a mid-rail when the intersection point is between 20 and 30 inches above the platform.
• Cross-bracing may serve as a top rail when the intersection point is between 38 and 48 inches above the platform.

Falling Object Protection

Every employee working on or around a scaffold must be protected from falling objects by one or more of the following:

• Barricade the area below and prohibit entry. All employees who must enter the barricaded area must wear hard hats.
• Install a 4-inch toe board on the outer edge of every platform level.
• Where materials are stacked higher than the toe board, install paneling or screening from the toe board to the top of the guardrail.
• Install a canopy structure, debris net, or catch platform below the scaffold work area.

Training

No LIQUIDMETAL employee may perform any of the following scaffold activities until they have received training from a qualified person:

• Scaffold erection, disassembly, and moving
• Scaffold inspection
• Scaffold repair and maintenance

All employees who use scaffolds must be trained on:

• The nature of electrical, fall, and falling object hazards associated with the scaffold.
• The maximum intended load and load-carrying capacity of the scaffold.
• The correct procedures for using the scaffold safely, including handling materials on the platform.
• Any other pertinent requirements identified by the competent person or the customer site.

3.9Personnel and Aerial Lifts

Overview

Personnel lifts — including scissor lifts, articulating boom lifts, and similar powered work platforms — provide elevated access for LIQUIDMETAL employees during outage work, construction, and maintenance. They reduce the need for scaffolding and ladders in many applications but introduce their own significant hazards: falls from the platform, tip-overs, collisions with overhead structures, electrocution from proximity to energized conductors, and entrapment.

This chapter applies to all LIQUIDMETAL employees who operate or ride in any type of personnel lift equipment.

Operator Qualifications

Only trained and authorized employees may operate personnel lift equipment. Training must be specific to the type of lift being operated — qualification on a scissor lift does not qualify an operator to use an articulating boom lift. Training must include:

• Familiarization with the specific make and model of equipment.
• Pre-use inspection requirements.
• Operating controls and their functions.
• Fall protection requirements for that lift type.
• Electrical hazard awareness and clearance distances.
• Emergency lowering and shutdown procedures.

Operators must be re-evaluated following any incident involving a lift and whenever a new type of lift equipment is placed in service.

Pre-Use Inspection

Conduct a documented inspection of all personnel lift equipment upon delivery to the jobsite and at the beginning of each shift before use. The inspection includes:

• All operating controls — test function before the lift is elevated.
• Emergency lowering and shutdown controls — verify function.
• Hydraulic system — check for leaks, fluid level, and hose condition.
• Outriggers and stabilizers.
• Platform, guardrails, gates, and toe boards.
• Tires — condition, inflation, and wear.
• Safety devices — tilt alarm, overload indicators, and limit switches.

Document all inspections on the Aerial Lift Daily Inspection Form. Do not use a lift that fails inspection. Tag it out, lock the controls, and notify the supervisor and the equipment provider.

Fall Protection

All employees in personnel lift platforms must wear a full-body harness at all times when the platform is elevated.

• Attach the lanyard or self-retracting lifeline to the manufacturer's designated anchorage point inside the platform. These points are specifically engineered for fall arrest loads.
• Attach to the dorsal D-ring on the back of the harness. Side D-rings are for positioning only.
• Do not wrap a lanyard around a guardrail and clip it back on itself — this arrangement does not provide fall arrest protection and may fail catastrophically.
• Do not anchor to structural members outside the lift platform unless you are actively exiting the lift to access the structure and have established fall protection on the structure itself before stepping off.
• Inspect all fall protection equipment before each use per Chapter 3.7.

Scissor lifts: A full-body harness connected to the manufacturer's designated platform anchor is required whenever the platform is elevated, per the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manual. Follow the manufacturer's operator manual for any additional or more restrictive requirement. Never stand on, lean over, or climb the guardrail.

Articulating boom lifts: Full-body harness and lanyard or SRL attached to the manufacturer's anchor point are required at all times when the boom is elevated. No exceptions.

Operating Requirements

Scissor Lifts:

• Keep all wheels on a stable, firm, level surface before elevating the platform. Do not operate on soft ground or surfaces inadequate to support the equipment's weight.
• Do not drive a scissor lift with the platform elevated except where the manufacturer specifically permits and the path is clear, level, and unobstructed.
• Keep both feet on the platform floor. Do not climb on, lean over, or stand on the guardrails.
• Do not use planks, ladders, or other devices inside the platform to gain additional working height.
• Do not exceed the platform's rated load capacity — occupants plus tools and equipment combined.

Articulating Boom Lifts:

• Before raising the boom, position and fully engage all outriggers. Outrigger pads must be placed on a solid, stable surface. Set the parking brake and chock wheels on slopes.
• Check for sufficient overhead and lateral clearance before raising the platform.
• Move the lift only with the platform in the fully lowered travel position.
• Do not operate with the platform elevated when wind gusts exceed 30 mph or sustained winds exceed 20 mph, or as specified in the manufacturer's manual — whichever is more restrictive.
• Keep both feet on the platform floor at all times. Do not sit on or climb over the guardrails.

Both Lift Types:

• Only approved aerial lift devices may be used for personnel access. Forklifts, wheel loaders, telehandlers, and other material handling equipment must not be used as personnel lifts except with a specifically designed, manufacturer-approved man basket, a written engineered lift plan, and management approval.
• Do not modify the platform — do not drill, cut, weld, or add attachments to any part of the basket or platform without manufacturer's written authorization.
• Do not drop or throw tools, parts, or materials from the platform. Lower materials using a hand line or lower the platform.
• When welding or cutting from a lift platform, protect the platform structure from weld spatter. Remove combustible materials from the platform before beginning hot work.

Transferring from the Lift to a Structure

Transferring from a personnel lift platform to an elevated structure — beam, platform, or grating — is permitted only when:

• A Job Safety Analysis has been completed and determined that transferring is the safest means of accessing the work surface.
• Fall protection has been established on the structure before the employee steps off the platform.
• The transfer plan and fall protection arrangement have been communicated to all crew members before the move.

Never step from the platform to a structure without first confirming positive anchorage on the structure.

Electrical Safety Near Energized Lines

• Do not position any personnel lift within 10 feet of any energized power line of 50 kV or less.
• For lines energized above 50 kV, add 4 inches of additional clearance for every 10 kV above 50 kV.
• When the operator cannot clearly assess clearances while maneuvering the lift, a trained spotter must be positioned to observe clearances and communicate with the operator.
• If a lift contacts an energized conductor, do not exit the platform onto the ground until the conductor is de-energized or the platform is clear of contact. Exiting while the lift is in contact with an energized line creates a step-potential electrocution hazard. Call for help from inside the platform.

Training

All aerial lift operators receive training specific to the type of lift they will operate before operating that equipment. Training is documented and retained by the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department. Operators are re-evaluated following incidents and when new equipment types are introduced.

Group 3Tools And Equipment

3.10Hand, Portable Power Tools, and Bench Grinders

The Right Tool, Used Correctly, Every Time

Every LIQUIDMETAL employee uses hand tools and power tools as part of their daily work. The injuries these tools cause are not exotic or unpredictable — they are cuts from improvised tool use, eye injuries from unguarded grinding, lacerations from mushroomed chisel heads, and electrical shock from damaged cords. They happen to experienced workers who know better, because familiarity with a tool creates the illusion that the hazard is not real.

The rules in this chapter exist because the hazard is real. Apply them every time, on every tool, regardless of how routine the task appears.

These rules apply to all LIQUIDMETAL employees who use hand tools, power tools, or pneumatic equipment in the performance of their work.

General Rules — All Tools

Use the right tool for the job. Never substitute a tool for a purpose it was not designed for. A wrench used as a hammer, a screwdriver used as a pry bar, and a grinding disc used for cutting are all sources of injury. The right tool takes a moment to retrieve. The wrong tool can end a career.

Inspect every tool before each use. Do not use any tool that is damaged, defective, missing components, or missing required guards. Inspection takes seconds. Recovering from an injury caused by a defective tool takes months.

Remove defective tools from service immediately. Tag them "DO NOT USE" with a description of the defect. Return them to the tool crib or report them to the supervisor. Never leave a defective tool where another employee might pick it up and use it.

Never remove or bypass guards. Machine guards are not optional accessories. Do not operate any power tool from which a guard has been removed, disabled, or repositioned to allow access to the hazard it covers.

Do not use cheater bars or improvised extensions on wrench handles to increase leverage — unless the wrench is specifically designed and rated by the manufacturer for use with an extension handle. Improvised extensions transfer excessive force to fittings and to the person applying it.

Store tools properly. Pointed and sharp-edged tools belong in pouches, sheaths, or toolboxes — not loose in pockets, on overhead pipes, on grating edges, or on scaffold planking where they can fall or be knocked off.

Employees using tools while exposed to flying particles, falling objects, abrasive action, chemical splash, dust, fumes, or vapors must use the appropriate PPE for the specific hazard involved. Confirm requirements with the pre-job briefing.

Hand Tools

• Do not use tools with mushroomed, cracked, or deformed striking surfaces — chisels, cold chisels, punches, and wedges whose heads have spread or fractured from impact are severe struck-by and eye hazards. Have them dressed by a qualified person or discard them.
• Do not use wrenches — open-end, adjustable, or pipe wrenches — with spread, cracked, or worn jaws. A wrench that slips under load causes serious hand injuries.
• Wooden tool handles must be free of splinters, cracks, and looseness. A loose hammer head is a projectile.
• Sledgehammers weighing 10 pounds or more must not have wooden handles. Use fiberglass or steel handles for heavy striking tools.
• All utility knives must have self-retracting blades. Fixed-blade utility knives may only be used for specific tasks with supervisor approval, a documented JSA, and a PPE hazard assessment.
• Do not use personal pocket knives as work tools on LIQUIDMETAL jobsites.
• Do not use metal measuring tapes, metal rulers, metal flashlights, or metal ladders near exposed energized electrical equipment.
• Keep cutting tools sharp, clean, and properly maintained. A dull blade requires more force, is more likely to slip, and causes more serious injuries than a sharp blade.

Electric Power Tools

• All electric power tools must be either the approved double-insulated type or equipped with a three-wire grounded cord with the ground conductor intact and undamaged.
• Double-insulated tools must be clearly marked as such by the manufacturer.
• Inspect electrical cords before each use. Remove from service any cord showing cuts, abrasion, damaged insulation, bent or broken plugs, or a missing ground prong.
• Do not connect extension cords in series — one plugged into another to gain additional length — unless approved by a qualified electrician.
• Disconnect power tools from their power source before making any adjustments, changing blades or accessories, or performing any maintenance.
• Route cords and hoses to avoid tripping hazards. Hang them overhead or protect walkway crossings with cord covers rated for the traffic.
• Power-actuated tools — powder-actuated fastening tools — may only be operated by employees who have completed the manufacturer's required training and have been authorized by LIQUIDMETAL supervision. These are not general-use equipment.
• Use automatic electric ground-sensing devices in line with drills when drilling into or through concrete walls, floors, or ceilings where electrical conduit, rebar, or embedded metal may be present.

Pneumatic Tools

• Pneumatic tools must be positively secured to the air hose or whip — the connection must be incapable of accidentally uncoupling during use.
• All air supply lines exceeding ½-inch inside diameter must have a safety device — a whip check cable or safety chain — at the source connection and at every branch connection, to prevent uncontrolled whipping if the hose fails or disconnects. A high-pressure air hose under full line pressure that uncouples without a whip check is a lethal hazard.
• After coupling air lines and before energizing, install safety pins or locking clips to prevent accidental uncoupling during use.
• Never direct compressed air at any person — not as a joke, not to clean clothing, not for any reason. Compressed air forced into a body opening can cause a fatal air embolism. This prohibition is absolute.
• Air used for cleaning purposes must be reduced to 30 psi or less at the nozzle. Do not use compressed air at any pressure to clean up silica dust, asbestos-containing materials, fly ash, coal dust, or any combustible material. Use HEPA vacuum equipment for these materials.
• Disconnect air lines from pneumatic tools when the tools are left unattended.
• Do not hoist or lower pneumatic tools by their air hoses.
• When fuel-powered tools are used in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas, follow OSHA requirements for carbon monoxide monitoring and respiratory protection.

Angle Grinders

Angle grinders are among the most frequently used and most frequently misused power tools in industrial construction and maintenance. Disc failures from incorrect tool use cause severe and frequently fatal injuries.

• Maintain all guards. Do not operate an angle grinder with the guard removed, repositioned, or modified for any reason. The guard is positioned to deflect disc fragments and debris away from the operator in the event of disc failure.
• Match the disc to the work. Cutting discs are for cutting — they must not be used for grinding or side loading. Grinding discs are for grinding — they must not be used for cutting. Using the wrong type of disc for the application is a primary cause of disc failure.
• Check the RPM rating. The maximum free-speed RPM of the grinder must not exceed the RPM rating printed on the disc. Never mount a disc rated below the grinder's rated free speed. An over-sped disc can disintegrate and project fragments at extreme velocity.
• Inspect discs before mounting. Inspect every disc for cracks, chips, and edge damage before mounting. Ring-test grinding wheels by suspending the wheel and tapping it gently — a sound wheel produces a clear ring, a cracked wheel produces a dull thud. Never mount a disc that fails inspection.
• Use the correct disc for the material. Metal-rated discs for steel work. Do not use standard metal grinding discs on aluminum, brass, or copper — these metals clog and overheat the disc, causing failure.
• Maintain a firm two-handed grip on the grinder at all times during operation.
• Wear a face shield over safety glasses when using angle grinders — safety glasses alone are not adequate protection from grinding sparks and debris at close range.

Bench Grinders

Minimum required PPE for bench grinder use:

• Safety glasses
• Full face shield worn over safety glasses
• Hearing protection
• Closed-toe safety footwear

Before use:

• Ensure all guards are in place. The tool rest must be adjusted to within ⅛ inch of the grinding wheel surface. The tongue guard must be adjusted to within ¼ inch of the wheel.
• Verify that the maximum RPM rating of the grinding wheel matches or exceeds the RPM rating of the grinder motor. Never mount a wheel rated below the grinder's free speed.
• Visually inspect the wheel for cracks, chips, or damage.
• Ring-test the wheel — tap it gently while suspended. A clear ring indicates a sound wheel. A dull thud indicates a crack. Discard and replace immediately.
• New grinding wheels must be installed by a competent person familiar with proper mounting procedures, including the use of paper blotters and correct flange torque.

During use:

• When starting the grinder, stand to the side — not directly in front of the wheel — until it reaches full operating speed.
• Use only the face of the wheel for grinding. Do not grind on the sides of a wheel unless it is specifically designed for side grinding.
• Do not grind aluminum, brass, copper, lead, or other non-ferrous metals on a standard bench grinder. These materials clog the abrasive and can cause violent wheel failure.
• Do not grind materials smaller than 3 inches unless a properly designed fixture holds the workpiece securely and keeps hands clear of the wheel.
• Keep combustible materials clear of the grinding area — sparks travel several feet and can ignite materials far from the wheel.
• Do not touch the grinding wheel after use — it retains heat for an extended period after the machine is shut off.
• Do not wear loose clothing, dangling jewelry, or unrestrained long hair near the grinder or any rotating machinery.

3.11Compressed Gas Cylinders

Why Compressed Gas Is Dangerous

Compressed gas cylinders are found on nearly every LIQUIDMETAL jobsite — oxygen, acetylene, argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and others are used daily in welding, cutting, pipefitting, and maintenance operations. Despite their familiarity, cylinders represent a serious and underappreciated hazard.

A standard oxygen cylinder contains gas compressed to approximately 2,200 psi — enough stored energy that a catastrophic valve failure can propel the cylinder through a concrete block wall. Acetylene used above 15 psig becomes chemically unstable and can decompose explosively without a separate ignition source. Inert gases such as argon and nitrogen displace oxygen and cause rapid asphyxiation in confined or poorly ventilated spaces without any warning odor or sign.

These hazards are not theoretical. Compressed gas incidents kill workers in industrial operations every year. The rules in this chapter are non-negotiable.

Note: Certain cylinders, such as medical oxygen cylinders, may be subject to different regulatory requirements. Consult the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative for any cylinder type not covered by this chapter.

Note: OSHA considers a cylinder to be in storage if gas will not be drawn from it within the next 24 hours, including overnight. Storage requirements apply to any cylinder left unattended overnight, even if it was in active use during the shift.

General Safe Work Practices

Inspection before use Visually inspect every cylinder for damage, corrosion, dents, gouges, or other defects before placing it in service. Check that the hydrostatic test date stamped on the cylinder has not expired. If a cylinder is defective or the test date has expired, remove it from service, tag it out, and contact the supplier. Do not attempt to use or repair a defective cylinder.

Securing cylinders Cylinders must be secured against tipping at all times — whether in use, in transport, or in storage. An unsecured cylinder that falls and shears the valve creates an immediate danger to everyone in the area.

• Secure cylinders upright using a minimum 3/8-inch rope, minimum 1/8-inch chain, scaffold wire, or ratchet strap. Multiple cylinders may be secured together.
• Do not lean cylinders against walls, equipment, or other cylinders without a positive restraint.
• Secure compressed calibration cylinders per manufacturer instructions, which may differ from standard cylinder requirements.

Valve protection

• Keep valve protection caps installed at all times except when the cylinder is actively connected to a regulator.
• Never use valve protection caps as lifting points.
• Close cylinder valves and bleed all pressure from regulators and hoses when work is complete or when cylinders will not be used for 24 hours or more.
• When cylinders are empty, close and cap the valve before moving. Mark empty cylinders "EMPTY" and return to the designated storage area. Any cylinder not marked empty is treated as full.

Cylinder valves and pressure control

• Never use a hammer or wrench to open or close a cylinder valve hand wheel. If a hand wheel is frozen, stiff, or damaged, tag the cylinder out of service and contact the supplier.
• If a leak cannot be stopped by carefully tightening the valve packing nut, move the cylinder to an outdoor, well-ventilated area and contact the gas supplier immediately. Do not attempt to repair a leaking cylinder.
• Cylinders without fixed hand wheels must have a key, handle, or non-adjustable wrench on the valve stem at all times while in use. In manifold systems, one key or handle is required per manifold.
• Never tamper with or bypass a cylinder's safety relief device or pressure regulating valve.

CRITICAL — Acetylene pressure limit: Acetylene must never be used or stored at pressures exceeding 15 psig. Above 15 psig, acetylene is chemically unstable and may decompose explosively — even without a separate ignition source. This is a physical property of the gas, not a policy preference. Regulator working pressure on acetylene must be set and maintained at or below 15 psig at all times.

Regulator and hose safety

• Confirm all fittings and regulator assemblies are rated for the expected working pressure.
• Relieve all pressure on regulator seals when cylinders are not in use.
• Open fuel gas cylinder valves no more than 1.5 turns from the closed position to allow rapid shutoff in an emergency.
• Stand to the side of — never directly in front of — the regulator and gauge face when opening any cylinder valve.
• Set the regulator to the minimum pressure needed for the work before opening the cylinder valve.
• Protect all hoses from heat, sparks, slag, and mechanical damage during hot work operations. Inspect hoses before each use.

Separation from ignition sources

• Store and use cylinders behind fire-resistant shielding or at a minimum distance of 35 feet from all welding, cutting, grinding, and other spark-producing operations.
• Do not position cylinders where they could become part of an electrical circuit — near piping systems or equipment used as welding ground returns.

Oxygen cylinder precautions

• Never use oil, grease, or any petroleum-based lubricant on oxygen cylinder valves, regulators, or fittings. Oxygen under pressure in contact with oil or grease can ignite spontaneously and violently.
• Never use an oxygen regulator, gauge, hose, or fitting on a fuel gas cylinder, or vice versa.

Confined space restrictions

• Oxygen, acetylene, and fuel gas cylinders must never be taken into or stored inside a confined space.
• Welding and cutting hoses may enter a confined space during active work but must be disconnected from the cylinder source and removed from the space whenever the welder is not actively present and working.

Prohibited uses Do not use compressed gas cylinders as rollers, supports, counterweights, or for any purpose other than containing the gas as supplied.

Transporting and Moving Cylinders

• Do not carry cylinders on a worker's shoulder.
• Before moving any cylinder, remove the regulator and install the valve protection cap — unless the cylinder is mounted in a specifically designed carrier that keeps it secured.
• Do not hoist cylinders by the valve, cap, or by rigging attached directly to the cylinder body. Use a cylinder cart, cradle, pallet, or other device designed for cylinder transport and rig to the device.
• When moving cylinders by hand over short distances, tilt the cylinder slightly and roll it on its bottom edge. Keep the cap on.
• Secure cylinders upright during all transport — including in trucks, forklifts, and man-lifts.
• For transport over longer distances, ramps, and stairs, use a hand truck or mechanical transport device designed for cylinder transport.
• When transporting cylinders in elevators, send the cylinder to the destination floor unaccompanied by other personnel, then retrieve it after it arrives.

Cylinder Storage

• Clearly separate and label empty cylinders from full cylinders. Keep empty cylinder valves closed and capped.
• Store cylinders in well-protected, well-ventilated, dry locations. Protect from sustained dampness, salt, and corrosive fumes.
• Protect stored cylinders from physical damage by vehicles and foot traffic. Use bollards, barriers, or designated storage racks.
• Do not store cylinders near elevators, stairs, or exit pathways.
• Protect cylinders from falling objects.

Oxygen and fuel gas separation — critical requirement All oxygen cylinders — full and empty — must be stored separately from all fuel gas cylinders — acetylene, propane, hydrogen — and from combustible materials by one of the following:

• A minimum separation distance of 20 feet, or
• A noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high with a fire-resistance rating of at least ½ hour.

This separation applies to both full and empty cylinders and applies at all times — not only during active work.

Do not store oxygen and fuel gas cylinders together in any unventilated enclosure including storage lockers, tool rooms, or vehicles, unless the enclosure is specifically designed and approved for that purpose.

Post the names of all gases stored in each storage area. Group cylinders by type, accounting for compatibility hazards. Do not allow stored cylinders to block exit routes or emergency egress paths.

Emergency Response — Cylinder Leak or Fire

If a cylinder leak or fire involving compressed gas cylinders occurs:

• Evacuate all personnel from the area immediately.
• Call 911.
• Do not attempt to extinguish a gas-fed fire unless you are trained to do so and it is safe. Extinguishing the flame without shutting off the gas supply allows unburned gas to accumulate and re-ignite explosively.
• Do not re-enter the area until the fire department or emergency responders have declared it safe.

3.12Cryogenic Liquids

Hazard Overview

Cryogenic liquids are substances maintained in liquid form at extremely low temperatures — typically below -150°F (-100°C). LIQUIDMETAL employees may encounter cryogenic liquids in freeze-seal operations, specialty maintenance work, NDE processes, and at customer industrial facilities. Common cryogenic liquids include liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid argon, and liquid carbon dioxide.

DANGER: Cryogenic liquids cause immediate, severe freeze burns on contact with skin. Contact with un-insulated cryogenic piping or equipment causes the same injury in seconds. Cryogenic liquid or vapor jet contact with the eyes may cause permanent, irreparable damage.

CAUTION: Cryogenic liquids have a very high liquid-to-gas expansion ratio when warmed to room temperature. Liquid nitrogen expands approximately 700:1. Trapping cryogenic liquid between two closed valves in an unvented section of piping will generate extreme pressure sufficient to rupture the piping.

NOTE: Cryogenic oxygen passing through or pooling on uninsulated piping or surfaces can cause oxygen-enriched condensate on adjacent materials. Materials that do not normally support combustion — including clothing, lubricants, and insulation — may ignite and burn intensely in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. Be aware of liquid oxygen proximity when performing any hot work or electrical work near cryogenic oxygen systems.

NOTE: When working with cryogenic cylinders, reference the Compressed Gas Cylinders chapter in conjunction with this chapter. For freeze-seal operations, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative for additional site-specific requirements before work begins.

General Safe Work Practices

• Never tamper with, defeat, or bypass overpressure protection devices on cryogenic equipment. Never trap cryogenic liquid or cold gas between two closed valves without an approved pressure relief path.
• Inspect portable Dewars before use. Do not use any Dewar showing ice or frost buildup on the exterior, excessive weeping, or physical damage. These are signs of insulation failure that can lead to rapid internal pressure buildup.
• At cryogenic temperatures, many common materials — rubber, most plastics, and carbon steel — become extremely brittle. Apply minimal stress to materials that are in cryogenic service or have been chilled — brittle fracture can occur with forces that would be harmless at ambient temperature.
• Ensure all piping and equipment in cryogenic service is rated for the expected pressures and temperatures.
• Remove metal rings, watches, and bracelets from hands and wrists before working with cryogenic liquids. Metal jewelry can freeze to skin on contact.
• Never attempt to mix different cryogenic liquids. Unexpected reactions or pressure events may result.
• Ensure the work area is well-ventilated before and during any filling, dispensing, or transfer operation. Inert cryogenic gases — nitrogen and argon — displace oxygen and cause asphyxiation without warning in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.

Personal Protective Equipment

When transporting or handling sealed, closed cryogenic cylinders or Dewars with no open transfer:

• Safety glasses
• Work gloves
• Hard hat

When filling Dewars, making connections, or performing any open transfer of cryogenic liquids:

• Safety glasses with side shields and a full-face shield — both worn simultaneously
• Long-sleeved shirt or jacket with no loose or dangling fabric
• Long pants with no cuffs — cuffs can collect cryogenic liquid
• Loose-fitting cryogenic gloves — must be loose to allow rapid removal if liquid enters the glove
• Cryogenic apron
• Closed-toe leather work boots
• Hard hat

Critical note on gloves: Cryogenic gloves must be loose-fitting. Tight gloves that cannot be quickly removed dramatically increase the risk of severe freeze injury if liquid enters the glove.

Transport, Storage, and Disposal

Transport:

• Shut the pressure-building valve on cryogenic cylinders before moving them.
• Use carts specifically designed for cryogenic cylinder transport.
• When hand-carrying a Dewar, carry nothing else. Keep the Dewar cap directed away from your face.
• When transporting cryogenic cylinders in elevators, do not ride in the elevator with the cylinder. Send the cylinder to the destination floor unaccompanied, then retrieve it.

Storage:

• Stage stationary cryogenic containers at least 1 foot from building structures and wall openings, and at least 10 feet from air intake systems.
• Refer to the Compressed Gas Cylinders chapter for additional storage requirements applicable to cryogenic cylinders.

Disposal:

• Never pour cryogenic liquids down any drain. The extreme temperature damages piping systems and the rapid gas expansion creates serious hazards in enclosed spaces.
• Allow excess cryogenic liquid to evaporate in a well-ventilated outdoor area clear of personnel, ignition sources, and air intakes.
• Never vent large quantities of cryogenic liquid in enclosed buildings or areas with limited air movement.

Emergency Response

Cryogenic skin or eye contact:

• Remove contaminated clothing immediately if it can be done without additional exposure.
• Flush the affected area with large quantities of tepid — not hot — water for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes. Cold water is acceptable if tepid water is not immediately available — continuous flushing is the priority.
• For eye contact, flush both eyes immediately at the nearest eyewash station. Keep eyes open during flushing.
• Do not rub the affected area.
• Seek medical attention immediately for all significant cryogenic contacts — the full extent of cryogenic injury may not be apparent for several hours.

Cryogenic spill:

• Evacuate the immediate area. Stay upwind of the spill.
• Cryogenic liquid spills rapidly vaporize and can create oxygen-deficient atmospheres in enclosed or low-lying areas. Do not re-enter until atmospheric monitoring confirms oxygen levels are safe.
• Do not walk through liquid oxygen spills or allow liquid oxygen to contact clothing or organic materials.
• Notify your supervisor and the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative immediately.
• If the spill involves liquid oxygen or if the gas involved is unknown, call 911.

Oxygen deficiency alarm: If an atmospheric monitor alarms for low oxygen where cryogenic inert gases are in use, evacuate immediately without stopping to investigate. Notify your supervisor. Do not re-enter until the atmosphere has been tested and confirmed safe.

3.13Material Handling, Powered Industrial Trucks, and Manual Lifting

Material Storage and Handling

Good material handling and storage practices prevent injuries from falling materials, struck-by incidents, and overexertion — and they keep work areas organized and passable. Material handling equipment includes hand trucks, dollies, material carts, pallet jacks, lifting jacks, forklifts, and other devices used to move and stage materials.

Storage requirements:

• Store all materials in a manner that does not create a hazard. Keep all traffic areas and aisles clear of stored materials, debris, and equipment at all times.
• Store flammable liquids only in approved UL-listed safety cans or storage cabinets with proper labels.
• Store pipe, bar stock, lumber, and similar elongated materials on suitable racks or blocking to prevent rolling or movement. Chock ends as needed.
• Never exceed the designated weight or storage capacity of any rack, shelf, or storage facility.
• When transporting pipe, tubes, bar stock, or lumber, secure the load against falling or shifting during movement.
• Protect floor and railing openings from materials inadvertently passing through them.
• Exercise extreme caution when lifting or carrying material in high wind — gusts on large or flat materials create unexpected load shifts.
• When storing materials or tools at heights on platforms, grating, or scaffolds, secure all items against falling or being blown off.

Clearance from energized lines: When storing materials or positioning equipment near energized overhead lines, maintain the following minimum clearances — including additional clearance for maximum conductor sag and side swing:

Powered Industrial Trucks

A Powered Industrial Truck (PIT) is any mobile, power-propelled truck used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack, or tier materials — including electric, propane, and diesel forklifts, reach trucks, and powered pallet jacks. LIQUIDMETAL's PIT requirements comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178.

Operator qualifications Only employees who have completed LIQUIDMETAL-authorized PIT training and hold current operator qualification for the specific type of truck being operated may operate powered industrial trucks. Qualification must be refreshed every three years or following any incident, near miss, or observation that reveals a performance concern.

Pre-shift inspection Inspect every powered industrial truck at the beginning of each shift before operating it. Check:

• Brakes, steering, horn, lights, and backup alarm.
• Mast and carriage for damage, cracks, and proper operation.
• Forks for bends, cracks, and proper heel and tip condition.
• Tires for condition and inflation.
• Fluid levels and visible leaks.
• LPG or fuel connections.
• Seatbelt, overhead guard, and fire extinguisher.

Document all defects on the daily inspection checklist. Tag any truck with a defect affecting safe operation "DO NOT OPERATE," note the defect on the tag, and notify the supervisor before the truck is used.

Operating rules:

• Only authorized operators may operate powered industrial trucks. Passengers are prohibited unless the truck is specifically designed with a second seat.
• Use the seatbelt whenever operating any sit-down forklift. Fasten before moving the truck.
• Determine the weight of the load before moving it. If unsure of the load weight, stop and determine it before proceeding. Never move a load that may exceed the truck's rated capacity.
• When picking up a pallet load, inspect the pallet for damage and verify the load is stable and evenly distributed before raising it.
• Travel with the load as low as possible — forks just off the floor — and tilted back against the carriage. Do not travel with the load raised.
• Do not lift or lower loads while the truck is in motion.
• When loads must be carried or placed at heights that block the operator's forward view, operate in reverse or use a spotter to guide placement.
• Observe posted floor load limits and overhead clearances in all areas.
• Slow down at intersections, blind corners, ramps, doorways, and on wet, uneven, or slippery surfaces. Sound the horn at all intersections and when approaching pedestrians.
• On ramps and inclines, keep the load pointing uphill — drive forward going up, backward going down. Never turn on a ramp.
• Keep all body parts within the truck's footprint while moving.
• No one may stand on, ride on the forks, or walk beneath elevated forks — loaded or unloaded.
• Stunt driving and horseplay are prohibited.
• Maintain safe following distance from other vehicles.
• The backup alarm must be operational and activate automatically in reverse.
• Never use a propane or internal combustion forklift in a confined space or poorly ventilated area where carbon monoxide could accumulate to dangerous levels.
• Never leave a running truck unattended. Shut off the engine, lower the forks to the floor, set the parking brake, and remove the key before stepping away.
• Do not use a forklift for rigging or lifting operations unless it is the only available means, a qualified rigger has approved the lift, and the lift does not exceed the truck's rated capacity at the required load center.
• Do not modify any powered industrial truck or add non-manufacturer attachments without written approval from the truck manufacturer.
• When using LPG-fueled trucks, close the cylinder valve when the truck is not in use or before refueling. No smoking is permitted in areas where LPG cylinders are being changed or where fuel is present.

Mechanical Equipment Operations

Mechanical equipment used in LIQUIDMETAL's industrial construction and maintenance work includes bulldozers, wheel loaders, skid steers, excavators, compactors, and graders. These machines are powerful and heavy, and they create fatal injuries in seconds when operated improperly or when personnel enter the operating zone.

All mechanical equipment operations comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1926.600 and applicable equipment-specific standards.

Before operating:

• Only trained and authorized operators may operate mechanical equipment. Training must be documented for the specific equipment type.
• Conduct a thorough pre-shift inspection before each day of use: brakes, lights, steering, horn, backup alarm, all fluid levels, tires or tracks, attachment condition, rollover protective structure (ROPS), seatbelt, and fire extinguisher. Tag out and remove from service any equipment with defects affecting safe operation.

During operation:

• Wear the seatbelt at all times when operating equipment equipped with ROPS.
• Maintain a minimum 10-foot clear zone from other personnel in the work area. When the operating area or digging zone is not clearly visible, a spotter must be posted.
• Operate on stable ground and within the manufacturer's rated slope limits. Chock wheels before leaving equipment parked on any incline.
• Maintain minimum clearance from energized power lines as specified in the material storage table above.
• No riders on any mechanical equipment except in a second seat specifically designed and installed by the manufacturer.
• Sound the horn at all site crossings and when approaching blind corners or congested areas.
• Shut off the engine and set the parking brake during refueling and all maintenance activities.

Manual Lifting

Back injuries from improper lifting are among the most common and most debilitating injuries in the industrial workforce. They develop from a single event or from repeated stress over time — and many of them are preventable.

General rules:

• One-person lifts are limited to 75 pounds. Any load that cannot be comfortably handled by one person, or that exceeds 75 pounds, requires two or more people or the use of mechanical assistance.
• Plan the lift before picking up the load. Check the path of travel for obstacles, doors that need to be opened, and surface conditions. Designate a set-down location before picking up.
• Carry loads so they do not obstruct your forward view.
• Use carts, dollies, or pallet jacks whenever moving loads any significant distance. Mechanical assists reduce injury risk and fatigue.

Proper lifting technique:

• Position yourself close to the load with feet shoulder-width apart and solid footing.
• Bend at the hips and knees to a squatting position. Keep the back straight and the core engaged. Your ears, shoulders, and hips should form an approximately straight line.
• Pull the load firmly against your body before lifting. The closer the load is to your body's center of gravity, the less stress on the back.
• Lift with your legs — drive through your heels as you stand. Do not use your back muscles as the primary lifting force.
• Do not twist while lifting or carrying. To change direction, move your feet. Turn the whole body — not just the upper body — while holding the load.
• Lower loads using the same technique in reverse — bend at the knees, keep the load close to your body.

Two-person lifts: When a lift requires two or more people, designate one person as the coordinator before beginning. The coordinator directs all movement — the lift, the carry, and the set-down — using clear verbal cues. Both lifters must be ready and in agreement before any movement begins.

Overhead lifting:

• Confirm the load can be safely handled before committing to the lift.
• Designate a set-down location before lifting.
• Use an approved step stool, platform, or ladder rather than reaching above shoulder height. Never stand on tiptoes or on stacked, unstable objects.
• Use both arms and keep the load close to the body throughout.

3.14Mechanical Equipment Operations

See Chapter 3.13 — Material Handling, Powered Industrial Trucks, and Manual Lifting for mechanical equipment operating requirements including bulldozers, loaders, skid steers, excavators, and graders. Heavy mechanical equipment is addressed in the Material Handling chapter to consolidate all equipment operation requirements in a single reference.

Additional mechanical equipment — bench grinders, power tools, and pneumatic equipment — is addressed in Chapter 3.10.

3.15Vehicle Safety and Use

Purpose and Scope

Motor vehicle incidents are a leading cause of occupational fatalities across all industries. LIQUIDMETAL employees drive company vehicles on public roads, customer facility roads, and construction sites as a regular part of their work assignments.

This chapter covers the safe operation and maintenance of all LIQUIDMETAL-owned and leased vehicles that do not require a Commercial Driver's License to operate — including passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, light trucks, cargo vans, and utility vehicles. Vehicles regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requiring CDL operation are subject to applicable DOT regulations in addition to this chapter.

Policy

• Company vehicles may only be operated by employees who have been specifically authorized by LIQUIDMETAL management for that purpose.
• All company vehicles will be maintained in safe mechanical condition at all times. Any vehicle with a safety defect must be removed from service immediately.
• Only LIQUIDMETAL-qualified mechanics or approved service facilities may perform maintenance on company vehicles.
• All vehicles will be operated, licensed, and insured in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
• All employees authorized to operate company vehicles are included in LIQUIDMETAL's random drug testing program.
• All authorized drivers must hold a valid state driver's license for the class of vehicle they are authorized to operate.

Responsibilities

Management:

• Provide annual defensive driver training for all authorized vehicle operators.
• Ensure authorized employees are trained in vehicle inspection and accident response procedures.
• Maintain company vehicles in safe, roadworthy condition.
• Maintain current insurance coverage on all company vehicles.

Supervisors:

• Allow only authorized, licensed employees to operate company vehicles.
• Arrange required training before initial vehicle authorization.
• Remove from service any vehicle with a safety defect — immediately.
• Do not authorize operation of any company vehicle by an employee taking medication that carries a warning about drowsiness or impaired reaction time.

Authorized Employees:

• Operate company vehicles safely and in full compliance with all traffic laws.
• Participate in required driver training programs.
• Ensure all vehicle occupants are wearing seatbelts before moving the vehicle.
• Conduct a pre-use inspection before the first use of each day.
• Report any safety defects or vehicle problems immediately.
• Report use of any prescription medication that may affect driving ability to your supervisor before operating a company vehicle.

Vehicle Inspection

Driver pre-use inspection — before each day's first use:

Inspect the vehicle for proper operation of all the following before driving:

Report any defect to the supervisor before driving. A vehicle with a safety defect that cannot be immediately corrected must not be driven until repaired.

Quarterly mechanical inspection: Every company vehicle receives a comprehensive inspection by a qualified mechanic at least every three months, covering brake system, fluid levels and leaks, brake pad wear, belts and hoses, battery, filters, lubrication, oil change, tire tread depth and condition, and emissions systems.

Driving Safely

Before starting:

• Complete the pre-use inspection.
• Adjust seat, steering wheel if adjustable, and all mirrors before starting.
• Fasten your seatbelt. Ensure all passengers are belted before moving.
• Check for active dashboard warning lights.

While driving:

• Do not drive while drowsy. If you become drowsy, pull over safely and rest — or contact your supervisor for relief. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as impaired driving.
• Anticipate hazards. Do not trust other drivers to behave predictably.
• Obey all posted speed limits. Reduce speed further in rain, fog, ice, construction zones, and congested areas.
• Maintain a minimum four-second following distance under normal conditions. Increase in adverse weather.
• Do not read, write, eat, drink, or use a handheld mobile device while driving.
• Hands-free calling is permitted only when it does not require manipulating controls and does not create a distraction from driving. Pull over for any call requiring more than momentary attention.
• Do not wear headphones, earbuds, or audio devices that impair your ability to hear horns, sirens, and other traffic warnings. This does not prohibit legally required hearing protection or properly used hands-free devices.
• Do not stop for hitchhikers or to provide roadside assistance to unknown vehicles or persons.

Backing:

• Back slowly and be ready to stop immediately.
• Use a spotter whenever one is available. The spotter stands in a position visible in the driver's mirror and maintains visual contact throughout the maneuver.
• When driving alone and backing is required, exit the vehicle and physically inspect the area behind the vehicle before entering and backing. Do not rely on mirrors or cameras alone when direct visibility is limited.
• Sound the horn before backing.

Stopping and parking:

• Park in designated areas only.
• When the vehicle becomes disabled on or near a roadway, turn on the four-way hazard flashers immediately. Move the vehicle as far off the traveled surface as possible. Place warning devices per applicable requirements. Do not step into live traffic lanes.

After an Accident

If involved in a vehicle accident while operating a company vehicle:

• Ensure safety first. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately.
• Notify your supervisor and LIQUIDMETAL management as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Cooperate with law enforcement. Do not move the vehicle unless directed by an officer.
• Complete the accident report in full.
• Do not sign any documents at the scene other than those required by law enforcement.

Collect the following information at the scene:

• Investigating officer's name and agency, and the report or case number.
• Make, model, year, and license plate of all other vehicles involved.
• Name, address, phone number, and driver's license number of all other drivers.
• Insurance information for all other vehicles.
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all witnesses.
• Photographs of the scene, vehicle positions, and road conditions.

Keep the accident report kit and a charged phone available in the vehicle at all times.

General Vehicle Use Rules

• Only licensed, authorized employees may operate company vehicles.
• Seatbelts must be worn by all occupants whenever the vehicle is in motion.
• Passengers ride only in seats designed for passenger occupancy. No passengers in cargo beds.
• All doors must be secured before the vehicle is placed in motion.
• Keep hands and feet inside the vehicle while it is moving.
• Turn on headlights during rain, reduced visibility, dawn, dusk, and nighttime.
• The driver is responsible for ensuring all cargo is secured before operating the vehicle.
• Do not leave unattended vehicles running.
• Shut off the vehicle before loading or unloading activities.
• Use steps, ladders, and grab rails when accessing truck beds and trailer decks. Do not jump.
• When cargo or materials extend more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle, mark the projection with a red flag during daylight and a red light during nighttime or reduced visibility.
• Report all vehicle incidents to your supervisor immediately.

Vehicle Maintenance

• Do not operate vehicle engines in enclosed garages or enclosed spaces without adequate exhaust ventilation.
• Avoid prolonged skin contact with motor oil, solvents, and automotive chemicals.
• Use only approved, non-flammable solvents for vehicle cleaning and degreasing. Do not use gasoline as a cleaning agent.
• When working beneath a vehicle, secure the vehicle against movement — chock wheels, set the parking brake, and use properly rated jack stands. Never rely on a hydraulic jack alone to support a vehicle while working underneath.
• Only qualified mechanics may service multi-piece rim wheels.
• Block dump bodies, tilt cabs, and hydraulic booms to prevent unintended lowering while maintenance is performed beneath them.
• Use approved wet methods or vacuum equipment when servicing brake and clutch assemblies. Do not use compressed air to blow out brake assemblies.
• Stop the engine before performing maintenance — except for adjustments that specifically require the engine to run, in which case ensure adequate ventilation and keep body parts clear of all moving components.

Trailers

• Before connecting or using a trailer, ensure it is stable — attached to the vehicle, on level ground, and supported by jack stands when disconnected.
• Do not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle or the tongue weight rating of the hitch.
• Keep the load's center of gravity low and centered over the trailer axles.
• Ensure the hitch coupler is fully engaged and locked. Attach safety chains crossed under the hitch with enough slack to allow turning but not enough to drag.
• Inspect trailer lights, wiring connections, hitch hardware, and tires before each towing operation.

3.16Crane Operations and Rigging

Scope and Purpose

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employees perform rigging operations as a routine part of industrial construction, mechanical maintenance, outage work, and equipment installation. Our pipefitters, welders, ironworkers, and general laborers work alongside crane operators and are directly involved in preparing, attaching, signaling, and managing lifted loads.

This chapter applies to all LIQUIDMETAL employees who perform rigging, work near crane and hoist operations, or are present in areas where lifts are in progress. Only employees who have completed required rigging training and been authorized by their supervisor are permitted to perform rigging work.

Rigging is a Core Life Saving Rule — R in CRAFT. Personnel must never work or walk beneath a suspended load.

Responsibilities

Supervisors:

• Ensure all employees performing rigging are trained, qualified, and authorized before beginning any rigging task.
• Ensure all rigging equipment is inspected before use and that periodic inspections are documented.
• Confirm that a lift plan is in place before any critical lift begins.
• Ensure only qualified signal persons are used and are clearly identified to the crane operator before lifting begins.

Authorized Riggers:

• Select rigging equipment appropriate for the load, lift configuration, and working environment.
• Inspect all rigging equipment before each use and remove defective equipment from service.
• Determine the weight of the load before rigging. Estimates are not acceptable.
• Attach rigging to the load correctly with proper edge protection and a balanced configuration.
• Monitor the load during the lift and use tag lines to control load movement.
• Never allow personnel under or in the path of a suspended load.

All Employees Working Near Crane Operations:

• Stay out of the load path and the crane swing radius unless specifically authorized.
• Obey all signals from the designated signal person — including STOP signals from any person in the work area.
• Never walk or work under a suspended load under any circumstance.

Before Any Lift — Pre-Lift Planning

Before any crane or hoist lift is performed, confirm the following:

• Load weight is known. Obtain from engineering drawings, equipment nameplates, or a qualified engineer. Never guess.
• Crane or hoist capacity is adequate. Rated capacity must not be exceeded. Account for the weight of all rigging hardware in the calculation.
• Rigging is selected, inspected, and confirmed serviceable. Slings, shackles, hooks, and all hardware must be appropriate for the load and inspected before the lift.
• Lift path is clear. Pick point, travel path, and set-down point identified and confirmed free from obstructions and personnel.
• Signal person is designated. Only one signal person communicates with the crane operator during any lift. Hand signals must be per ASME B30.5 or the crane manufacturer's standard.
• Tag lines are ready. Any load that may rotate, swing, or be difficult to control requires tag lines.
• All personnel are clear of the load path, the area beneath the load, and the crane swing radius before the lift begins.

Power Line Safety

The clearance figures in Chapter 3.13 apply to vehicles and mobile equipment. Cranes require more. Crane work near power lines is governed by the LIQUIDMETAL Construction Cranes program:

• No part of the crane, load line, or load may be able to reach within 20 feet of a power line. A pre-operation hazard assessment identifies the work zone and determines whether any part of the equipment could get closer than 20 feet — either by demarcating the boundary with flags and range-limiting devices, or by treating the work zone as 360 degrees around the equipment out to maximum working radius.
• Where 20 feet cannot be maintained, at least one control must be in place: the line de-energized and visibly grounded, a dedicated spotter, proximity alarms, range control devices, or insulating links.
• Assembly and disassembly below power lines is prohibited unless the line is de-energized and grounded.
• All power lines are presumed energized unless the utility owner confirms otherwise and the line is visibly grounded at the worksite. All power lines are presumed uninsulated.
• A dedicated spotter's only job is watching the separation between the crane and the line. Spotters must be trained and qualified as signal persons.
• An electrocution hazard warning sticker must be posted conspicuously in the crane cab.
• Crews working near power lines must understand the limitations of insulating links, proximity alarms, and range control devices, and must be trained in what to do if contact occurs.

Contact with an overhead line is one of the most consistent causes of crane fatalities, and it frequently kills the ground crew rather than the operator. Anyone touching the load, a tag line, or the crane at the moment of contact is in the current path.

Crane Operator Qualification

Operators must be determined qualified before operating any crane. Qualification is established either by certification from an accredited crane operator testing organization — portable, valid for five years — or through an audited employer program.

Operators must meet the physical qualifications, pass a physical and a written examination, understand and use a load chart, and calculate loads for the type of crane operated. The operator is responsible for the entire lift: making the required inspections, ensuring the crane is maintained, keeping all personnel clear of crane hazards, and determining load weights and correct rigging.

Riggers and signal persons must be separately qualified. Certifying the operator does not qualify the crew.

Modifications or additions that could affect capacity or safe operation require written approval from the manufacturer, or from a registered professional engineer qualified with respect to the equipment, who must confirm the original safety factor is not reduced.

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Construction Cranes program, Safety Manual p. 98, and Crawler and Truck Cranes, p. 130.

Critical and Engineered Lifts

A Critical Lift requires extra precautions and a written lift plan reviewed and approved before the lift begins. LIQUIDMETAL defines a critical lift as any lift meeting one or more of the following criteria:

• Load weight exceeds 75 percent of the crane's rated capacity at the required radius.
• Two or more cranes or hoists are used simultaneously.
• Personnel are lifted using a man basket or personnel platform.
• The lift involves proximity to energized electrical equipment, work over water, or lifting near critical plant systems.
• The load has an unusual shape, high or unknown center of gravity, or requires special handling.

A written Critical Lift Plan must be prepared or reviewed by a qualified engineer or rigging supervisor and approved by the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative before any critical lift begins.

Crane and Hoist Safety Rules

• Never walk or work under a suspended load. This is a Core Life Saving Rule. There are no exceptions.
• Know who the designated signal person is before any lift begins. During a lift, respond only to that signal person's signals — but a STOP signal from anyone in the work area must be obeyed immediately by the crane operator.
• Rated capacities must never be exceeded. All rigging hardware must be rated for the load.
• Avoid shock loading. Accelerate, decelerate, and set down loads smoothly. Dropping a load and arresting it suddenly multiplies the actual load force by several times the static weight.
• Side pulls — applying the crane hook at an angle to pull a load laterally — are prohibited unless the crane is specifically rated and configured for that purpose.
• Loads must not be left suspended and unattended.
• In the event of any crane malfunction during a lift, evacuate all personnel from the area immediately. Do not re-enter until the equipment has been inspected and cleared by a qualified person.

Rigging Equipment — Selection and Inspection

All rigging equipment must:

• Be in good condition and appropriate for the load and lift geometry.
• Have load limits clearly marked, stamped, or tagged.
• Maintain a minimum design safety factor of 5:1 for wire rope slings.
• Be inspected before each use by the authorized rigger.
• Be removed from service and destroyed — not stored or put back in service — when any rejection criterion is found.

Remove slings from service immediately when any of the following are found:

Synthetic web slings:

• Abnormal wear or abrasion exposing core fibers.
• Torn or broken stitching at any point.
• Cuts, holes, or broken fibers.
• Melted, charred, or heat-damaged fibers.
• Chemical damage — discoloration, softening, or stiffening.
• Missing or illegible load rating label.

Wire rope slings:

• Kinking, bird-caging, crushing, or any distortion of the rope's normal structure.
• Heat damage or evidence of arc strike.
• Damaged end fittings.
• Ten or more randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay length.
• Five or more broken wires in a single strand within one lay length.
• Hooks opened more than 15 percent of normal throat width.
• Hooks twisted more than 10 degrees from the plane of the unbent hook.

Alloy steel chain slings:

• Cracked, bent, stretched, or elongated links or components.
• Links worn to more than 10 percent reduction of original cross-section.
• Cracked or deformed hooks, shackles, or connectors.

Rigging a Load

• Determine the load weight from the most reliable available source.
• Select the appropriate sling type and size for the load, geometry, and environment.
• Inspect all rigging before attaching to the load.
• Determine the load's center of gravity and plan the rigging configuration to lift in a balanced manner.
• Protect slings at all sharp edges using corner protectors, softeners, or padding.
• Install wire rope clips correctly: the saddle bears on the live end, the U-bolt on the dead end. Follow manufacturer specifications for clip spacing and quantity.
• Connect rigging to the crane hook. Confirm the hook latch is functional and the load is seated in the bowl of the hook, not on the latch.
• Test lift: Raise the load only a few inches off the ground. Check balance, verify rigging is seated and loaded correctly, and confirm no personnel are in the load path before lifting to full height.
• Use tag lines to control load rotation and positioning during the lift and set-down.

Rigging Inspection Schedule

Defective rigging hardware must be destroyed before disposal — cut, bent, or otherwise rendered unusable — to prevent it from being returned to service by anyone who retrieves it. Notify the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Coordinator when defective equipment is identified.

Working at Elevation During Rigging Operations

When rigging requires work at elevation — climbing on equipment, accessing hook blocks, or working on elevated structures to attach rigging — fall protection is required at six feet and above in construction settings and four feet and above in general industry settings.

Cranes and hoists must never be used as personnel platforms except when use of conventional access means is demonstrated to be more hazardous or physically impossible, when an engineered man-basket procedure has been approved by the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative and the crane operator, and when all applicable OSHA requirements for personnel platforms are met.

Group 4High-Risk Work

The chapters in this group cover the work activities that carry the highest potential for fatal or catastrophic injury in LIQUIDMETAL's operations. Several of these topics correspond directly to CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules. The rules and procedures in this group are not guidelines — they are requirements. Deviations are treated as critical safety events.

3.17Barricades, Barriers, and Signs

Why Barricades Must Be Respected

A barricade communicates one thing: a hazard exists beyond this point that you may not be aware of. Every barricade placed on a LIQUIDMETAL jobsite was placed by someone who identified that hazard, determined it could not be immediately eliminated, and took action to protect the next person who walked toward it.

Stepping over, ducking under, or removing a barricade without authorization is not a minor infraction. It removes the protection that was placed for your safety and the safety of everyone else in the area. It will result in disciplinary action.

Every LIQUIDMETAL employee — and every employee of any contractor working alongside LIQUIDMETAL crews — is required to respect safety barriers and posted signs, whether placed by LIQUIDMETAL or by the customer site.

Regulatory Requirements

All barricades, barriers, and signs used by LIQUIDMETAL comply with applicable OSHA standards — including 29 CFR 1926 Subpart G for construction work and 29 CFR 1910 Subpart J for general industry — and with ANSI Z535 standards for safety sign design and color coding. On multi-employer worksites, LIQUIDMETAL coordinates with the site owner and the controlling employer to ensure consistent application and to avoid conflicts with site-specific safety plans.

The Color Code System

Every LIQUIDMETAL employee must understand and apply the color code system used to identify the hazard level of a barricaded area. These colors are standardized per OSHA and ANSI Z535.

RED — DANGER Indicates an immediate threat of death or serious physical harm. Examples: high-voltage electrical areas, open excavations with immediate cave-in risk, areas of structural instability, or active confined space entries.

Do not cross a RED barricade under any circumstances. Employees requiring access to a red-barricaded area must obtain authorization from both the person or organization that established the barricade and the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manager before entering. There are no exceptions.

YELLOW/BLACK — CAUTION Indicates a potential hazard or unsafe condition that presents a risk of injury. Examples: wet floors, areas with limited overhead clearance, equipment undergoing maintenance, or areas with minor trip hazards.

Employees may access CAUTION-barricaded areas only after understanding the specific hazard identified, confirming the appropriate precautions have been taken, and taking those precautions before entry.

BLUE/WHITE — NOTICE Conveys general safety information, rules, directional guidance, or work area designations. Examples: Hard Hat Area Required, directional arrows, equipment staging zones.

Establishing and Maintaining Barricades

When barricading a work area, the following requirements apply:

• Use rope, tape, cones, guardrails, or other approved barriers appropriate to the level of hazard.
• Barricade rope or tape must be placed no closer than 6 feet to the hazard unless the physical space makes this impossible or creates an additional hazard. When the standard distance cannot be achieved, the supervisor approves an alternative approach.
• Always provide a designated entry and exit point in the barricade so that authorized personnel can access the area without bypassing the barrier.
• Post a sign or tag on the barricade identifying the hazard, the name and contact information of the responsible supervisor or organization, and a phone number so that employees needing access can obtain authorization.
• Barricade rope or tape color must correspond to the hazard level — Red for Danger, Yellow/Black for Caution, Blue/White for Notice.
• Do not tie barricade rope or tape to sensing lines, small-diameter instrument tubing, valves, or valve actuators. Doing so can make critical plant systems inoperable. Attach barricade rope only to solid structural supports, pipe stands, or dedicated barricade posts.

Employee Responsibilities

• Never step over, duck under, or move a barricade to pass through — use the designated entry point.
• Before entering any barricaded area, understand the specific hazard the barricade identifies, confirm you are authorized to enter, and ensure you have the appropriate PPE and precautions in place.
• If you need access to a RED-barricaded area, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manager and the person or organization that established the barricade. Do not enter until verbal or written authorization has been received.
• If you encounter a barricade that appears damaged, improperly placed, missing its identification tag, or unattended when it should be attended, notify your supervisor immediately.
• Barricades established by the customer site or host facility carry the same authority as LIQUIDMETAL-placed barricades. Comply with customer-placed barriers and seek authorization from the customer when access is required.

Overhead Work — Dropped Object Protection

When performing work at elevation above areas where other employees or the public may be present:

• Barricade the area below. Use rope, tape, or physical barriers with appropriate signage to prevent anyone from walking beneath the overhead work zone. The barricade must extend far enough to contain any object that could fall from the work area.
• Re-route foot traffic where possible. Coordinate with your supervisor to redirect pedestrian paths away from the overhead work zone before work begins.
• Control tools and materials at elevation. Place small parts and hand tools in a bucket, bag, or tote. Use tool lanyards to secure hand tools when working over occupied areas. When working above open grating, cover the grating with a rubber mat or solid cover to prevent small items from falling through.
• Netting and toe boards. Scaffolding and elevated platforms used above occupied areas must have toe boards, debris screens, or catch netting installed as appropriate to contain falling objects.

For complete dropped object prevention requirements during elevated work, see Chapter 3.32.

Radiation Area Barricades — NDE Work

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions performs non-destructive examination including radiographic inspection. Radiographic inspection creates ionizing radiation hazards governed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Agreement State, and applicable DOT regulations — not the standard color-code barricade system described above.

Radiation area barricades during radiographic work are the responsibility of the licensed radiographer. All LIQUIDMETAL employees must apply the following requirements when radiographic work is in progress:

• Radiation barricades must never be crossed by anyone except the licensed radiography crew. There are no exceptions. The hazard inside is real and completely invisible.
• Radiation barricades are marked with radiation hazard symbols — the trefoil — and typically use yellow and magenta coloring. Treat these barriers with the same absolute authority as a RED DANGER barricade.
• If you encounter a radiation barricade that appears removed, disturbed, or unattended, evacuate the area immediately and notify your supervisor. Do not investigate.
• For complete radiation safety requirements, see Chapter 3.33.

3.18Confined Space Entry

Why This Is a Core Life Saving Rule

Confined space entry has killed workers in our industry who were experienced, trained, and who had worked in similar spaces before. The hazard that kills in confined spaces is frequently invisible — an atmosphere that looks completely normal but contains insufficient oxygen or a toxic gas at fatal concentration. Entrants who collapse inside a permit-required confined space are frequently joined by untrained would-be rescuers who also collapse. Multiple fatalities from a single confined space incident are not rare.

LIQUIDMETAL employees enter boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, manholes, pits, and other confined spaces during power generation outages and industrial maintenance work. Confined Space Entry is the C in LIQUIDMETAL's CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules. A violation — any entry without proper authorization, testing, and controls — is a critical safety event that will result in immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Definitions

Confined Space — A space that meets all three of the following:

• Large enough for an employee to bodily enter and perform assigned work.
• Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit.
• Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS) — A confined space that contains or has the potential to contain any of the following:

• A hazardous atmosphere — oxygen deficiency or enrichment, flammable gas or vapor at or above 10 percent of the LEL, or a toxic substance above its permissible exposure limit.
• Material that could engulf an entrant.
• An internal configuration that could trap or asphyxiate an entrant.
• Any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

Entry — Any action by which any part of an employee's body breaks the plane of the opening of a confined space. Entry begins the moment any body part crosses the opening threshold.

Common confined spaces in LIQUIDMETAL work:

• Boiler drums and water walls
• Pressure vessels, tanks, and hoppers
• Heat exchangers and shell-and-tube equipment
• Manholes and underground vaults
• Pits and sumps
• Ductwork, flues, and plenums
• Pipe sections of sufficient diameter to enter

Roles and Responsibilities

Entry Supervisor — Authorizes and oversees permit-required confined space entries. Reviews and signs the entry permit, verifies all precautions are in place, and cancels the permit when entry is complete or when conditions change. The Entry Supervisor may also serve as the Attendant when conditions permit.

Authorized Entrant — An employee authorized to enter the permit space and perform work. Entrants must understand the hazards of the specific space, know how to use required monitoring equipment and PPE, know how to perform self-rescue, and know the conditions that require immediate exit.

Attendant — Stationed outside the confined space at all times during entry. Monitors entrants and atmospheric conditions, maintains the entry log, communicates continuously with entrants, and initiates rescue when required. The Attendant never enters the space — for any reason — to perform rescue. If entrants need assistance that the Attendant cannot provide from outside, the Attendant summons rescue services.

LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative — Responsible for administering the confined space program, reviewing and approving permits, ensuring rescue services are identified and available, and reviewing entries following any incident.

Before You Enter — What Every Entrant Must Confirm

Before entering any permit-required confined space, confirm the following:

• A completed, signed entry permit is posted at the space entrance. The permit must list all identified hazards, required controls, atmospheric test results, required PPE, and the names of the Entry Supervisor, Authorized Entrants, and Attendant. If there is no permit, there is no entry.
• The atmosphere has been tested and confirmed safe. You have the right to see the atmospheric test results before entering.
• Communication with the Attendant is established and confirmed. Test the communication method — voice, radio, or rope signal — before entry.
• Rescue services have been identified. You know who will come for you if you cannot self-rescue.
• You understand the specific hazards in this space. Ask the Entry Supervisor if anything is unclear.
• You know the conditions that require immediate exit. When in doubt, get out.

The Entry Permit

A written Confined Space Entry Permit must be completed in full and signed by the Entry Supervisor before any permit-required confined space entry begins. The permit is the pre-entry checklist that verifies all required precautions are in place.

The permit must include at minimum:

• Space identification and location
• Date and authorized entry duration
• Purpose of the entry
• Known and potential hazards
• Atmospheric test results
• Isolation, ventilation, and lockout/tagout measures in place
• Required PPE and equipment
• Communication procedures
• Rescue services identified and confirmed available
• Names and signatures of the Entry Supervisor, Authorized Entrants, and Attendant

When the entry is complete, the Entry Supervisor cancels the permit and retains it for at least one year. If an incident occurred during the entry, the permit is preserved and submitted to the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department as part of the incident investigation.

When LIQUIDMETAL employees work at a customer site with its own confined space permit system, employees participate in that system as directed by site management. LIQUIDMETAL supervisors verify that the customer's program meets the requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 for general industry work, and 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA for construction work. If it does not, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department before entry begins.

Atmospheric Testing

The atmosphere inside a confined space must be tested before any entrant enters the space and monitored continuously during occupancy whenever atmospheric conditions can change.

Atmospheric testing is conducted from outside the space using a properly calibrated, direct-reading multi-gas instrument capable of measuring oxygen content, flammable gas or vapor concentration as percent LEL, and applicable toxic gases for the specific space — commonly carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide.

Testing sequence: Test at multiple levels within the space — top, middle, and bottom — because gases of different densities may concentrate in separate layers. Heavy gases such as hydrogen sulfide concentrate at lower levels. Lighter flammable gases may accumulate at the top.

Safe air limits for confined space entry:

If any parameter falls outside the safe range, do not enter. Notify the Entry Supervisor and Safety Representative. Do not enter until the condition has been corrected and re-tested.

Continuous monitoring is required during any entry where atmospheric conditions may change — including during welding, painting, chemical cleaning, or any activity that generates gases or consumes oxygen. If readings approach action levels during an entry, the Attendant orders immediate evacuation.

Ventilation

When ventilation is required to maintain a safe atmosphere:

• Use only forced-air mechanical ventilation — blowers that push or pull clean air through the space.
• Never use oxygen for ventilation. Oxygen-enriching the atmosphere in a confined space dramatically increases fire and explosion hazard. Materials that do not normally burn — including clothing and insulation — can ignite and burn intensely in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. This error has killed workers.
• Position the blower intake in clean air — away from fuel gas sources, engine exhausts, and chemical storage.
• Verify that ventilation is achieving the desired result by testing the atmosphere after ventilation begins and before entry. Ventilation does not guarantee a safe atmosphere — testing does.
• If ventilation is interrupted for any reason during entry, entrants must exit immediately. Re-test before re-entry.

Isolation and Lockout/Tagout

Before entry into any confined space connected to piping, equipment, or energy sources, all hazardous energy must be controlled in accordance with the LIQUIDMETAL Lockout/Tagout program. This includes:

• Blanking, blinding, or physically disconnecting all lines that could introduce hazardous materials into the space.
• Locking out and tagging all energy sources connected to equipment inside or associated with the space.
• Verifying isolation is complete before signing the entry permit.

Do not rely on closed valves alone to isolate a confined space from hazardous substances. Physical isolation — blind or blank flanges — is required.

Rescue Planning

Rescue capability must be evaluated and confirmed for each specific entry before work begins. Do not begin an entry without knowing who will come for the entrants if they cannot self-rescue.

Self-Rescue Entrants must exit immediately — without waiting for direction — when any of the following occurs:

• They feel ill, dizzy, short of breath, or experience any unusual symptom.
• Their atmospheric monitor alarms.
• They detect an unusual odor or any change in conditions inside the space.
• They observe a prohibited condition.
• The Attendant directs them to exit.

Trust your body. If something feels wrong, get out.

Non-Entry Rescue When an entrant cannot self-rescue, the Attendant assists from outside the space using a mechanical retrieval system attached to the entrant's retrieval harness. This rescue is performed from outside only — the Attendant never enters the space to assist.

For vertical spaces exceeding five feet in depth, a retrieval system — tripod, winch, and retrieval line — must be connected to each entrant before entry begins.

Emergency Rescue Services When non-entry rescue is not possible, entry rescue by trained and equipped emergency responders is required. At customer plant sites, the plant's established confined space rescue team may serve this role, provided the Entry Supervisor has confirmed before entry that:

• The rescue service is aware of the entry and the space conditions.
• The rescue service's capabilities are appropriate for the specific space.
• Response time is acceptable for the hazards present.

At sites where an established rescue team is not available, LIQUIDMETAL must arrange for a qualified rescue service before entry begins.

The Attendant must have a means of summoning rescue without leaving the space entrance. A radio, phone, or pre-established signal system must be in place and confirmed functional before entry begins.

Attendant Responsibilities During Entry

The Attendant's only responsibility during a confined space entry is to monitor the entrants and the space conditions. The Attendant does not perform other work tasks simultaneously.

The Attendant must:

• Know the number and identity of all authorized entrants inside the space at all times.
• Maintain continuous communication with entrants.
• Monitor atmospheric readings throughout the entry.
• Order immediate evacuation when: the Entry Supervisor directs it; entrant communication is lost; a prohibited condition is detected; or the Attendant cannot perform all Attendant duties safely.
• Summon rescue services when an entrant cannot self-rescue.
• Never enter the space — for any reason.

Training

All LIQUIDMETAL employees who perform confined space work must be trained in their specific role — Entrant, Attendant, or Entry Supervisor — before performing confined space duties. Training must be repeated whenever the employee's role changes, procedures change, or evidence indicates the employee lacks the required knowledge or skills.

All confined space training must be documented with the date, topics covered, and trainee signatures.

3.19Lockout/Tagout

Why Lockout/Tagout Is a Core Life Saving Rule

Lockout/Tagout is the T in LIQUIDMETAL's CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules. It is the procedure that protects workers from the unexpected energization, startup, or release of stored energy while they perform maintenance, repair, installation, or inspection on equipment.

The consequences of failing to properly control hazardous energy are catastrophic and irreversible. Workers have been killed and permanently disabled by equipment that started unexpectedly, by valves that opened remotely while workers were inside piping systems, by hydraulic systems that released pressure, by steam that was not properly isolated, and by electrical systems believed to be de-energized. These incidents did not happen because the workers were careless. They happened because the hazardous energy was not controlled.

No task is urgent enough to skip lockout/tagout. The time required to properly lock out equipment is always less than the time required to recover from the injury caused by not doing so.

LIQUIDMETAL's LOTO program complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147.

Definitions

Affected Employee: An employee whose job requires operating or using equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed, or who works in an area where such work is being performed. Affected employees must know that LOTO is in place and must not attempt to start or energize the equipment.

Authorized Employee: An employee who has been trained and authorized to apply lockout or tagout devices and to perform the servicing or maintenance. Authorized employees are responsible for their own lockout device and the protection it provides.

Energy Isolating Device: A mechanical device that physically prevents the transmission or release of energy — a valve, disconnect switch, circuit breaker, slide gate, or blind flange. A control button, PLC input, or software switch is not an energy isolating device.

Energy Source: Any source of electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other energy — including stored energy such as springs under tension, elevated machine components, pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic systems, and process energy in lines and vessels.

Lockout: Placing a padlock on an energy isolating device in a manner that prevents the device from being operated until the lock is removed.

Lockout Device: A padlock that holds an energy isolating device in the safe position. Each authorized employee has their own uniquely keyed padlock. LOTO locks are never shared and are never used for any other purpose.

Tagout: Placing a warning tag on an energy isolating device that cannot accept a lock. A tagout device alone does not provide the same level of protection as a physical lock. Lockout is always preferred.

Tagout Device: A prominent warning tag with a tamper-resistant attachment, labeled "DANGER — DO NOT OPERATE", securely attached to the energy isolating device.

Energy Types in LIQUIDMETAL Work

LIQUIDMETAL employees encounter all of the following energy types during maintenance, outage, and construction work. Every type must be controlled before work begins.

• Electrical energy: Motors, controls, instruments, lighting, and power tools. Can be present in unexpected locations — induced voltages from nearby circuits, capacitors retaining charge after disconnection.
• Pneumatic energy: Compressed air and gas in piping, actuators, cylinders, and tanks. Residual pressure remains after isolation until physically bled.
• Hydraulic energy: Pressurized hydraulic fluid in cylinder systems and accumulators. Pressure can remain stored in accumulators long after pump isolation.
• Thermal energy — steam and hot fluids: Steam, hot water, hot oil, and other thermal process fluids. Must be isolated, cooled, and verified safe before opening.
• Mechanical energy — gravity: Elevated machine components, press rams, raised hoppers, and counterweights that can drop under gravity if not mechanically blocked.
• Mechanical energy — spring tension: Springs in mechanical systems that store energy and release it suddenly if restraining components are removed.
• Chemical energy: Reactive chemicals in process systems that can release energy during phase change, reaction, or decomposition.

Stored and residual energy must be released, restrained, or dissipated before work begins. Isolating the energy source does not automatically release stored energy — each energy type requires specific steps to ensure stored energy has been controlled.

The Lockout/Tagout Procedure

Before servicing or maintenance begins on any equipment subject to unexpected energization or energy release, the authorized employee follows this sequence:

Step 1 — Survey energy sources. Identify all energy sources associated with the equipment — electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, thermal, gravitational, and chemical. More than one type may be present. Do not assume you have identified all sources without a thorough review of the equipment and a physical walkdown.

Step 2 — Notify affected employees. Notify all employees who operate or work near the equipment that LOTO is being applied, what equipment is involved, and the reason for the shutdown.

Step 3 — Shut down the equipment. Use the normal stopping procedure — stop button, toggle switch, valve closure, or equivalent — to shut the equipment down in a controlled manner.

Step 4 — Isolate all energy sources. Operate all energy isolating devices to the safe position — open circuit breakers, close and lock isolation valves, install blind flanges where required, block elevated components, bleed pneumatic and hydraulic pressure to zero, allow thermal systems to cool to safe temperature.

Step 5 — Apply lockout or tagout devices. Apply a personal padlock to each energy isolating device. Where a device cannot accept a lock, apply a tagout device. If one energy isolating device must be locked by more than one person, use a multi-lock hasp that allows each person to apply their own lock.

Step 6 — Release or restrain stored energy. Bleed pneumatic and hydraulic pressure to zero. Allow steam and hot fluid systems to reach safe temperature. Block or pin elevated components. Release or block spring-loaded components.

Step 7 — Verify de-energization.

• For electrical systems: test with a properly rated voltage detection device. Confirm the tester works by testing on a known live source before the verification, then test the isolated equipment, then confirm the tester works again immediately after.
• For pneumatic and hydraulic systems: visually confirm gauges read zero and attempt to operate controls.
• For thermal systems: confirm temperature and pressure readings indicate safe conditions.
• For mechanical systems: confirm blocking or pinning is in place and secure.

The equipment is now locked out. Work may begin.

Shift Changes and Lockout Transfer

When servicing continues across shift changes, LOTO protection must be transferred before the outgoing authorized employee removes their lock.

Transfer procedure:

• Both the outgoing and incoming authorized employees physically inspect the lockout together.
• The incoming employee applies their personal lock before the outgoing employee removes theirs.
• Document the transfer in LIQUIDMETAL's LOTO documentation system.
• If both employees cannot physically meet, the supervisor manages the lockout until the incoming employee can apply their lock.

Restoring Equipment to Service

When work is complete and equipment is ready to return to service:

• Confirm all tools, test equipment, and materials have been removed from the equipment and the work area.
• Confirm all guards and safety devices have been reinstalled.
• Confirm all employees are clear of the equipment.
• Notify all affected employees that LOTO is being removed and the equipment will be re-energized.
• Each authorized employee removes only their own lock.
• Operate the energy isolating devices to restore energy in the correct sequence.

Temporary Energization for Testing

When equipment under LOTO must be temporarily energized for testing or positioning:

• Notify all affected employees to clear the equipment and the immediate area.
• Follow the complete lockout removal procedure.
• Perform the test or positioning operation.
• After the test is complete, re-apply LOTO before resuming work.

Do not leave equipment in a partially energized state between test sequences.

Group Lockout/Tagout

When a crew performs maintenance on the same equipment simultaneously, each authorized employee applies their own personal lock.

Using a hasp: A multi-lock hasp is placed on the energy isolating device, allowing multiple employees to apply individual locks. Each lock remains in place until that employee has completed their work and is clear of the hazard.

Using a lockout box: A lockout box is used when a single energy isolating device cannot physically accommodate multiple locks. The crew leader applies a single lock to the energy isolating device, places the key inside the lockout box, and locks the box. Each crew member then applies their personal lock to the box. As each crew member finishes, they remove their lock from the box. When all personal locks are removed, the crew leader retrieves the key and removes the lock from the energy isolating device.

Rules Every Employee Must Follow

• Never attempt to operate any switch, valve, or energy isolating device that has a lockout or tagout device applied.
• Never remove another employee's lockout or tagout device.
• Never attempt to shortcut or bypass the LOTO procedure for any reason, under any time pressure.
• LOTO locks are for lockout/tagout only — never used for any other purpose.

If an authorized employee leaves a lock in place and cannot be reached:

• Make every reasonable effort to contact the employee.
• If the employee cannot be reached, a supervisor and a second authorized employee may remove the lock — but only after physically confirming the employee is not in the hazardous area.
• Document the lock removal.
• Notify the employee that their lock was removed when they return.

Lockout vs. Tagout

Lockout is always preferred over tagout. If an energy isolating device can be locked, a physical padlock must be used. Tagout alone may only be used when the energy isolating device physically cannot accept a lock and cannot be modified to do so. When tagout alone is used, additional safety measures must be implemented to provide protection equivalent to a physical lock.

LOTO at Customer Sites — Power Generation and Industrial Facilities

Many LIQUIDMETAL customer facilities use their own site-specific clearance control programs — often called Clearance Control, Tagging Out, or Permit to Work systems. These programs are designed to provide protection equivalent to or greater than OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147.

When LIQUIDMETAL employees work at a customer site with a facility-specific clearance control program:

• Comply with the customer site's clearance control procedures in addition to LIQUIDMETAL's requirements.
• LIQUIDMETAL supervisors verify that the customer's program provides protection equivalent to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 before work begins.
• If the customer site requires LIQUIDMETAL employees to apply their own locks in addition to plant clearance tags, comply with both requirements.
• If a conflict exists between the customer site's program and OSHA requirements, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department before work begins.

Annual Inspection

At least annually, LIQUIDMETAL conducts an inspection of energy control procedures to verify compliance and effectiveness. For lockout procedures, the inspection is conducted with each authorized employee who uses the procedure. For tagout procedures, the inspection includes both authorized and affected employees. The inspection is certified in writing with the date, employees included, and procedure reviewed. Deviations identified during the inspection are corrected before the procedure is used again.

Training

All authorized employees receive LOTO training before performing any lockout work. All affected employees receive training on the purpose of LOTO and the prohibition against operating locked-out equipment. Training is documented and repeated whenever job duties change, new equipment or energy hazards are introduced, or observation indicates the employee does not fully understand the requirements.

3.20Electrical Safety

Why Electrical Safety Is a Core Life Saving Rule

Electricity kills in two ways — and both can happen in an industrial environment in a fraction of a second.

Electrocution occurs when electrical current passes through the body. Voltages as low as 50 volts can cause ventricular fibrillation and death. The severity of the injury depends on the current level, the path through the body, and the duration of contact.

Arc flash is an explosive release of electrical energy caused by a fault in energized equipment. Arc flash events generate temperatures exceeding 35,000°F at the arc point — four times the surface temperature of the sun — and produce a pressure wave, molten metal projectiles, and a blinding light flash that can cause severe burns, blast injuries, and death at distances well beyond the point of contact.

LIQUIDMETAL works in power generation facilities, industrial plants, and construction environments where electrical hazards are present throughout the work area. Arc flash and Electrical Safety is the A in LIQUIDMETAL's CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules.

The fundamental rule: Treat all electrical equipment as energized until it has been de-energized, isolated, locked out, and verified de-energized by a qualified person using a properly rated testing device.

LIQUIDMETAL's electrical safety program complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.331 through 1910.399 and aligns with NFPA 70E — Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

Definitions

Qualified Electrical Worker: An employee who has been trained and authorized by LIQUIDMETAL to perform work on or near exposed energized electrical parts. Qualification is task-specific and voltage-specific — qualification for one type of electrical work does not authorize an employee for all electrical work.

Unqualified Worker: Any employee who has not been specifically trained and authorized to perform electrical work. Unqualified employees must not perform electrical work of any kind.

Rules for All Employees — Qualified and Unqualified

• Treat all electrical equipment as energized until proven otherwise by a qualified person using a verified testing device.
• Do not operate electrical equipment you suspect has a problem — report it to your supervisor.
• Report all electrical deficiencies — damaged cords, damaged outlets, unusual sounds from electrical equipment, circuit breakers that trip repeatedly — to your supervisor immediately.
• Do not use extension cords or power equipment with missing or damaged ground pins.
• Water and electricity are incompatible. Never use electrical equipment near water unless it is specifically rated and approved for wet locations.
• Do not overload electrical receptacles.
• Even low voltages can kill. 120-volt household current kills more workers than high-voltage lines because the risk is underestimated.

Rules for Unqualified Workers

Unqualified employees must follow the rules above and additionally:

• Do not perform any repairs, modifications, or adjustments to electrical equipment — including replacing fuses, resetting circuit breakers that have tripped more than once, or opening electrical panels.
• Do not work within the Limited Approach Boundary of exposed, energized conductors or circuit parts.
• If you are not sure whether a task involves electrical work, ask before touching anything.

Arc Flash — What Every Employee Must Understand

Arc flash occurs when a fault in energized electrical equipment causes an electrical arc through the air. The consequences of an arc flash event are severe and can be fatal even for workers who are not at the point of the fault.

LIQUIDMETAL maintains an Electrical Safety Program and an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis that assigns PPE requirements to specific equipment and locations. Before performing any electrical work, qualified workers consult the arc flash label affixed to the equipment or contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative for the required PPE for the specific task.

Arc flash PPE categories (per NFPA 70E) specify minimum arc-rated PPE based on the calculated incident energy at the worker's face and body. The arc flash boundary is the distance within which an unprotected person could receive a second-degree burn from an arc flash event.

No one is permitted inside the arc flash boundary without the appropriate arc-rated PPE — regardless of whether they are performing the electrical work or simply working in the area.

Electrical PPE for Qualified Workers

The PPE required for qualified workers performing work on or near exposed energized electrical parts depends on the voltage involved and the incident energy level from the arc flash hazard analysis.

• Insulating gloves with leather protectors, rated for the voltage class of the work.
• Insulating sleeves where energized conductors may contact the arms.
• Arc-rated face shield or arc flash hood appropriate to the PPE category.
• Arc-rated hard hat with arc flash rating.
• Arc-rated clothing — FR shirt and pants or an arc flash suit — appropriate to the PPE category.
• Safety glasses underneath all face protection.

Insulating glove inspection: Inspect before every use. Inflate by hand and check for cuts, punctures, embedded objects, and signs of deterioration. Gloves used without leather protectors must be re-tested by a qualified laboratory before use in that configuration. Wear the correct voltage class for the equipment being worked on.

Voltage Testing Procedures

When testing to verify a de-energized condition, the qualified worker follows this sequence every time:

• Test the voltage detection device on a known live source immediately before performing the verification to confirm the device is functioning.
• Test the de-energized equipment at all phases and between all conductors.
• Test the voltage detection device on a known live source again immediately after completing the verification to confirm the device was functioning throughout.

If the device fails either functional test, the verification is invalid. Replace the device and repeat.

Only properly rated voltage detection devices may be used. For voltages above 1,000 volts, use only properly rated, audible-and-visual alarm type detectors approved for that voltage class.

Electrical Cords, Temporary Wiring, and GFCIs

GFCIs — Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters:

• Test all GFCIs before each use.
• Use GFCI protection at the power source on all 120-volt and 240-volt AC circuits when extension cords are used for construction or maintenance work.

Extension cords:

• Extension cords are for temporary use only where permanent wiring is not available.
• Inspect before each use. Remove from service any cord with cuts, frayed insulation, bent or broken plugs, or a missing ground prong.
• All extension cords must be three-wire grounded type.
• Do not daisy-chain extension cords.
• Do not route extension cords through doorways where the door can pinch the cord.
• Do not run cords under mats, across vehicle paths, or through areas where they can be damaged.

Temporary wiring:

• Only qualified electricians may install temporary wiring.
• Temporary wiring must be installed so it does not create hazards to personnel, damage to equipment, or interference with safety-related systems.

Vehicles and Equipment Near Electrical Hazards

When vehicles or mechanical equipment are operated in switchyards, substations, or beneath energized overhead power lines, clearance requirements apply as specified in Chapter 3.13. A qualified electrician must evaluate grounding requirements before any vehicle or equipment operates in areas with significant electrical hazard exposure.

Disconnect Switch Labeling

All disconnect switches, circuit breakers, and overcurrent devices must be clearly and permanently labeled to identify the circuit or equipment they control. Labels must:

• Identify the circuit's purpose.
• Be durable enough to withstand the environmental conditions of the installation.
• Be located at the point where the circuit originates.

Unlabeled or incorrectly labeled disconnects are an electrical hazard. Report them to the supervisor and the qualified electrician for correction before authorizing work on associated circuits.

Training

All employees receive general electrical safety awareness training during orientation covering the rules for unqualified workers, hazard recognition, and the prohibition on electrical work by unqualified personnel.

Qualified electrical workers receive task-specific training on the equipment they are authorized to work on, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.331–399 requirements, NFPA 70E electrical safe work practices, arc flash hazard recognition, and the specific de-energization and verification procedures applicable to LIQUIDMETAL's work scope. Qualification is documented and on file with the Safety Department.

3.21Excavation and Trenching

Why Excavation Kills

A cubic yard of soil weighs between 2,700 and 3,000 pounds — the weight of a mid-size automobile. When a trench wall fails, it collapses in seconds. A worker buried to the chest in soil cannot breathe — the weight prevents the diaphragm from expanding. Suffocation can occur within minutes of burial.

Excavation cave-ins kill workers every year in the construction industry. They kill in situations that employees believed were safe, in soils that appeared stable, in trenches that had been open for days without incident. Soil conditions are not visible from the surface, and they change.

LIQUIDMETAL employees perform excavation work in support of industrial construction, underground utility work, and maintenance activities. All excavation work complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P.

The Competent Person

A competent person must be assigned to every LIQUIDMETAL excavation operation. The competent person must be physically on-site and performing their duties — not available by phone. They must be capable of identifying existing and predictable excavation hazards and must have the authority to stop work and require corrective action when hazardous conditions exist.

The competent person must:

• Classify soil type at the site before excavation begins using at least one visual and one manual test.
• Determine the appropriate protective system — sloping, shoring, or shielding — based on soil classification.
• Inspect the excavation, adjacent areas, and protective systems at the start of each shift, as needed throughout the shift, after every rain event, and after any condition change that could increase hazard.
• Document daily inspection results.
• Remove all employees from the excavation immediately when hazardous conditions are found, and ensure conditions are corrected before work resumes.

The competent person must be clearly identified to all employees on the excavation job.

Before You Dig — Required Steps

Step 1: Call 811 — Call Before You Dig. Contact the appropriate underground utility notification service before any excavation begins. Utility companies must be given adequate notice — typically 2 to 3 business days — to locate and mark underground utilities before digging begins. Do not excavate until all utilities in the area have been located and marked.

Step 2: Remove surface encumbrances. Trees, structures, equipment, and materials near the excavation area that could fall or shift during digging must be removed or supported before work begins.

Step 3: Classify the soil. The competent person classifies the soil based on at least one visual analysis and one manual analysis before the protective system is determined.

Excavation Equipment — Safe Operation

Only trained and authorized employees may operate backhoes, front-end loaders, skid steers, and other excavation equipment.

• No riders except in seats provided by the manufacturer.
• Inspect equipment thoroughly before each shift. Tag defective components, report deficiencies to the supervisor, and remove from service if the defect creates a safety hazard.
• Before operating, check for underground and overhead obstructions in the work area.
• Access equipment using the steps and handholds provided by the manufacturer, maintaining three points of contact.
• No worker may position themselves under a backhoe bucket or within the swing radius of the boom during operation.
• When digging in congested areas, when the dig zone is not clearly visible to the operator, or when uncovering utilities, a spotter must be posted.
• Lower all hydraulic attachments to the ground when equipment is parked or left unattended.

General Excavation Requirements

• A stairway, ladder, ramp, or other safe means of egress must be in every excavation four feet or more in depth, positioned so no employee must travel more than 25 feet laterally to reach it.
• No employee may position themselves under loads handled by digging or lifting equipment. Employees must stand clear when vehicles are being loaded or unloaded.
• When mobile equipment operates near the edge of an excavation and the operator cannot clearly see the edge, a spotter or warning system must be in use.
• Atmospheres in excavations four feet or more in depth must be tested for oxygen deficiency or hazardous gases whenever such conditions could reasonably be expected — near sewer lines, pipelines, or in filled ground.
• Employees must not work in excavations with accumulated water or in excavations where water is actively accumulating.
• Physical barriers must be placed around or over all excavations. Flashing barricades are required at night.
• Where the stability of adjacent structures is endangered, support systems — shoring, bracing, or underpinning — must be provided before work proceeds.
• Walkways and bridges must be provided when employees or equipment must cross over excavations. Guardrails are required on walkways six feet or more above the excavation bottom.
• Backfilling and support system removal must be performed in the sequence specified in the protective system design, with all employees clear of the excavation before backfilling begins.

Protective Systems — Sloping, Shoring, and Shielding

Walls and faces of excavations five feet or more in depth must be protected against cave-in by sloping, shoring, or shielding. Exceptions:

• Excavations made entirely in stable rock.
• Excavations less than five feet deep where the competent person's examination provides no indication of potential cave-in.

OSHA minimum slope ratios for sloped excavations:

These are maximum allowable slopes. The competent person must confirm that actual site conditions support the soil classification before applying these ratios.

Soil Classification

The competent person classifies soil at every excavation site based on at least one visual and one manual analysis.

Stable Rock: Natural solid mineral matter that can be excavated with vertical sides and remains stable while exposed.

Type A Soil: Cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot (TSF) or greater. Includes clay, sandy clay, clay loam, and cemented soils such as caliche and hardpan. Cannot be classified as Type A if fissured, subject to vibration from nearby equipment, previously disturbed, or part of a layered system sloping 4:1 or steeper.

Type B Soil: Cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength greater than 0.5 TSF but less than 1.5 TSF. Includes angular gravel, silt, silt loam, sandy loam, previously disturbed soils not qualifying as Type C, and fissured soils that would otherwise be Type A.

Type C Soil: Cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 TSF or less. Includes granular soils such as gravel, sand, and loamy sand; submerged soil; soil from which water is freely seeping; and material in a layered system where layers dip into the excavation at 4:1 or steeper.

Inspection Requirements

The competent person inspects the excavation, adjacent areas, and protective systems:

• Before the start of each shift.
• As needed throughout the shift whenever conditions change.
• After every rain event or occurrence that may increase hazard.
• After any visible indication of possible cave-in or protective system distress.

Inspection results are recorded on the Competent Person Daily Excavation Inspection form. If hazardous conditions are found, all employees are removed from the excavation immediately. Work does not resume until hazardous conditions have been corrected and the competent person has re-inspected and confirmed it is safe to proceed.

3.22Line Breaking

Definition

Line breaking is the intentional opening of a pipe, line, duct, or piping component that is or has been carrying flammable, corrosive, or toxic material, an inert gas, or any fluid at a volume, pressure, or temperature capable of causing injury.

Lines that have carried water or organic materials may contain decomposition products including methane, hydrogen sulfide, and other gases, or may present oxygen-deficiency conditions inside the piping.

Do not assume a pipe is safe to open based on its label or service designation alone. A pipe that previously carried a hazardous material may still contain residual hazards after apparent isolation. Verify safe conditions — do not assume them.

A safe condition for line breaking means the section to be opened has been confirmed free of hazardous materials, toxic gases, residual pressure, high temperature, and engulfment hazard. Verification requires physical testing — toxic gas monitoring at vents, drains, or test ports in the section to be opened — not valve position confirmation alone.

Before You Break the Line

Step 1 — SDS Review Review the Safety Data Sheet, safety bulletin, or other available safety information for the material that is or has been in the line. Identify required PPE, toxic exposure limits, and emergency response procedures. Confirm that emergency eyewash and safety shower stations are functional and accessible before beginning.

Step 2 — Isolation and Clearance Follow the applicable site operating procedure and LIQUIDMETAL's Lockout/Tagout program for proper line isolation, draining, flushing, purging, venting, and verification of a safe condition before the line is opened.

The following isolation methods are required for lines that have contained flowable hazardous materials:

• Blanking or blinding — installing a blind flange.
• Misalignment of flanges.
• Double block and bleed — two isolation valves with a bled point between them, opened to atmosphere.

A single closed valve is not acceptable isolation for line breaking on systems containing hazardous materials or pressurized contents.

Step 3 — Verify Safe Condition Test the section to be opened at vents, drains, or tap points using appropriate toxic gas monitors and pressure indicators. If a safe condition cannot be confirmed, stop work. Contact site management or the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative. Do not proceed under the assumption that the line must be safe.

PPE for Line Breaking

PPE for line breaking is determined by the specific hazards identified in the SDS and the exposure assessment. At minimum, for the initial break on any system that has contained a hazardous material:

• Eye and face protection: Chemical splash goggles and a full-face shield.
• Hand protection: Chemical-resistant gloves appropriate for the specific material — verify the glove material against the SDS.
• Body protection: Chemical-resistant apron or coveralls as appropriate.
• Foot protection: Chemical-resistant or steel-toed safety boots.
• Respiratory protection: As required by the SDS and atmosphere assessment. Have appropriate respiratory protection staged and ready before the first break.

The supervisor must complete a PPE hazard assessment for the specific task and communicate required PPE during the pre-job briefing.

Buddy System

A second qualified employee must be present during any line breaking operation on systems containing hazardous materials, pressurized systems, or any system where a sudden release could incapacitate the primary worker. The second person must be positioned to observe the primary worker but out of the direct line of fire and prepared to respond immediately to an emergency.

The Initial Break — Line of Fire

The most hazardous moment in any line breaking operation is the initial break — the moment the first flange or fitting is opened. Even after isolation, flushing, and purging, residual material, trapped liquid, or pressurized pockets may be present.

• Position yourself out of the direct discharge path. Break flanges "down and away" from your body — orient the gap so that any release of material discharges away from all personnel.
• Leave sufficient bolts in the flange on the side farthest from the anticipated release direction so the flange can be quickly re-tightened if unexpected pressure or material is discovered.
• Open the flange gap slowly. Loosen bolts progressively and allow any pressure to bleed off before fully removing bolts.
• For threaded connections where pressure cannot be confirmed: consider drilling a small tap hole to vent any residual pressure before making the full break, if this can be done safely.
• Monitor the work area continuously with the appropriate toxic gas monitor during and after the initial break.

Inform adjacent workers before beginning any line break. A sudden release of fluid, gas, or steam can injure workers who are not directly involved in the operation.

Unexpected Conditions

If any of the following are discovered during a line breaking operation, stop work immediately, evacuate all personnel from the area, and contact site management:

• Unexpected flow, pressure, or contents when the first gap opens.
• Discovery of plugged or pressurized equipment that was not anticipated.
• Toxic gas monitor alarm.
• Any condition not addressed by the pre-job plan.

Do not attempt to continue until the unexpected condition has been evaluated and a revised safe work plan has been developed.

Hot Work Restriction

Hot work — welding, cutting, grinding — must not be performed on any line that has not been verified free of flammable gases or vapors and confirmed in a safe condition for hot work. If a safe condition for hot work cannot be verified, stop work immediately. Management involvement and a revised safe work plan are required before proceeding.

Line Breaking in Confined Spaces

When a line breaking operation is performed inside a confined space:

• Comply with all requirements of the Confined Space Entry chapter in addition to the requirements of this chapter.
• All flowable material that could harm or engulf an entrant must be physically isolated on both sides of the break point.
• Continuously monitor the confined space atmosphere throughout the entry and line breaking operation. Do not rely on pre-entry monitoring alone — a line break can change the atmosphere inside the space in seconds.
• Toxic gas monitoring at the line break location must be conducted in real time during the break.

Group 5Welding And Thermal Operations

The chapters in this group address the fire, fume, and heat hazards that are central to LIQUIDMETAL's core work scope. Welding, cutting, and thermal operations are performed on nearly every LIQUIDMETAL project. The hazards in this group are not unusual or exotic — they are present every day, on every crew, which is exactly why they require disciplined, consistent controls.

3.23Fire Protection and Prevention

Fire Is Always Possible Where LIQUIDMETAL Works

The industrial environments LIQUIDMETAL operates in contain the conditions that produce fires — flammable liquids, combustible gases, energized equipment, and materials that have been accumulating heat, pressure, and chemical energy for years. Add welding torches, cutting operations, and grinding sparks to that environment, and fire prevention becomes an active daily responsibility, not a background concern.

This chapter establishes LIQUIDMETAL's fire prevention requirements for all work locations. Hot work permits and fire watch requirements are addressed in Chapter 3.24. Welding and cutting PPE and equipment requirements are in Chapter 3.25.

Responsibilities

Management:

• Ensure all fire prevention requirements are established, communicated, and enforced across all LIQUIDMETAL projects.
• Ensure fire suppression equipment — extinguishers, hose systems — is inspected and maintained at all LIQUIDMETAL-controlled locations.
• Ensure supervisors and designated employees are trained in fire extinguisher use.
• Ensure all employees are trained on evacuation routes and fire reporting procedures for each location.

Supervisors:

• Monitor the use of flammable materials, open-flame work, and hot work operations on the jobsite.
• Ensure hot work permits are obtained before welding, cutting, grinding, or other spark-producing operations begin in any area where fire hazards are present.
• Ensure flammable material storage areas are properly maintained and separated from ignition sources.
• Conduct fire hazard surveys of the work area before hot work begins and verify the area has been properly prepared.

Employees:

• Handle, store, and use flammable materials in accordance with the training provided and the requirements of this chapter.
• Never perform welding, cutting, or grinding without a hot work permit when one is required.
• Report any fire, smoke, or condition that could lead to a fire to your supervisor immediately.
• Do not block access to any fire extinguisher, suppression equipment, or emergency exit.
• Report any unserviceable fire protection equipment to your supervisor immediately.

Identifying Fire Hazards

Fire and explosion hazards exist in nearly every industrial work environment. Recognize and control the following conditions before work begins:

• Improper operation or maintenance of gas-fired equipment.
• Flammable or combustible liquids stored improperly or used near ignition sources.
• Smoking or tobacco use in unauthorized areas.
• Accumulation of combustible trash, debris, sawdust, cotton waste, or other materials.
• Welding, cutting, or grinding performed without permits or without adequate clearance from combustibles.
• Damaged or improperly stored compressed gas cylinders.
• Static electricity during transfer of flammable liquids.
• Oil-soaked rags or absorbent materials stored in open containers.
• Spray painting or coating operations near ignition sources.

Controlling Ignition Sources

All non-essential ignition sources must be eliminated wherever flammable liquids are stored, handled, or used.

Open flames: Keep all open flames and hot work operations away from flammable liquid storage and use areas. Do not cut or weld on equipment that has contained flammable liquids unless the equipment has been properly emptied, purged with an inert gas such as nitrogen, and the purged condition has been verified.

Electrical equipment: Use only explosion-proof or intrinsically safe electrical devices in areas where flammable vapors may be present. Standard electrical equipment — motors, switches, circuit breakers, and lighting — can ignite flammable vapors.

Mechanical sparks: Use non-sparking tools — bronze, brass, or approved substitutes — in areas where flammable liquids are stored or actively used.

Static electricity: When transferring flammable liquids between metal containers, bond the containers together using a bonding wire before beginning the transfer. If a vehicle is involved, set the parking brake and shut off the engine. Ground the system to earth as required by the applicable standard.

Hot surfaces: Flammable vapors can ignite on hot process surfaces without an open flame. Keep flammable materials away from hot pipes, equipment surfaces, and process systems.

Flammable and Combustible Liquid Storage and Handling

• Handle, use, and store flammable and combustible liquids in accordance with NFPA 30 — Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code.
• Store flammable liquids only in approved UL-listed closed safety cans or approved storage tanks. Open containers are not acceptable.
• Use flammable liquid storage cabinets when storing more than 10 gallons of flammable liquids inside a building or occupied workspace. Cabinets must be UL-listed or FM-approved for flammable liquid storage.
• All flammable liquid containers must be labeled with the chemical identity and hazard classification. Never transfer flammable liquids into unlabeled containers.
• Store flammable materials separated from incompatible materials. Oxidizers and organic peroxides stored with flammable liquids increase fire and explosion hazard dramatically.
• Oil-soaked rags, cotton waste, and similar materials that have been used with flammable or combustible liquids must be stored in self-closing metal containers when not in use and removed from the work area at the end of each shift.

Flammable Gases

Flammable gases — acetylene, propane, hydrogen, and natural gas — present the same fire and explosion hazards as flammable liquids, with additional considerations:

• Flammable gases can accumulate in low areas if heavier than air, or in high areas if lighter than air. Ventilation is critical.
• Extinguishing a flammable gas fire without stopping the gas flow allows unburned gas to accumulate and re-ignite explosively. Stop the gas flow before — or simultaneously with — extinguishing the flame.
• For compressed flammable gas cylinder requirements, see Chapter 3.11.

Fire Classification and Extinguisher Selection

Fires are classified based on the material involved. Selecting the correct extinguisher type is critical — an incorrect extinguisher can make a fire significantly worse.

Using a Fire Extinguisher — PASS:

A fire extinguisher is effective only on fires in the incipient stage — small, contained to the object of origin, and controllable with a single extinguisher discharge. If the fire is larger than a small trash can, or if it is growing, evacuate and call the fire department.

If the fire is incipient and you have received fire extinguisher training:

• P — Pull the safety pin from the handle.
• A — Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, not at the flames.
• S — Squeeze the handle to discharge.
• S — Sweep side to side across the base of the fire until extinguished.

Keep your back to the nearest exit while using the extinguisher. If the fire does not go out, or if it grows during your attempt, stop immediately and evacuate.

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance

• All fire extinguishers must be inspected monthly to confirm they are in their designated location, have not been used or tampered with, and show no signs of damage or corrosion.
• Annual maintenance inspections must be performed by a qualified fire protection service provider.
• Report any discharged, damaged, or missing extinguisher to the supervisor immediately. It must be replaced or recharged before the work area is reoccupied.
• Never use a fire extinguisher for any purpose other than fire suppression and authorized training exercises.

Emergency Exits and Egress

• All emergency exits must be clearly marked with illuminated or reliably lit exit signs visible from any point in the occupied space.
• Exit routes must be kept clear at all times. Do not block exits with equipment, materials, vehicles, or stored items — even temporarily.
• Doors and passageways that are not exits but could be mistaken for exits must be marked "NOT AN EXIT" or labeled with their actual use.
• Do not prop open or block stairwell fire doors. These doors are rated to contain smoke and fire spread and must be able to close and latch automatically.
• Do not block aisleways, hallways, or fire lanes.
• Do not use elevators during any fire evacuation.

Combustible Trash and Housekeeping

Combustible trash — paper, cardboard, packaging, oily rags, and similar materials — must be removed from work areas at the end of each shift. In critical buildings, warehouses, and high-value equipment rooms, combustible trash must be stored in self-closing metal containers until removed. Do not allow combustible materials to accumulate near ignition sources, welding operations, or electrical equipment.

For complete housekeeping requirements, see Chapter 2.11.

Persons with Disabilities — Fire Evacuation

Supervisors must identify employees with disabilities or mobility limitations before work begins and designate a trained assistant to ensure they are evacuated or moved to a designated safe refuge area during any fire emergency. This information is documented for each LIQUIDMETAL-controlled location. For customer site work, coordinate with the site safety team during orientation to ensure all employees with mobility limitations are included in the site's evacuation plan.

3.24Hot Work and Fire Watch

What Hot Work Is and Why It Needs a Permit

Hot work is any operation that produces heat, sparks, open flame, or electrical arc — including welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, soldering, and thawing. Hot work is the leading ignition source for fires in industrial construction and maintenance.

A hot work permit is not bureaucratic overhead. It is a structured pre-work check that confirms the area has been inspected, combustibles have been removed or protected, atmospheric testing has been completed where flammable vapors may exist, a fire watch has been established, and a fire extinguisher is immediately available at the work location. Each of those steps has prevented fires. Skipping any of them has caused them.

Liquidmetal employees must not begin hot work in any area where combustible or flammable materials are present, where flammable gases or vapors may exist, or where the customer site requires a permit for all hot work, without first obtaining an authorized Hot Work Permit.

When a Hot Work Permit Is Required

A hot work permit is required before:

• Any welding, cutting, grinding, or torch operation in an area where combustible or flammable materials are present or nearby.
• Any hot work operation inside an industrial plant, power generation facility, refinery, chemical plant, or similar facility — regardless of the specific location within the facility.
• Any hot work in a location where flammable gases, vapors, or dust may be present.
• Any hot work where the customer site's safety program or work permit system requires a hot work permit as a condition of beginning the work.
• Any hot work in an area not specifically designated and maintained as a permanent hot work area.

When a customer site requires a hot work permit, the customer's permit takes precedence and LIQUIDMETAL employees participate in that permit system. LIQUIDMETAL supervisors verify that the customer's hot work permit process addresses all the elements required by this chapter before signing or accepting a customer permit as the authorization to begin work.

Who Authorizes a Hot Work Permit

At LIQUIDMETAL-controlled locations, the supervisor authorizes the hot work permit after completing the pre-work inspection and confirming all required conditions are met.

At customer sites, hot work permits are typically issued by the plant's operations department, the control room, or the permit coordinator. LIQUIDMETAL supervisors do not begin hot work based on verbal authorization alone — a signed permit must be in hand before work begins.

The permit is not a formality. Before signing or accepting a hot work permit, confirm that every requirement on the permit has actually been verified — not just checked as a matter of routine.

Pre-Work Hot Work Inspection

Before hot work begins, the supervisor or permit authorizer conducts a physical inspection of the work area. The inspection must confirm:

Area preparation:

• All combustible and flammable materials within 35 feet of the hot work have been removed, relocated, or protected with fire-resistant shields, blankets, or curtains. Gaps, seams, openings, and penetrations through which sparks could travel have been sealed or covered.
• Floors under the hot work area are swept clean of combustible material. If floors cannot be swept clean, they are covered with non-combustible material.
• Combustible construction materials — wood framing, insulation, vapor barriers — in the area have been protected or the hot work location has been adjusted to maintain adequate separation.

Atmosphere:

• Where flammable vapors, gases, or combustible dust may be present, the atmosphere has been tested using a calibrated combustible gas detector. Hot work does not begin if the atmosphere exceeds 10 percent of the Lower Explosive Limit.
• Where piping, vessels, or tanks to be welded have contained flammable materials, the equipment has been emptied, purged, and tested to confirm a safe atmosphere before hot work begins.

Equipment:

• A fully charged, correctly rated fire extinguisher is immediately accessible at the hot work location — not in the shop or around the corner. At the work location.
• A fire watch has been designated, briefed, and is in position before the first arc or flame.

Notification:

• Areas below the hot work have been barricaded to protect personnel from falling sparks, spatter, and slag.
• Personnel in adjacent areas have been notified that hot work is beginning.

The Fire Watch

A fire watch is a dedicated person whose sole responsibility during and after hot work is to monitor the work area for fires and respond immediately if one starts.

Who serves as fire watch: The fire watch must be a designated, qualified person — not the welder performing the work, not the helper who is also supporting the welding operation. The fire watch must be able to give the task their full attention throughout the hot work operation and for the full post-work monitoring period.

What the fire watch must have:

• Immediate access to a functioning, correctly rated fire extinguisher.
• A clear, unobstructed view of the work area and all surrounding areas where sparks, spatter, or slag could travel, land, or smolder — including areas above, below, on the opposite side of walls or partitions, and in areas where sparks could travel through floor openings or grating.
• A means of communicating an alarm — a radio, a horn, or immediate access to the site alarm system.

During hot work: The fire watch monitors continuously. They do not read, use a phone, assist with the welding work, or perform any other task that diverts their attention from watching for fire. If a fire starts, the fire watch applies the extinguisher if the fire is incipient and manageable. If it is not, the fire watch raises the alarm and initiates evacuation.

Post-work fire watch: The fire watch must remain in place for a minimum of 30 minutes after all hot work is complete — after the arc or flame has been shut off, after the equipment has been moved, after the welder has left the area. Sparks and slag can smolder in insulation, fibrous materials, wall cavities, and accumulated debris for 30 minutes or more before transitioning to open flame. A fire that starts 20 minutes after welding stops is still a hot work fire — and it starts in an unwatched area.

Extend the fire watch period beyond 30 minutes whenever:

• The work area contained significant amounts of insulation, fibrous material, or materials difficult to visually inspect.
• Sparks or spatter traveled into areas that cannot be easily inspected.
• Any smoldering or suspicious smoke was observed during or after hot work.
• Wind or air movement could have carried sparks further than normal.
• The customer site's hot work permit requires an extended fire watch period.

Post-work inspection: At the end of the fire watch period, the fire watch or supervisor conducts a final inspection of the hot work area and all areas where sparks or spatter could have landed. Confirm that no smoldering material is present before closing the permit.

Hollow Structures, Drums, and Containers

Before applying heat to any drum, tank, container, vessel, or hollow structural member, provide a vent or opening to release any pressure buildup generated during the heating process. Closed, sealed containers — even those believed to be empty — may contain residual vapors or gases that expand under heat and cause the container to rupture or explode.

Do not cut or weld on equipment that has contained flammable or combustible materials unless the equipment has been properly emptied, purged with an inert gas, and tested to confirm a safe atmosphere. Document the purge and test before beginning work.

Chlorinated Solvents — Critical Prohibition

Never use chlorinated solvents — including trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and methylene chloride — to clean metal surfaces that will be welded. The welding arc decomposes chlorinated solvents into phosgene gas — a pulmonary toxic agent — at potentially lethal concentrations at the welder's breathing zone. This is not a hypothetical risk. It has caused fatalities.

If a surface has been cleaned with a chlorinated solvent, ensure it is thoroughly dry and that the solvent has completely evaporated before any heat or arc is applied. Keep unshielded chlorinated solvents away from all welding, cutting, and grinding operations.

Hot Work Above Openings and Below Other Work

When welding or cutting is performed above floor openings — grating, open decking, open flooring — sparks, spatter, and molten slag will fall through those openings onto surfaces below. Before beginning hot work above any opening:

• Barricade the area below the hot work to prevent entry while work is in progress.
• Place fire-resistant covers, catch pans, or fire blankets below and around the openings to contain falling sparks and slag.
• Ensure that the area below has been inspected for combustible materials before hot work begins above.

Hot Work Near Reflective Surfaces

Potential arc flash and weld flash hazards exist when welding near polished or highly reflective surfaces — stainless steel, polished aluminum, or glass. The reflected arc light can cause eye injury to workers who are not wearing appropriate eye protection and are not expecting reflected UV radiation from an indirect angle.

Before welding near highly reflective surfaces, cover the reflective area with non-reflective, non-combustible material. Post the area so that employees approaching from other directions are aware that welding is in progress and eye protection is required.

Hot Work Permit Closure

When hot work is complete and the fire watch period has ended:

• The fire watch or supervisor conducts a final area inspection.
• Confirm no smoldering material is present.
• Return the completed hot work permit to the permit issuer for closure.
• Document the completion time and the result of the final inspection on the permit.

A hot work permit that is not properly closed remains an open work authorization. Close every permit before leaving the work area.

Customer Site Hot Work Programs

LIQUIDMETAL employees frequently work at customer sites with their own hot work permit systems. These systems may require specific forms, specific authorizing personnel, specific atmospheric testing frequency, specific fire watch qualifications, and extended fire watch periods beyond LIQUIDMETAL's minimum 30-minute requirement.

LIQUIDMETAL employees comply with customer hot work requirements in addition to the requirements of this chapter. When the customer's requirement is more protective — a longer fire watch, additional atmospheric testing, additional barricading — comply with the customer's requirement.

Employees who begin hot work at a customer site without obtaining the required permit are in violation of both LIQUIDMETAL's requirements and the customer's requirements. This is a serious safety violation that will result in immediate stop-work and disciplinary action.

3.25Welding and Thermal Cutting

Scope

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employs welders, pipefitters, and helpers who perform gas welding, arc welding — including SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, and FCAW — plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, and thermal heating operations as core work activities. These operations involve open flames, electric arcs, extreme heat, molten metal, ultraviolet and infrared radiation, toxic fumes, and compressed flammable gases — all concentrated in a single work area.

This chapter addresses the safe work practices, PPE, and equipment requirements for welding and thermal cutting operations. Hot work permit and fire watch requirements are in Chapter 3.24. Hexavalent chromium exposure from stainless steel welding is addressed in Chapter 3.27. Silica exposure from abrasive blasting and grinding is addressed in Chapter 3.26. Compressed gas cylinder requirements are in Chapter 3.11.

All welding and cutting operations must be performed in compliance with the applicable site Hot Work Permit process.

Special Prohibitions

Pulverized coal systems: Welding, cutting, or heating on any pulverized coal-containing system or coal piping is prohibited unless the system has been properly flushed, purged, and tested safe. Coal dust is combustible and can explode on contact with an ignition source. Confirm safe condition with the customer's operations representative and document it on the Hot Work Permit before proceeding.

Lead-coated surfaces: Before welding or cutting any surface that may have been coated with lead-containing paint, consult the Lead section of Chapter 3.4 and the Chemical Hazards chapter. Strip or confirm the lead content of all coatings before applying heat. Cutting or burning through lead paint generates lead fume in concentrations that can cause acute lead toxicity in a single exposure.

Chlorinated solvents: See Chapter 3.24 — Hot Work and Fire Watch. This prohibition is repeated here because of its severity. Never weld on a surface that has been cleaned with a chlorinated solvent.

Personal Protective Equipment for Welding and Cutting

The following PPE requirements apply to welders, helpers, and fire watch personnel assigned to any welding or cutting operation. Helpers and fire watch are in the same hazard zone as the welder and must wear appropriate protection.

Eye and face protection:

• Welders must wear an approved welding helmet fitted with the correct shade of filter lens for the specific welding or cutting process. The correct shade varies by process and amperage — consult the pre-job briefing and ANSI Z49.1 for the correct shade requirement.
• Safety glasses must be worn under the helmet at all times to protect against flying scale, slag, and sparks when the helmet is raised or when chipping slag.
• Helpers and fire watch must wear, at minimum, filtered safety glasses with shading appropriate for the level of arc flash exposure at their work position.
• All eye and face protection must meet ANSI Z87.1.

Hand protection: Heavy leather gauntlet-style welding gloves or gloves specifically designed for the welding and cutting process being performed. Gloves must provide adequate heat and spark protection for the specific operation.

Body protection:

• Long-sleeved shirts and long pants made of cotton, wool, or flame-resistant material. Synthetic fabrics — polyester, nylon, rayon — are prohibited for hot work. These materials melt and adhere to burning skin, greatly increasing the severity of burn injuries.
• Shirts are worn with sleeves rolled down and cuffs secured during all welding and cutting operations.
• Pants are worn without cuffs and extend to cover the top of the boot. Pant cuffs collect sparks and slag.
• Welding jackets, welding coveralls, or appropriate flame-resistant coveralls as required for the specific operation and heat exposure level.
• All garments worn during welding and cutting must be free of grease and oil contamination. Contaminated garments can ignite.
• All clothing is secured at the neck and wrists to prevent sparks from entering.

Respiratory protection:

• A minimum of a half-mask respirator with P100 HEPA filters is required when welding, cutting, or grinding on any material, unless local exhaust ventilation — a fume extractor positioned at the source — is in use and demonstrably controlling fume levels below the applicable OSHA PEL.
• When welding on stainless steel, chrome-moly alloys, galvanized steel, or coated materials, additional cartridge protection or enhanced respiratory protection may be required. See Chapter 3.27 for stainless steel welding requirements and Chapter 3.4 for substance-specific exposure requirements.
• Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) rated for welding use are an acceptable alternative for extended welding operations.
• Respiratory protection requirements in confined spaces may require supplied-air protection in addition to local exhaust ventilation. See Chapters 3.18 and 3.3.

Coating Removal Before Welding and Cutting

Strip all preservative coatings, paint, and surface treatments from the weld area before applying heat:

• For welding: Strip to bare metal for a minimum of 4 inches on each side of the planned weld.
• For cutting or heating: Strip to bare metal for a minimum of 4 inches from the area of heat application.

Confirm the identity of coatings before removing them. Lead paint and chromate-containing coatings require specific controls during removal. See the relevant chemical hazard sections in Chapter 3.4, Chapter 3.26, and Chapter 3.27.

Welding Equipment — Inspection and Maintenance

Oxy-fuel hoses, torches, and apparatus:

• Inspect all hoses, torches, regulators, and fittings at the start of each shift. Tag "DO NOT USE" and remove from service any hose or torch showing cuts, burns, cracks, damaged fittings, or evidence of leakage.
• Install reverse-flow check valves at the torch inlet and flashback arrestors at the regulator outlet. These are two different devices doing two different jobs: check valves stop gas flowing backward into the wrong hose; flashback arrestors stop a flame front travelling back through the hose toward the cylinder. Both are required.
• Light torches using a friction lighter only. Never use matches, open flame, or a hot piece of metal to light a torch.
• Remove torches and hoses from confined spaces when not actively in use. Do not leave gas-burning equipment unattended in a confined space.

Arc welding cables and equipment:

• Inspect all welding cables, electrode holders, and connectors before each use for damaged insulation, worn connections, and proper assembly.
• Do not use cables with damaged insulation or conductors. Repair splices using connectors specifically designed for welding cable.
• When the welder leaves the work area or stops work for any extended period, shut down the welding machine power supply. Do not leave an energized electrode holder unattended.
• Ground return connections must be made directly to the workpiece or to the work table. Do not use building structural steel, water pipes, gas lines, instrument tubing, process piping, or other facility systems as welding ground return paths. Stray welding current traveling through unintended paths damages equipment, instrument systems, corrodes connections, and creates arc flash hazards at unexpected locations.
• Shield all arc welding and cutting operations with non-combustible or flame-resistant screens to protect other employees from arc radiation.

Fuel Gas and Cylinder Procedures

Cracking the valve: Before connecting a regulator to a fuel gas cylinder, briefly open and immediately close the cylinder valve "crack" the valve to clear dust and debris from the valve outlet. Stand to the side of the outlet when cracking the valve, never in front of it. Do not crack a fuel gas cylinder valve near any ignition source.

Opening cylinder valves: Open cylinder valves slowly to prevent pressure surge damage to the regulator. Open fuel gas cylinder valves no more than 1.5 turns from the closed position, so the valve can be closed rapidly in an emergency.

When a special wrench is required to operate a valve, keep the wrench on the valve stem at all times while the cylinder is in use.

Acetylene pressure: Maintain acetylene working pressure below 15 psig at all times. See Chapter 3.11. This requirement is repeated here because it is the most commonly violated gas pressure rule in welding operations, and the consequences of violation are severe.

Regulator removal: Before removing a regulator from a cylinder, close the cylinder valve completely and bleed all pressure from the regulator and hoses before disconnecting.

Manifolds: Where fuel gas and oxygen manifold systems are in use, clearly identify all gases on the manifold. Use only fittings and hoses designed and rated for the specific gas — do not use interchangeable connections between fuel gas, oxygen, and other manifold supply systems.

Protecting Personnel from Arc Radiation

All arc welding and cutting operations must be shielded with non-combustible or flame-resistant welding curtains or screens to protect other employees from direct and reflected arc radiation. Unprotected exposure to welding arc ultraviolet radiation — even briefly — causes arc eye, a painful and temporarily debilitating condition. Extended or repeated exposure causes permanent eye damage.

Position welding curtains to block the arc view from all directions that personnel may approach — not just in front of the welder's position.

Welding and Cutting in Confined Spaces

When welding or cutting is performed inside a confined space:

• Leave all gas cylinders and welding power sources outside the confined space. Only hoses and leads enter the space — never the cylinders themselves.
• Use local exhaust ventilation — fume extraction — to control welding fumes inside the space. Welding fume accumulates rapidly in confined spaces and can reach hazardous concentrations quickly without active extraction.
• Continuous atmospheric monitoring is required throughout the entry when welding is in progress. Monitor for oxygen level, flammable gas concentration, and toxic fumes.
• When welding or cutting operations stop, ensure gas supply valves are closed and hoses are removed from the confined space or de-energized and confirmed leak-free before the space is re-entered without respiratory protection.

For complete confined space entry requirements, see Chapter 3.18.

3.26Silica Awareness

What Is Silica and Why Does It Matter

Crystalline silica is one of the most common minerals in the earth's crust. It is found in concrete, masonry, brick, mortar, sand, and rock. When materials containing silica are cut, drilled, ground, chipped, blasted, or disturbed, microscopic silica particles become airborne. These particles are small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs — and once there, they cannot be removed by the body or by any medical treatment.

LIQUIDMETAL employees work at power plants, industrial facilities, and construction sites where silica-containing materials are present and where silica-generating work is performed — sometimes by LIQUIDMETAL crews directly, and sometimes by other contractors working in adjacent areas.

Silica is not a nuisance dust. It is a known human carcinogen that causes a permanent, progressive, and potentially fatal lung disease. There is no cure for silicosis.

Why Silica Is Dangerous

When respirable crystalline silica particles enter the lungs, the body's immune system attacks them — but cannot remove or neutralize them. The resulting inflammation causes progressive scarring of lung tissue called silicosis. This scarring reduces lung function over time, even after exposure stops.

Silicosis takes three forms:

Chronic silicosis: The most common form. Develops after 10 or more years of exposure to moderate concentrations. Progressive shortness of breath, persistent cough, and fatigue develop gradually. Many workers have chronic silicosis for years before symptoms become obvious — by which time extensive damage has already occurred.

Accelerated silicosis: Develops within 5 to 10 years of exposure to higher concentrations. Progresses more rapidly than chronic silicosis.

Acute silicosis: Develops within weeks to 5 years from exposure to very high concentrations — such as can occur during dry abrasive blasting with silica sand in enclosed areas. The most severe form. Can be rapidly fatal.

Beyond silicosis, crystalline silica is classified as a known human carcinogen. Workers with silicosis have significantly elevated risk of lung cancer. Silica exposure is also linked to kidney disease and certain autoimmune conditions.

OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limit for respirable crystalline silica is 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 μg/m³) as an 8-hour TWA. The action level — the concentration that triggers additional requirements — is 25 μg/m³. Exceeding the PEL in the field is possible during many common operations without adequate controls.

Where LIQUIDMETAL Employees Encounter Silica

Abrasive blasting: The highest silica exposure risk in industrial maintenance. Using silica sand as the blasting abrasive generates massive quantities of respirable silica dust. Even when steel grit or other non-silica abrasives are used, blasting on concrete or masonry substrates still generates silica dust from the substrate.

Drilling and coring in concrete: Drilling anchor bolt holes, coring pipe penetrations, or hammer drilling into concrete generates significant silica dust at the drill point. A common task during plant construction, equipment foundation work, and structural modification.

Cutting and grinding concrete, masonry, or stone: Cutting concrete or masonry with any saw, grinding concrete surfaces, or chipping and breaking masonry generates high silica dust concentrations. Common in demolition, modification, and repair work.

Demolition activities: Demolition of concrete structures and masonry walls generates dust clouds with very high respirable silica concentrations, particularly in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces where dust cannot readily disperse.

Housekeeping in dusty areas: Sweeping, disturbing, or using compressed air to blow accumulated concrete dust, masonry dust, or blasting abrasive residue re-suspends settled silica particles into the breathing zone. This is a significant and frequently overlooked exposure source.

Work near other contractors: At large industrial outage projects, LIQUIDMETAL employees may work in areas where other contractors are performing silica-generating activities in adjacent spaces. You do not have to be the one doing the work to be exposed. If you can see or sense dust from nearby work, evaluate whether respiratory protection is needed.

Refractory work: Some refractory materials used in boiler maintenance and high-temperature equipment repair contain crystalline silica. Cutting, fitting, or removing heat-damaged refractory may generate silica dust.

Engineering Controls — Reduce the Dust at the Source

The goal is to prevent silica dust from becoming airborne in the first place. Engineering controls accomplish this far more effectively than any respirator.

Wet methods: Applying water to the cutting or drilling surface suppresses dust before it becomes airborne. Many concrete saws and core drilling rigs are equipped with integrated water delivery systems. Where built-in water delivery is not available, apply water manually to the work surface during cutting and drilling operations. Wet methods are highly effective and straightforward to implement.

HEPA vacuum dust extraction: Tools equipped with a shroud and HEPA-filtered vacuum attachment that captures dust at the point of generation before it becomes airborne. The vacuum must use a true HEPA filter — a standard shop vacuum does not filter particles at the respirable size range.

Non-silica abrasives: When abrasive blasting is required, use steel grit, glass bead, garnet, or aluminum oxide instead of silica sand. Silica sand as a blasting abrasive is prohibited in many states and banned on many customer sites. Using a non-silica abrasive eliminates the silica hazard from the abrasive while engineering controls — enclosure, wet substrate — manage dust from the substrate.

Enclosure and containment: Enclose blasting and high-dust operations with containment structures or curtain systems to prevent dust migration into adjacent work areas.

Housekeeping — Never Dry Sweep Silica Dust

How silica dust is cleaned up is as important as how it is controlled during work.

Never dry sweep concrete dust, masonry dust, abrasive blasting residue, or similar silica-containing materials. A broom raises settled dust back into the air in a concentrated cloud. Never use compressed air to blow out silica-containing dust for the same reason.

Always use one of the following methods:

• HEPA vacuum: A vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter that captures fine particles. The preferred method for most silica dust cleanup.
• Wet methods: Wet down the dusty area first to agglomerate the dust, then collect with a wet mop or wet vacuum.

Dispose of silica-containing waste as directed by site waste disposal procedures. Contact the customer site's environmental coordinator if the waste classification is uncertain.

Respiratory Protection for Silica

When engineering controls cannot keep silica dust levels below safe concentrations, respiratory protection provides backup protection.

For most silica-generating tasks — concrete cutting, drilling, grinding, masonry work — a half-mask respirator with N100 or P100 HEPA filters provides appropriate protection.

A standard paper dust mask is not adequate for silica exposure. An unrated disposable dust mask or a surgical mask provides no meaningful protection against respirable crystalline silica.

For abrasive blasting operations — regardless of the abrasive used — a supplied-air Type CE abrasive blasting helmet is required. This device supplies clean breathing air from outside the blast zone. An air-purifying respirator is not adequate for blasting operations.

Respirators must be properly fit tested. A respirator that does not seal against the face does not protect against silica. Facial hair in the seal area — beard, stubble, heavy sideburns — breaks the seal and defeats the respirator's protection entirely.

For complete respirator requirements, see Chapter 3.3.

When Nearby Contractors Are Generating Silica

When another contractor near your work area is performing abrasive blasting, concrete cutting, or other silica-generating work:

• Assess the dust. Is visible dust migrating into your work area? Does the air look hazy? These are indicators of potential exposure.
• Put on respiratory protection. A half-mask with P100 filters is appropriate for most adjacent work situations.
• Notify your supervisor. The supervisor can coordinate with the other contractor or the site safety coordinator to ensure either adequate containment or relocation of LIQUIDMETAL employees away from the exposure zone.

You are not required to accept silica exposure from another contractor's work without protection. You have the right to raise the concern, and LIQUIDMETAL supervisors have the responsibility to address it.

Employee Responsibilities

• Know which tasks and materials in your work area can generate silica dust.
• Use engineering controls — wet methods, HEPA vacuum extraction, non-silica abrasives — whenever they are available and applicable.
• Never dry sweep or use compressed air to clean up silica-containing dust.
• Wear the correct respirator correctly when respiratory protection is required.
• Do not eat, drink, smoke, or use tobacco products in areas where silica dust is present. Silica on your hands can be ingested through hand-to-mouth contact.
• Wash hands and face thoroughly before eating, drinking, or using tobacco products after working in silica dust areas.
• Report visible dusty conditions in or near your work area to your supervisor immediately.
• Report any respiratory symptoms — persistent cough, shortness of breath, or chest tightness that develops or worsens in association with dusty work — to your supervisor and seek medical evaluation.

Medical Surveillance

Employees regularly exposed to silica above the OSHA action level of 25 μg/m³ for 30 or more days per year must receive medical surveillance under OSHA's Silica standards — 29 CFR 1910.1053 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.1153 for construction. Surveillance includes periodic medical examinations with spirometry and chest evaluation. Contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative if your work assignments may meet this threshold.

3.27Hexavalent Chromium Awareness

Who This Chapter Is For

This chapter is written for LIQUIDMETAL welders, pipefitters, grinders, and helpers who work with or around stainless steel and other chromium-containing alloys. If you weld, cut, or grind stainless steel — or if you work nearby when someone else is doing so — this chapter applies directly to you.

Hexavalent chromium is generated every time a welder runs an arc on stainless steel. LIQUIDMETAL performs significant stainless steel welding in power generation facilities, process piping systems, and industrial maintenance work. Understanding what hexavalent chromium is, why it is dangerous, and how to protect yourself is essential knowledge for every LIQUIDMETAL employee who does this work.

What Is Hexavalent Chromium

Chromium is a metal that exists in several chemical forms. The form that matters here is hexavalent chromium — also written as Cr(VI) or Chromium 6. It is the oxidized form of chromium generated as a byproduct of welding, cutting, and grinding on metals containing chromium — primarily stainless steel and chromium-containing alloys.

When stainless steel is welded, the extreme temperatures of the arc oxidize some of the chromium in the base metal and the welding electrode into Cr(VI), which becomes part of the welding fume. These fume particles are microscopic — invisible individually to the naked eye — and they remain airborne for extended periods after the arc is shut off.

You cannot see Cr(VI) in welding fume. Welding fume looks the same whether it contains Cr(VI) or not. You cannot detect it by smell at hazardous concentrations. If you are welding stainless steel, assume Cr(VI) is in the fume and control it accordingly.

Why Hexavalent Chromium Is Dangerous

Cancer: Cr(VI) causes lung cancer. This is not a theoretical risk — it is one of the most thoroughly documented occupational carcinogen relationships in industrial medicine. Workers exposed to Cr(VI) over a working career have significantly elevated lung cancer rates compared to unexposed workers. The risk is dose-dependent: more exposure over more years means higher risk.

Nasal and sinus damage: Cr(VI) is corrosive to the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses. Prolonged exposure causes nasal ulceration — open sores inside the nasal passages — and can perforate the nasal septum. This damage is permanent.

Skin: Direct skin contact with Cr(VI) compounds causes severe contact dermatitis that is difficult to heal and may lead to allergic sensitization — meaning even minimal future chromium exposure triggers a reaction.

Respiratory irritation: Even at concentrations below those that cause long-term cancer risk, Cr(VI) irritates the airways and can cause coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath following acute exposures.

OSHA PEL for Cr(VI) is 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 μg/m³) as an 8-hour TWA. The action level is 2.5 μg/m³. Welding stainless steel in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces without controls can generate Cr(VI) concentrations far above the PEL in the welder's breathing zone.

When LIQUIDMETAL Employees Are Exposed

Welding stainless steel: The primary Cr(VI) exposure for LIQUIDMETAL employees. SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, and FCAW welding on stainless steel grades — including 304, 316, 309, 310, and duplex grades — all generate Cr(VI) in the welding fume. TIG welding generally generates lower fume volumes than SMAW or FCAW, but Cr(VI) is still present.

Thermal cutting of stainless steel: Plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, and air carbon arc gouging on stainless steel generate Cr(VI)-containing fume and particulate. The temperatures and volumes involved can produce very high Cr(VI) concentrations in the immediate work area.

Grinding stainless steel: Grinding stainless steel welds, removing spatter, or surface preparation with an angle grinder generates Cr(VI)-containing metallic dust. This is a frequently overlooked exposure pathway — the visible smoke of welding is absent, but the ground metal dust contains Cr(VI) compounds.

Working near stainless steel welding by others: In open plant areas or large work bays, Cr(VI)-containing fume from one welder's work can migrate throughout the space. If you are working near stainless steel welding being performed by another crew, you may be inhaling Cr(VI) from their fume. Distance, ventilation direction, and air movement all affect how much exposure reaches you.

Chromate-containing coatings: Some older protective coatings and industrial primers contain Cr(VI) compounds. Grinding, blasting, or burning through these coatings generates Cr(VI) exposure independent of the base metal.

The Primary Control — Ventilation

Keeping Cr(VI) fume away from your breathing zone is the most effective thing you can do. The goal is to capture the fume at the source before it disperses into the air you breathe.

Local exhaust ventilation — fume extraction: A fume extraction system positioned at the welding arc is the most effective control for Cr(VI) in stainless steel welding. This means a flexible extraction arm or portable fume extractor positioned with the intake within 2 to 4 inches of the welding arc — not across the shop, not venting the general space, but capturing fume at the source before it reaches the welder's breathing zone.

When LEV is in use and properly positioned, it dramatically reduces Cr(VI) concentration in the welder's breathing zone. Position the extractor on the side of the arc away from your face — the fume should be drawn away from you, not across your face toward the extractor.

General ventilation: General ventilation of the workspace — fans, open access doors — helps dilute fume concentrations in the broader environment. This helps protect workers in adjacent areas but is not adequate alone for the welder at the arc. General ventilation supplements LEV — it does not replace it.

Work positioning: Keep your head out of the fume plume. The fume rises directly from the arc. For horizontal or flat position welding, position yourself so the fume rises away from your face rather than into it. For overhead welding, the fume rises toward your face regardless of positioning — respiratory protection is especially critical for overhead stainless steel welding.

Respiratory Protection

When local exhaust ventilation is not available, is not practical for the work position, or when welding overhead or in positions where fume cannot be directed away from the breathing zone, respiratory protection is required.

Minimum protection for stainless steel welding without LEV: A half-mask air-purifying respirator with an OV/P100 combination cartridge — organic vapor plus HEPA particulate filter.

For extended stainless welding operations in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) rated for welding use provides greater comfort and higher protection. PAPRs must be rated for welding environments and equipped with the correct filters for Cr(VI) exposure.

Fit testing is required. A respirator that does not seal against the face does not protect against Cr(VI). Facial hair in the seal area — beard, stubble, sideburns — defeats the seal. No exceptions.

For complete respirator requirements, selection guidance, and fit testing requirements, see Chapter 3.3.

Skin and Body Protection

All standard welding PPE requirements from Chapter 3.25 apply during stainless steel welding and cutting. Additionally:

• Wear leather welding gloves that fully cover the wrists. Ensure sleeves are rolled down and secured at the cuff so no skin is exposed between glove and sleeve.
• If you develop skin rash, open sores, blistering, or persistent skin irritation on areas that have been in contact with stainless steel fume, grinding dust, or Cr(VI)-containing materials, report it to your supervisor and seek medical evaluation promptly. Early reporting and treatment matter.

Hygiene — What You Do After Work Matters

Hexavalent chromium can be ingested through hand-to-mouth contact. Metallic dust on your hands transfers to food, drinks, and tobacco, and can be absorbed through the digestive system.

After performing stainless steel welding, cutting, or grinding:

• Wash your hands and face thoroughly with soap and water before eating, drinking, or using tobacco products.
• Do not eat, drink, or use tobacco in areas where stainless steel welding or grinding is being performed or where Cr(VI)-containing dust or fume may be present.
• If work clothing has accumulated metallic dust from stainless grinding, do not eat or take a break in that clothing, and do not take significantly contaminated clothing home where others — including children — could be exposed.

Housekeeping

Cr(VI)-containing grinding dust and metallic particulate that settles on surfaces can be re-suspended by foot traffic, air movement, or surface disturbance.

• Never dry sweep or use compressed air to clean stainless steel grinding dust or metallic fume residue. These methods re-suspend settled particles.
• Use a HEPA vacuum to clean up metallic dust from stainless steel grinding and cutting operations.
• Dispose of Cr(VI)-containing waste in accordance with the customer site's waste disposal requirements. Metallic grinding dust and weld residue from stainless steel work may be managed as hazardous waste at many industrial facilities. Confirm disposal requirements with the site environmental coordinator before generating this waste stream.

Recognizing and Reporting Symptoms

Report the following to your supervisor and seek medical evaluation:

• Persistent cough, shortness of breath, or chest tightness that develops or worsens on days when stainless steel welding or grinding is performed.
• Nosebleeds occurring repeatedly, particularly in association with stainless welding work.
• Sores, ulcers, or unusual crusting inside the nose.
• Skin rash, blistering, or open sores on areas of skin exposed to Cr(VI)-containing materials.

Early reporting gives the best opportunity to identify a problem before it causes permanent damage. Report symptoms honestly and promptly.

Customer Site Requirements

Many LIQUIDMETAL customer sites have their own Hexavalent Chromium exposure control programs that may impose requirements beyond this chapter — designated welding areas, specific LEV equipment, pre-work atmospheric monitoring, extended hygiene requirements, or waste disposal procedures.

LIQUIDMETAL employees comply with customer Cr(VI) requirements in addition to the requirements of this chapter. When the customer's requirement is more protective, comply with the customer's program.

Group 6Health And Environment

The chapters in this group address health hazards that accumulate over time or develop gradually during a shift. Unlike the immediate hazards in Group 4, these conditions can progress quietly. A worker who does not recognize heat exhaustion may continue working until heat stroke sets in. Awareness, early recognition, and prompt reporting are the primary defenses against these hazards.

3.28Heat Stress

Heat Stress Is a Real Operational Hazard

LIQUIDMETAL employees regularly work in conditions that produce dangerous levels of heat stress, boiler outages, turbine hall maintenance, outdoor construction in summer months, and industrial processes where ambient temperatures far exceed safe working limits. Heat stress is not a matter of personal toughness. It is a physiological process that affects every person regardless of experience, fitness level, or motivation. A worker who is developing heat stroke may not recognize it and may continue working until they collapse.

Understanding heat stress, recognizing its early signs, and taking prompt action before conditions become serious is a responsibility that belongs to every employee and every supervisor on every hot job.

How Heat Stress Works

The human body maintains a core temperature of approximately 98.6°F through a combination of sweating, radiation, and convection. When environmental heat load — from air temperature, radiant heat from hot surfaces and equipment, humidity, and physical exertion — exceeds the body's ability to dissipate heat through these mechanisms, core body temperature begins to rise. As it rises, physical and cognitive performance deteriorate. If the rise continues unchecked, the result is heat stroke — a life-threatening emergency.

Humidity matters as much as temperature. Sweat does not cool the body by being produced — it cools the body by evaporating. High humidity prevents evaporation, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of sweating as a cooling mechanism. This is why the heat index — which combines temperature and humidity — is a better measure of heat stress risk than air temperature alone.

Heat Index and Risk Levels

Monitor heat conditions daily using the National Weather Service heat index or on-site temperature and humidity measurement tools.

For radiant heat environments — boiler interiors, furnace areas, and other high-temperature industrial spaces — ambient temperature alone understates the heat load. The LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative should be consulted for work in these environments.

Note: When working in steam environments or near steam systems during outage work, contact the site emergency coordinator or LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative for additional guidance before beginning work.

Responsibilities

Heat Stress Program responsibilities:

• Identify elevated heat work areas on each project before work begins.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring equipment is available and functioning.
• Provide or coordinate required heat stress training.
• Document monitoring results and maintain records of work in elevated heat environments.

Supervisors:

• Monitor conditions in elevated heat work areas using heat index tools or on-site measurement devices. Log readings when conditions exceed 80°F heat index.
• Notify the Safety Representative when hazardous heat conditions are present or developing.
• Implement all required engineering controls, schedule modifications, and rest break requirements.
• Enforce the acclimatization schedule for new workers and returning workers.
• Enforce the buddy system when heat index reaches 90°F or above.
• Ensure all crew members working in elevated heat conditions have completed heat stress training.

Employees:

• Monitor yourself for signs of heat illness and report symptoms to your supervisor immediately, do not try to push through.
• Participate in buddy checks when required.
• Drink water continuously throughout the shift. Do not wait until you feel thirsty.
• Follow acclimatization requirements. Do not push through heat symptoms in your first days on a hot job.
• Report coworkers who show signs of heat illness to the supervisor immediately.

Acclimatization and Working in Heat

Acclimatization is the body's temporary adaptation to working in heat. It builds gradually — for most people it peaks within four to fourteen days of regular work in the heat, at least two hours a day — and it is lost quickly during time away from it.

That matters because of how this work arrives. Emergency outages and callouts do not wait for anyone to acclimatize. You may go from an air-conditioned truck into a hot unit inside the same hour, and there is frequently no way to phase it in.

So the requirement is not a schedule. It is awareness and precaution:

• Know that you are most vulnerable in your first few days on a hot job — including when you are coming back after vacation, illness, cool-weather work, or any extended time away. Experience does not exempt you. Most heat fatalities happen in a worker's first few days.
• Follow what the site requires. Customer facilities and some jurisdictions have their own heat illness rules, work/rest requirements, or stand-down triggers. Those govern wherever they apply.
• Take precautions proactively — water, shade, pacing, and lighter, breathable clothing where the work and the FR requirements permit it.
• Know the symptoms and act on the first one, in yourself and in the people around you. The symptom list is in Chapter 2.12 and the heat illness signs are covered later in this chapter.
• Tell your supervisor if you are returning to hot work after time away, are taking medication that affects heat tolerance, or have had a heat illness before. Assignments can be adjusted — but only if somebody knows.

Governing document: LIQUIDMETAL Heat Illness Awareness program, Safety Manual p. 258.

Hydration

• Provide cool drinking water — 50 to 60°F — freely available to all employees at all times during the workday.
• In hot conditions above 80°F heat index, employees should drink at least one quart of water per hour — more during heavy physical exertion.
• Begin each shift already adequately hydrated. Workers who arrive dehydrated are at significantly higher risk of heat illness throughout the shift.
• For shifts lasting more than two hours in the heat, provide electrolyte replacement, sports drinks, electrolyte tablets, or equivalent , in addition to water. Water alone is not adequate for extended heat exposure. Electrolyte depletion from heavy sweating causes heat cramps and accelerates heat exhaustion progression even in workers who are adequately hydrated with water.
• Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine before and during hot-weather work shifts. Both impair the body's heat regulation mechanisms and accelerate dehydration.

Factors that increase heat illness risk:

• Cardiovascular conditions.
• Prescription medications, particularly diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants, beta-blockers, and certain blood pressure medications that affect sweating or cardiovascular response.
• Over-the-counter antihistamines that suppress sweating.
• Sunburn over significant body surface area.
• Recent illness involving fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Employees taking medications that may affect heat tolerance should inform their supervisor before beginning work in hot conditions. This information is handled confidentially and used only to ensure appropriate work assignments.

Recognizing Heat-Related Illness

Minor Conditions

Heat edema: Swelling of the hands and feet caused by fluid shifts and blood vessel dilation from heat exposure. Shoes may feel unusually tight. Self-limiting — resolves within a few days with rest and hydration.

Heat rash (Miliaria rubra): Skin rash from blocked sweat gland pores. Reduces sweating capacity in the affected area. Workers with significant heat rash are at increased risk for more serious heat illness because their ability to cool through sweating is reduced.

Sunburn: Impairs sweating and increases the body's heat load. Workers with sunburn over more than 5 percent of body surface area should be assigned to shaded or cooler work until the burn heals.

Heat cramps: Painful, involuntary muscle cramps from electrolyte depletion during heavy sweating. Typically affect the legs, arms, and abdomen. No systemic symptoms. Treat with rest, cool environment, and oral electrolyte replacement. Do not return to heavy work until cramps resolve.

Heat syncope: Temporary loss of consciousness or near-fainting from blood pooling in the peripheral veins. Recovery is typically rapid once the person lies down. Syncope occurring more than five days after first heat exposure may indicate dehydration or heat exhaustion — evaluate carefully before returning to work.

Major Conditions

Heat exhaustion is the most common serious heat illness. It occurs when the cardiovascular system cannot simultaneously maintain adequate blood flow to the skin for cooling and to the working muscles for physical performance.

Signs and symptoms:

• Generalized weakness, fatigue, and dizziness.
• Headache, nausea, and possibly vomiting.
• Heavy, persistent sweating.
• Pale, cool, moist skin.
• Rapid, weak pulse.
• Muscle cramps.
• Disorientation or confusion in more severe cases.

First aid for heat exhaustion:

• Move the person to a cool or shaded area immediately.
• Loosen or remove excess clothing.
• Have the person lie down and elevate the legs slightly.
• Provide cool water or an electrolyte drink if the person is conscious and able to swallow.
• Apply cool, wet cloths to the skin. Use fans or misting to accelerate cooling.
• If the person does not improve within 15 minutes, or if confusion, disorientation, or loss of consciousness occurs, treat as heat stroke and call 911 immediately.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. It is characterized by a core body temperature above 104°F and central nervous system dysfunction — confusion, disorientation, delirium, seizure, or loss of consciousness. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent neurological damage within minutes if cooling is not initiated immediately.

If you are not sure whether a worker is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke — assume heat stroke and call 911 immediately.

Signs and symptoms:

• Body temperature above 104°F.
• Hot skin — may be wet or dry.
• Confusion, slurred speech, or unusual behavior.
• Loss of consciousness or seizure.
• Rapid, strong pulse.

Emergency first aid for heat stroke:

• Call 911 immediately.
• Move the person to the coolest available location.
• Begin aggressive cooling immediately — do not wait for EMS. Immerse in cool or cold water if possible. If immersion is not available, apply ice packs to the neck, armpits, and groin simultaneously, and wet the skin while fanning aggressively.
• Remove or loosen clothing.
• Do not give fluids by mouth to a confused, seizing, or unconscious person — aspiration risk.
• Continue cooling until EMS arrives or until the skin feels cool to the touch.
• If the person is unconscious and breathing, place them in the recovery position — on their side — to prevent aspiration.

Buddy System

At heat index values of 90°F or above, pair workers for mutual monitoring. The buddy system requirement means:

• Each worker actively observes their partner throughout the shift for signs of heat illness — not just a casual check-in, but active observation.
• Workers check in with their buddy at least every 60 minutes.
• Workers report any concerns about their partner's condition to the supervisor immediately.
• Supervisors observe crew members throughout the shift, particularly in the later hours when cumulative heat load is highest.

A worker developing heat stroke may not recognize or report their own symptoms. A functioning buddy system catches what self-monitoring misses.

Training

All LIQUIDMETAL employees who work in elevated heat conditions receive heat stress training before beginning that work. Training covers the company's Heat Illness Prevention Plan, environmental monitoring and triggers, signs and symptoms of all heat conditions, first aid response for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, hydration and acclimatization requirements, the buddy system, and the employee's responsibility to report symptoms. Annual refresher training is provided. Training is documented with the date, topics covered, and employee signatures.

Medical Surveillance

Employees who routinely work in elevated heat conditions should receive an annual occupational health physical examination. The examination should assess cardiovascular fitness, kidney function, and any medications or medical conditions that increase heat illness risk. Employees who have previously suffered heat stroke have a significantly elevated risk of recurrence and may require physician clearance before returning to heavy heat exposure work.

3.29Cold Stress

Cold Stress Is an Outage Season Hazard

LIQUIDMETAL employees regularly work outdoors during winter months — including during plant outages, industrial construction, and maintenance activities that cannot be postponed because of cold weather. Cold stress is a serious occupational hazard that can disable or kill workers who are not properly protected.

Cold stress occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing core body temperature to drop to dangerous levels. Wind dramatically accelerates heat loss — the combination of air temperature and wind speed, expressed as wind chill temperature, determines how quickly the body loses heat and how quickly cold injury can occur.

Understanding cold-related illnesses and how to prevent them is essential for every field employee who works during cold weather months.

What Causes Cold Stress

The conditions most likely to produce dangerous cold stress in LIQUIDMETAL's work environment include:

• Sustained outdoor work in cold temperatures, particularly in wind.
• Wet conditions — rain, snow, or immersion — combined with cold temperatures. Wet clothing loses most of its insulating value and accelerates heat loss dramatically.
• Insufficient rest periods in warm environments during extended cold weather work.
• Physical fatigue, which reduces the body's ability to generate metabolic heat.
• Dehydration, which impairs the body's heat regulation mechanisms.
• Underlying cardiovascular conditions that limit the body's circulatory response to cold.

Cold-Related Illnesses and Injuries

Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the body's core temperature drops below normal, impairing physiological function and, if untreated, causing death. The body's early response — constricting blood vessels near the skin to conserve core heat and shivering to generate muscular heat — is a warning sign that the body is already working hard to maintain safe temperature.

Signs and symptoms — early to severe:

• Uncontrollable shivering — this is the body's first warning.
• Slurred speech or mumbling.
• Slow or shallow breathing.
• Weak pulse.
• Clumsiness and loss of coordination.
• Drowsiness, confusion, or memory lapses.
• Skin that appears pale or bluish.
• In severe cases: cessation of shivering, loss of consciousness.

First aid for hypothermia:

• Call 911 for any employee showing signs beyond early shivering.
• Move the person to a warm, sheltered area carefully — sudden or rough movement can trigger cardiac arrest in a severely hypothermic person.
• Remove wet clothing. Replace with warm, dry clothing or blankets.
• Apply gentle warmth to the core of the body — the neck, chest, abdomen, and groin. Do not apply heat to the arms and legs first; cold blood from the extremities returning to the core too quickly can cause cardiac complications.
• Give warm, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids only if the person is fully conscious and able to swallow safely.
• Do not rub or massage the limbs.
• Keep the person still and protected from further heat loss until EMS arrives.

Frostbite

Frostbite occurs when skin and underlying tissue freeze from exposure to extreme cold or from contact with cold objects or surfaces. Metal surfaces transfer heat out of the body far faster than cold air and can cause frostbite in seconds at extreme temperatures. The face, ears, nose, fingers, and toes are most commonly affected.

Signs and symptoms:

• Sharp, prickling pain followed by numbness in the affected area.
• Skin that appears white, grayish-yellow, or waxy.
• Skin that feels unusually hard or firm to the touch.
• In severe cases: blisters, blackening of tissue, and complete loss of sensation.

First aid for frostbite:

• Move the person to a warm area and remove constrictive clothing, rings, and jewelry from the affected area.
• Do not walk on frostbitten feet unless absolutely necessary — doing so increases tissue damage.
• Warm the affected area gradually using body heat — for example, place frostbitten fingers under the armpit — or by immersing in warm water between 100°F and 108°F.
• Do not rub the affected area. Rubbing frozen tissue causes mechanical damage.
• Do not use heating pads, heat lamps, stoves, or fireplaces to rewarm frostbitten tissue — frostbitten skin cannot detect excessive heat and will burn.
• Seek medical attention for all frostbite beyond initial redness and mild tingling.

Trench Foot (Immersion Foot)

Trench foot is caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions — even at temperatures as high as 60°F. It does not require freezing temperatures. Workers who stand in cold water, mud, or wet conditions for hours — during excavation work, outdoor construction in wet weather, and outage work in flooded or wet industrial areas — are at risk.

Signs and symptoms:

• Redness, swelling, and tingling or itching in the feet.
• Leg cramps.
• Blistering.
• Numbness or pain that worsens when warming.
• In severe cases: open sores.

Prevention:

• Keep feet dry. Change wet socks and boots as soon as possible when they become saturated.
• Use moisture-wicking socks and waterproof boots appropriate for the conditions.
• When continuous immersion cannot be avoided, dry and warm feet whenever possible during breaks.
• Report foot pain, numbness, or skin changes to your supervisor.

Cold Weather Clothing

Proper clothing is the first and most effective defense against cold stress. The key principle is layering — multiple thinner layers that trap warm air between them and can be added or removed as activity levels and temperatures change throughout the shift.

Recommended layering system:

Base layer — moisture management: Worn directly against the skin. Designed to pull moisture away from the body. Avoid cotton — cotton absorbs moisture and loses almost all insulating value when wet. Use synthetic fabrics such as polyester or polypropylene, or wool.

Middle layer — insulation: Provides the primary insulation. Fleece, wool, or synthetic fill materials. Down insulation is effective but loses nearly all insulating value when wet and is not recommended for most industrial outdoor work.

Outer layer — weather protection: Protects against wind and water. Should be wind-resistant and water-repellent or waterproof depending on conditions. Should allow moisture vapor to escape to prevent internal condensation.

Additional cold weather requirements:

• Wear a hat or insulated hood. Significant heat loss occurs through the head and neck.
• Protect ears with a hat with earflaps, earmuffs, or a balaclava.
• Wear insulated, waterproof gloves or mittens. Keep a dry spare pair accessible during extended outdoor work.
• Wear insulated, waterproof boots with non-slip soles appropriate for the work surface.

Wet clothing loses most of its insulating value. Change wet garments as soon as possible. Maintain dry spare clothing when working in wet or cold conditions for extended periods.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Assess conditions before each shift. Check the forecast including wind chill temperatures. Evaluate whether planned work and its duration are appropriate for the conditions.

Provide warm shelters. Whenever employees work in cold conditions, provide access to a heated break area. For outdoor work below 40°F, ensure breaks are taken in a warm area at regular intervals — at minimum every two hours, or more frequently as conditions require.

Schedule and rotate work. For extremely cold conditions, rotate crews more frequently to limit individual exposure time. Allow adequate recovery between cold exposure periods.

Ensure appropriate PPE and clothing. Verify that employees have appropriate clothing and footwear for the conditions before the shift begins. Cold weather PPE and clothing that is wet, damaged, or inadequate provides little protection.

Brief the crew on cold hazards. Conduct a pre-job briefing that addresses the cold hazards present for the specific day, the signs and symptoms of cold stress, and the response plan if a crew member shows symptoms.

Employee Responsibilities

• Dress appropriately for the conditions before each shift. Bring additional layers when conditions are uncertain.
• Report any signs of cold stress in yourself or a coworker to your supervisor immediately. Cold-related illness can progress quickly, and delay in treatment worsens outcomes significantly.
• Take scheduled warm-up breaks. Do not try to "tough out" cold exposure at the expense of your safety or your effectiveness.
• Stay hydrated. Cold weather suppresses the thirst response, but dehydration increases cold injury risk as reliably as it does heat injury risk.
• Avoid alcohol before and during cold weather work shifts. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, accelerates heat loss, and impairs judgment about cold exposure risk.

3.30Bloodborne Pathogens

What Every Employee Needs to Know

Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms present in human blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) that can cause serious disease. The most significant bloodborne diseases are Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B and C. These diseases are transmissible through contact with infected blood or OPIM — and they can be transmitted on a jobsite when a coworker is injured and bleeding.

You do not need to be a nurse or a designated first aid responder to need this information. Any LIQUIDMETAL employee may encounter a situation where a coworker is seriously injured and bleeding. This chapter tells you what you need to know to protect yourself while helping that person.

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions maintains a written Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan (ECP) in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030. This chapter communicates the key elements of that plan that every employee needs to understand.

Universal Precautions

Universal precautions means treating all human blood and other potentially infectious materials as if they are known to be infected — every time, without exception. You cannot determine by looking at a person whether their blood carries HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C. Universal precautions eliminate the need to make that judgment.

In practical terms, universal precautions mean:

• Wear disposable gloves before making any contact with blood, OPIM, or any surface visibly contaminated with either. Gloves must be from the first aid kit — not general work gloves.
• Wear eye protection and a face shield if there is any risk of blood or OPIM splashing toward your face — during wound care, during CPR, or when responding to a bleeding emergency.
• Do not use bare hands to apply direct pressure to a wound if disposable gloves are available. If gloves are not immediately available, use the thickest available barrier — multiple layers of cloth — until gloves can be retrieved.
• Wash hands and all exposed skin with soap and water for at least 20 seconds immediately after any contact with blood or OPIM, even if gloves were worn throughout.
• Do not recap, bend, or break used needles or sharps by hand. Place directly into an approved sharps container.
• Do not eat, drink, smoke, or touch your face in areas where blood or OPIM may be present.

What to Do When a Coworker Is Injured and Bleeding

• Protect yourself first. Put on disposable gloves from the first aid kit before making contact with the injured employee's blood or wound. If splash to the face is possible, add a face shield or goggles.
• Call for help. Notify your supervisor and call 911 if the injury is serious or if bleeding is severe.
• Provide first aid. Apply firm, direct pressure to the wound using a clean bandage or cloth. Do not remove a blood-soaked dressing — add additional material on top and continue pressure.
• After the response, clean up carefully. Any surface, tool, or equipment contaminated with blood must be decontaminated using an appropriate disinfectant. Do not handle contaminated materials with bare hands.
• Dispose of contaminated PPE properly. Used gloves, bandages, and materials contaminated with blood must be placed in a labeled, sealed container appropriate for regulated waste. Do not place them in regular trash.
• Wash thoroughly. Remove and dispose of gloves using the technique that avoids skin contact. Wash your hands and all exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Report the incident. All injuries must be reported to your supervisor immediately. If you had direct skin contact with blood or OPIM during the response — especially if you have any cuts, abrasions, or open skin on your hands — report that contact separately. It may trigger a post-exposure evaluation.

Who Is Covered

The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies to employees who have occupational exposure — meaning those whose job duties reasonably anticipate contact with blood or OPIM. This typically includes designated first aid responders and employees assigned to provide first aid assistance.

However, all employees should understand the universal precautions in this chapter because any employee may encounter a situation where a coworker is injured and bleeding. Knowing how to protect yourself in that situation is part of being a competent, responsible team member.

Hepatitis B Vaccination

The Hepatitis B vaccination series is available to all LIQUIDMETAL employees who have occupational exposure to blood or OPIM. The vaccination is:

• Provided at no cost to the employee.
• Offered within 10 days of assignment to a position with occupational exposure.
• Provided after the employee completes required bloodborne pathogens training.

The Hepatitis B vaccination is strongly encouraged. If you choose to decline, you must sign a declination form. You may change your mind and request the vaccination at no cost at any later point during your employment. Employees who have previously completed the Hepatitis B vaccination series and can provide documentation are not required to repeat it.

Post-Exposure Evaluation

If you believe you have been exposed to blood or OPIM on the job — through a needlestick, a cut from a contaminated object, a splash to the eyes or mouth, or direct contact between blood and an open wound or break in your skin — notify your supervisor immediately.

LIQUIDMETAL will arrange a confidential medical evaluation and follow-up at no cost to you. The following will occur:

• The exposure incident will be documented.
• The source individual's blood may be tested for HIV and Hepatitis B and C, to the extent permitted by law.
• You will receive appropriate testing, counseling, and post-exposure prophylaxis if indicated.
• A written opinion from the healthcare provider will be provided to you within 15 days of the evaluation.
• All medical information related to the exposure is confidential.

Do not delay reporting a suspected exposure. Time is critical in post-exposure management — the sooner evaluation and treatment begin, the more effective they are.

Housekeeping and Waste Disposal

Work surfaces, equipment, and tools contaminated with blood or OPIM must be decontaminated as soon as practicable after contamination using an EPA-registered disinfectant appropriate for bloodborne pathogen inactivation.

Contaminated waste — gloves, bandages, disposable PPE — must be placed in closable, leak-proof containers labeled for regulated waste. Sharp objects contaminated with blood must be placed in rigid, puncture-resistant sharps containers — never in regular trash bags or general waste.

Exposure Control Plan

LIQUIDMETAL maintains a written Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan that identifies employee exposure risks, establishes engineering and work practice controls, and documents training and recordkeeping requirements. The ECP is reviewed and updated at least annually. Employees may request a copy of the ECP from the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative at any time at no cost, and it must be provided within 15 days of the request.

Training

All LIQUIDMETAL employees with occupational exposure to blood or OPIM receive bloodborne pathogens training before their initial assignment and annually thereafter. Training covers the OSHA standard, the epidemiology and symptoms of bloodborne diseases, the Exposure Control Plan, universal precautions, proper PPE use, post-exposure evaluation and follow-up, and the Hepatitis B vaccination program. Training records are maintained by the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Department.

Group 7Specialized And Site-Specific Work

The chapters in this group address work situations that are less universal than the topics in previous groups but critical for employees assigned to specific roles or environments. Every LIQUIDMETAL employee should read these chapters during orientation. Employees who regularly work in these situations must know them thoroughly.

3.31Emergency Action Plan

Purpose

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions maintains an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38. The EAP ensures that all employees know how to respond quickly and effectively when an emergency occurs — before it happens, not during it.

This chapter establishes LIQUIDMETAL's baseline emergency response requirements. Because LIQUIDMETAL employees work at a variety of locations — including LIQUIDMETAL offices, warehouses, and customer industrial facilities — site-specific emergency response information is provided during orientation at each project. Before beginning work at any location, every employee must know the emergency procedures for that specific site.

Scope

This plan applies to all LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions employees at all locations, including temporary and outage personnel. Subcontractors and vendors working under LIQUIDMETAL direction are required to comply with applicable portions of this plan.

Roles and Responsibilities

Emergency Action Plan Manager: The designated LIQUIDMETAL employee responsible for administering the overall Emergency Action Plan, maintaining training records, coordinating with local emergency services, and scheduling periodic EAP drills and tests of notification systems.

Emergency Plan Coordinator: The designated employee responsible for implementing EAP procedures in their specific location or area during an emergency — directing evacuation, accounting for personnel at assembly points, and communicating with the EAP Manager. Coordinators may be designated on a per-project basis.

Supervisors: Ensure all employees under their direction know the emergency procedures for the specific location before work begins. During an emergency, supervisors direct their crew and verify all employees are accounted for at the assembly point.

All Employees: Know and follow the emergency procedures for the current work location. Report to the designated assembly point during any evacuation and remain there until released by the Emergency Plan Coordinator or supervisor.

The Most Important Rule

In a life-threatening emergency — a serious injury, an out-of-control fire, a chemical release, or any other immediately dangerous situation — call the control room or the site emergency number first.

Inside an operating facility, that call is what actually brings help. The control room dispatches the site's own emergency responders, alerts the operators who may need to shut something down or isolate a system, and gets outside EMS through security to the exact location. A direct 911 call from inside a plant can leave an ambulance sitting at a gate with no escort and no idea where to go.

Do not wait to locate the Emergency Plan Coordinator. Do not wait to notify your supervisor. Make the emergency call first, then notify your supervisor and the Emergency Plan Coordinator as soon as possible.

Every second matters. The sequence is: site emergency number first, supervisor second.

Know the number before you need it. The site emergency number is covered in your site orientation and posted at the muster point and in the work area. Write it down at the start of every job. If you are working somewhere with no control room or site emergency number — a shop, an office, or a remote job — call 911.

Medical Emergencies

When a coworker is seriously injured or becomes suddenly ill:

• Call the control room or site emergency number immediately if the situation is life-threatening — severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, serious fall, major burn, or serious chemical exposure. State the location, the nature of the injury, and how many people are hurt. Stay on the line until you are released. If you are at a location with no control room or site emergency number, call 911.
• Notify your supervisor.
• Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in immediate danger from a secondary hazard — fire, chemical release, or structural collapse. Moving a person with a potential spinal injury incorrectly can cause permanent paralysis.
• If trained in CPR and first aid, provide care appropriate to your training and certification until EMS arrives.
• Do not attempt to provide medical treatment beyond your training level.
• Send someone to meet the ambulance at the site entrance to guide EMS directly to the patient's location.
• Secure the immediate area around the injured employee to preserve the scene for incident investigation.
• All injuries must be reported to the LIQUIDMETAL supervisor and Safety Department regardless of severity.

Reporting Emergencies

At Liquidmetal -controlled locations: Report all fires and emergency situations as quickly as possible to the Emergency Plan Coordinator, in person, by phone, or by radio. For any emergency involving risk to life, call 911 immediately without waiting for supervisor direction.

At customer jobsites: Customer plants and industrial facilities have their own emergency response systems, alarm systems, and emergency contact procedures. During site orientation, you will receive site-specific emergency reporting instructions including:

• How to activate the site alarm.
• Who to call and the correct number.
• The location of the designated muster or assembly point for your work area.
• The site emergency response team and their capabilities.

Follow the customer site's emergency procedures. When those procedures require calling a site-specific number rather than 911, follow that requirement, unless the situation involves an immediate threat to life and the site number cannot be reached within seconds.

Emergency contact information completed at project orientation.

Fire Response

If you discover a fire:

• Activate the site fire alarm immediately.
• Call the site emergency number.
• Notify the Emergency Plan Coordinator and your supervisor.
• If the fire is incipient (small, contained to the object of origin, approximately the size of a small trash can fire) and you have received fire extinguisher training, you may attempt to extinguish it using the correct type of extinguisher. If the fire grows, if the extinguisher does not put it out with one discharge, or if you have any doubt, evacuate immediately.
• Never re-enter a burning structure to search for anyone. Leave search and rescue to the fire department. Untrained individuals who enter burning structures to rescue others frequently become victims themselves.

Evacuation

When the fire alarm sounds or an evacuation order is issued:

• Stop work immediately. Secure your work area if it can be done in seconds without risk — do not stop to gather personal belongings.
• Exit by the nearest available route shown on the posted evacuation map. If the primary exit is blocked, use the alternate route.
• Close doors behind you as you exit — closed doors significantly slow the spread of fire and smoke. Do not lock them.
• Do not use elevators during any fire evacuation. Use stairways only.
• Proceed to the designated assembly point and report to your supervisor or Emergency Plan Coordinator for accountability.
• Do not re-enter the building or work area until the Emergency Plan Coordinator or the fire department provides the all-clear.

Employees with mobility limitations: Supervisors are responsible for identifying employees who may need evacuation assistance before work begins and designating a trained assistant for each. Employees who cannot use evacuation routes independently will shelter in a designated refuge area within the building and their location will be reported to the fire department upon their arrival.

Accounting for Personnel

After any evacuation, every person must be accounted for. Each employee reports to their supervisor or Emergency Plan Coordinator at the assembly point. If anyone is unaccounted for, notify the EAP Manager immediately so the information can be provided to emergency responders.

Do not assume an unaccounted person left the site. Report missing persons to the EAP Manager immediately.

Re-Entry

No one re-enters an evacuated building or work area until the Emergency Plan Coordinator receives clearance from the fire department, emergency response agency, or other appropriate authority. This applies to everyone — including supervisors, project managers, and company officers. No equipment, no tool, and no document is worth re-entering an unsecured emergency scene.

Sheltering in Place

If an external hazard — chemical release, airborne toxic cloud, severe weather, or other threat — makes evacuation more dangerous than remaining indoors, the Emergency Action Plan Manager will announce shelter-in-place status.

When shelter-in-place is declared:

• Move immediately to a pre-designated interior room or area away from windows and exterior walls.
• Close all windows, doors, and ventilation openings if possible. Turn off HVAC systems that draw outside air.
• Await further instructions from the EAP Manager or emergency authorities.
• Do not leave the shelter-in-place area until an all-clear is announced.

Severe Weather

When severe weather — tornado warnings, severe thunderstorms, or high-wind events — is announced:

• Move immediately to an interior area of a substantial building on the lowest floor possible, away from windows, doors, and exterior walls. Hallways, interior restrooms, and enclosed stairwells provide good protection.
• Do not go to the outdoor assembly point during a tornado warning. The outdoor assembly point is for fire evacuations only. It is not a safe location during severe weather.
• At customer plant sites, follow the plant's designated severe weather shelter procedures identified during site orientation.
• When working outdoors with no substantial building available, move away from trees, tall structures, heavy equipment, and standing water. Seek the lowest available terrain.
• Do not attempt to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. If caught in a vehicle with no shelter option, exit and lie flat in a low area.
• Return to work only after the EAP Manager or site coordinator confirms the threat has passed.

Customer Site Emergency Response

LIQUIDMETAL employees working at power plants, refineries, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities must comply with the host site's emergency response procedures. These facilities typically have:

• A plant-wide emergency alarm system — audible, visual, or radio broadcast.
• Designated muster points specific to each area of the plant.
• A plant emergency response team or fire brigade.
• Site-specific procedures for different emergency types — fire, chemical release, medical, and security events.

LIQUIDMETAL supervisors must obtain and brief all crew members on site-specific emergency procedures during project orientation — before work begins.

If you do not know the emergency procedures for your current work location, ask your supervisor before starting work. This is not optional.

EAP Training

All LIQUIDMETAL employees receive Emergency Action Plan training during new employee orientation and at each new project site orientation. Training is repeated annually, when the plan changes, and when an employee's responsibilities change.

Training covers:

• How to report fires and other emergencies at this specific location.
• Evacuation routes and assembly points for this location.
• Severe weather and shelter-in-place procedures.
• How to account for personnel after evacuation.
• Medical emergency response — who to call and what not to do.
• The names of the EAP Manager and local coordinator.

3.32Positive Control of Tools and Dropped Object Prevention

Dropped Tools Are Projectiles

A one-pound wrench dropped from 30 feet is travelling about 30 miles per hour when it lands, carrying energy at the upper limit of what a hard hat is built to absorb. Drop it from higher, or drop something heavier, and the hard hat stops being protection. A single bolt dropped from scaffolding above an occupied area can cause a fatal head injury to the person below. Dropped object incidents are among the most preventable fatalities in industrial construction and maintenance — and among the most underestimated hazards by experienced workers.

LIQUIDMETAL employees routinely work at elevation above occupied areas, above other crews, and above equipment that cannot be shut down. Positive control of tools and materials means that every item brought to an elevated work position is either secured against dropping or staged so that it cannot fall. This is not a best practice. It is a requirement on every LIQUIDMETAL job involving elevated work.

Worksite Evaluation — Before Elevated Work Begins

Before beginning any elevated work, evaluate the following with your crew during the pre-job briefing:

• What tools and materials will be needed at elevation? Can the number of items brought up be minimized?
• Are tool lanyards practical for the tools involved in this task? If yes, assign them before climbing.
• What is directly below the work area? Are other employees present? Can they be relocated, or can the work area below be barricaded before work begins?
• What is the risk of small parts, fasteners, cut material, or debris falling through grating, open decking, or open floor areas?
• What dropped object protection — netting, toe boards, covered decking, barricading below — is appropriate for this work?

Identify the controls before the work begins. A dropped tool incident that is identified as foreseeable during the pre-job briefing and not controlled is a failure of planning, not a freak accident.

Tool Lanyards

Tool lanyards connect hand tools to the user's wrist, harness, or a structural anchor at the work position so that if the tool is dropped, it is caught before it falls. Evaluate tool lanyard use for every elevated task.

• Use tool lanyards whenever practical for the tools involved. Common hand tools — wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, and pliers — can be fitted with appropriate lanyards. Heavier tools require lanyards rated for the tool's weight.
• Supervisors and employees evaluate the practicality of tool lanyards for each specific job during the pre-job briefing. If lanyards are not practical for a specific tool, implement alternative controls — tool bags, contained work areas, or removal of personnel from below.
• Connect tool lanyards to tool handles or purpose-designed attachment loops — not to tool bits, chuck keys, or replaceable components that could separate from the main body of the tool.
• Tool lanyards must be inspected before use. Remove from service any lanyard with cuts, fraying, damaged connectors, or compromised attachment points.

Controlling Tools and Materials at Elevation

• Stage tools and materials on elevated platforms in a manner that prevents tipping, rolling, or being knocked off the work surface. Stage actively used tools in a tool bag or tote, not loose on the platform surface.
• Use sheet metal covers, rubber mats, plywood panels, or commercial grating covers to close grating openings in work areas where small items could fall through.
• Store excess chain from chain falls and hoisting equipment in a bucket or canvas bag — not draped over scaffold planking or grating where it can become a falling hazard.
• Do not lean or rest materials against vertical surfaces, scaffold uprights, or guardrails unless they are positively secured against movement. A pipe or board leaning against a guardrail is not secured — it is waiting to fall.
• Secure radios, phones, and communication devices in a holster or tether them when working at elevation.
• At the end of each work shift, remove all tools and materials from elevated platforms. Do not leave items on scaffold platforms overnight.

Transferring Tools and Materials Vertically

When tools and materials must be moved between levels:

• Raise and lower materials in canvas bags, tool buckets, or rigged containers using a hand line and a well-wheel system. Do not carry items in your hands while climbing.
• If a material is longer than the transfer bag or container, secure the long end with a restraining strap or line before raising or lowering to prevent it from tipping out.
• The person receiving material at the upper level signals ready before the sender releases the load at the lower level. Communication before release prevents dropped loads from catching the receiver off-guard.
• Do not throw tools or materials between levels — even short distances. Items thrown and missed become dropped objects.

Protecting Employees Below

When working overhead, protecting employees in the area below is not optional — it is a condition of the work.

• Barricade the area below using rope, tape, or physical barriers with appropriate signage. The barricade must extend far enough to contain any object that could fall from the work area — accounting for the height of the elevation and the potential for objects to bounce or roll upon impact.
• Netting and toe boards. Install toe boards on all elevated platform edges where tools, materials, or debris could fall. Where materials are stored above the toe board height, install screening or paneling to the guardrail height. Consider debris nets below elevated work areas in locations where barricading is impractical.
• If employees below cannot be adequately protected, the supervisor must relocate them out of the drop zone before overhead work begins. Work above unprotected employees is not permitted.
• Canopy protection. Where overhead work is performed above access routes or work areas that cannot be vacated, install a canopy structure, debris net, or equivalent overhead protection before overhead work begins.

Line of Fire Awareness

Line of fire — being in the path of something that is moving, falling, releasing, or under tension — is one of the most preventable sources of serious injury in industrial construction. Dropped objects are one form of line of fire exposure. Others include:

• Swing radius of cranes and heavy equipment.
• Path of a load being moved by rigging.
• Direction of a pressurized line or vessel being broken or vented.
• Path of a tool or material if it slips under cutting or grinding force.
• Recoil path of a wrench or tool if a fastener suddenly releases.

Think about line of fire before beginning any task. Position yourself and your crew where the hazard cannot reach you if something goes wrong — not in the path it would travel.

3.33Radiation and Lasers

Radiographic Inspection — NDE Work

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions performs Non-Destructive Examination including radiographic inspection of welds, piping, and structural components. Radiographic inspection uses ionizing radiation — X-ray or gamma ray — that is invisible, odorless, tasteless, and capable of causing serious biological harm at sufficient exposure levels, including radiation-induced cancer and, at very high exposures, acute radiation syndrome.

Radiographic operations are conducted only by licensed radiographers operating under a valid NRC or Agreement State radiation materials license. All radiographic work complies with applicable NRC, Agreement State, and DOT regulations.

For all LIQUIDMETAL employees working near radiographic operations:

Never enter a barricaded radiographic work area. Radiation barricades during X-ray operations are marked with radiation hazard symbols — the three-bladed trefoil — and typically use yellow and magenta coloring. These barricades must be respected with the same absolute authority as a RED DANGER barricade. The hazard inside is real and completely invisible.

The procedure for radiographic work:

• The licensed radiographer barricades and posts the work area before any radiation exposure begins.
• Where available, the area or station public address system is used to announce the location of the radiographic work before exposure begins.
• An all-clear is announced when the radiographic exposure is complete and the area is safe for entry.
• Personnel must not enter the barricaded area at any time while the announcement of active X-ray work is in effect — even briefly, even for a quick task, even if the X-ray equipment appears to be unattended.

If you encounter a radiation barricade that appears removed, disturbed, or unattended when it should be attended:

• Evacuate the immediate area immediately.
• Do not investigate or approach the area.
• Notify your supervisor and the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative immediately.
• Do not re-enter the area until the licensed radiographer has confirmed it is safe.

Dosimetry: Employees who regularly work in areas where radiographic work is performed may be required to wear dosimetry — radiation monitoring badges — as directed by the customer site's radiation protection program or LIQUIDMETAL's Safety Department. Wear dosimetry as directed, do not share badges with other employees, and do not intentionally expose badges to radiation sources.

Laser Safety

Lasers are used in industrial inspection, alignment, leveling, and measurement operations. Laser beams — including those not visible to the naked eye — can cause permanent eye injury from a single exposure. The eye's natural focusing ability concentrates a laser beam on the retina, where even low-power lasers can cause immediate, irreversible damage at the point of focus.

Never look directly into a laser beam — from any angle, at any distance, at any power level that is not specifically designated as safe for direct viewing. Do not assume a laser is safe to look at because it appears dim.

Never use optical instruments — binoculars, telescopes, camera lenses, theodolite eyepieces, or any optical system — to look at a laser beam or toward an active laser source. Optical instruments concentrate the beam and dramatically increase the hazard.

Avoid reflective surfaces in the path of a laser beam. Polished metal, mirrors, glass surfaces, and highly reflective materials can redirect a laser beam in unexpected directions while retaining substantial power. Mirror-like reflections of laser beams cause the same injuries as direct viewing.

Follow all manufacturer precautions for laser equipment, including wearing the specific laser-protective eyewear specified for the laser class and wavelength being used. Standard safety glasses do not protect against laser hazards unless they are specifically rated for the wavelength of the laser being used.

Laser classes: Lasers are classified from Class 1 through Class 4 based on their potential to cause injury. Class 1 lasers are safe under normal use. Class 3B and Class 4 lasers require posted warning signs, controlled access, and specific eyewear. Before working in any area where Class 3B or Class 4 lasers are in use, confirm that appropriate eyewear and access controls are in place.

Keep lasers stationary when the beam is active unless the laser is specifically designed for scanning or movement.

Remove the power source or shut the laser down when it is not actively in use. A laser left energized and unattended in a work area poses a hazard to everyone who enters the area, including those who do not know the laser is there.

3.34Working Alone

The Hazard of Isolation

Working alone — performing tasks in isolation from other workers, in remote areas, during off-hours, or in environments where immediate assistance is not available — is a recognized workplace hazard. When an employee working alone is injured, the delay in emergency response can transform a survivable injury into a fatality. The worker who slips and is seriously injured while working alone in an isolated area of a plant, with no one expecting them for another two hours, is in a categorically different situation than the same injury occurring in a crew environment.

LIQUIDMETAL employees sometimes work alone during NDE inspection tasks, single-person maintenance operations, driving between jobsites, warehouse operations during off-hours, or isolated tasks within a larger jobsite. This chapter establishes the minimum requirements for managing those situations.

OSHA does not have a specific standard for working alone, but the requirement to protect employees from recognized hazards — including delayed emergency response — is enforceable under the General Duty Clause. In addition, several OSHA standards explicitly prohibit lone work for specific high-risk tasks.

Tasks That Prohibit Working Alone

The following high-hazard tasks require the presence of at least one other qualified employee and may never be performed by a lone worker:

Permit-Required Confined Space entry. An Attendant must be stationed outside the space whenever an Authorized Entrant is inside. No exceptions. See Chapter 3.18.

Energized electrical work. Qualified workers performing work on or near energized conductors must have a second person present who can respond to an electrocution emergency. See Chapter 3.20.

IDLH atmosphere work. Respirator wearers in Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health atmospheres must have a trained standby person present. See Chapter 3.3.

Radiographic inspection. Licensed radiographers must control access to the restricted area during active exposures.

Line breaking on pressurized or hazardous systems. A second qualified person must be present during the initial break. See Chapter 3.22.

Any task where incapacitation from the work itself would prevent self-rescue and emergency response could be significantly delayed by isolation.

If a task falls into any of these categories, stop and contact your supervisor before proceeding. These prohibitions are not flexible.

Risk Assessment for Lone Work

Before any employee performs work alone, the supervisor assesses the isolation risk. The following factors increase lone work risk:

• No line-of-sight contact with other workers.
• Poor or no cell phone or radio coverage in the work area.
• The work involves significant fall, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazards.
• The work area is remote, difficult to access, or infrequently traveled by others.
• The work is performed during night shifts or outside normal working hours when fewer personnel are on site.
• The employee is new to the site, unfamiliar with the area, or has a medical condition that increases risk.

When lone work involves these factors, the supervisor implements controls proportionate to the risk level before the work is authorized to proceed.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Identify lone work situations during pre-job briefings and assess the associated risks before authorizing the work.
• Prohibit lone work for all tasks identified in the preceding section.
• For all other lone work situations, approve the work only when appropriate controls are in place.
• Provide employees performing lone work with appropriate communication equipment — company-issued radios, cell phones with adequate coverage, or satellite communication devices where coverage is unavailable.
• Establish and document a check-in schedule before lone work begins — typically at intervals of 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the hazard level.
• Follow up immediately when a scheduled check-in is missed. Do not wait for the next scheduled check-in interval. A missed check-in is treated as a potential emergency until the employee is confirmed safe.

Employee Responsibilities

• Communicate your location and work plan to your supervisor before beginning any lone work. Do not begin work alone without your supervisor's knowledge and authorization.
• Carry charged communication equipment — radio or phone — at all times during lone work.
• Check in at the agreed intervals. If you miss a check-in, contact your supervisor as soon as possible.
• Self-assess honestly before and during each shift. If you are not fit to work safely alone — due to fatigue, illness, or any other condition — notify your supervisor.
• Know the emergency response procedures for your specific work location, including the nearest medical resources, emergency contact numbers, and your best description of your exact location.
• In an emergency: call 911 first. Know your exact location and be able to communicate it clearly to emergency responders.

Check-In Requirements

When an employee works alone in an area where immediate assistance is not readily available, a formal check-in procedure must be established before the work begins. The check-in must specify:

• The communication method — radio channel or phone number.
• The check-in frequency — maximum of 60 minutes between check-ins, shorter for higher-risk tasks.
• The name and contact information of the supervisor receiving the check-in.
• The response procedure when a check-in is missed.

Missed check-in response:

• The supervisor immediately attempts to contact the lone worker by all available means — radio, phone, and PA system if available.
• If contact cannot be established within a reasonable time — typically no more than five minutes — send another employee to physically locate the worker.
• If the employee is found injured or incapacitated, call 911 immediately.

Acceptable Controls for Lone Work

Depending on the risk level of the task, appropriate controls include:

• Buddy system: The preferred control — assign a second employee to work with or periodically check on the lone worker.
• Check-in and check-out schedule: Required for all lone work beyond routine low-hazard tasks in areas with good communication coverage.
• Remote monitoring: Video or audio monitoring by a supervisor or control room when physical presence is impractical.
• Personal alarm devices: Devices that trigger an alert if the employee fails to check in, experiences a significant fall impact, or remains motionless for a defined period.
• GPS tracking: Enables the supervisor to confirm the employee's location at any time.

Select controls proportionate to the hazard level. High-hazard lone work requires more robust controls than routine, low-hazard tasks.

3.35Office Safety

Overview

LIQUIDMETAL's office employees — project managers, estimators, administrative staff, and support personnel — face a different set of hazards than field employees, but hazards exist in every work environment. Slips, trips, falls, ergonomic injuries from sustained computer work, electrical hazards, and fire risks are all present in the office setting and must be managed with the same discipline applied to field work.

This chapter applies to all LIQUIDMETAL office and project support employees.

Responsibilities

Management:

• Ensure office employees receive training in emergency procedures, office electrical safety, and office ergonomics.
• Ensure office equipment is in safe working order and is repaired or replaced promptly when defects are identified.
• Provide adequate and appropriate storage for office supplies and equipment.

Office Employees:

• Report all safety problems, unsafe conditions, and near misses to management immediately.
• Do not attempt to repair office equipment, electrical systems, or facilities. Report the need for repair.
• Maintain a neat, organized, and sanitary office environment.

Housekeeping

Good housekeeping prevents the majority of office injuries. A disorganized office creates tripping hazards, fire risks, and conditions where real hazards become harder to identify.

• Keep all passageways, aisles, and hallways clear of furniture, equipment, cords, and stored materials at all times.
• Close all file cabinet drawers when not in use. Open drawers are tripping and collision hazards. Store heavy files in the bottom drawers to prevent top-heavy cabinets from tipping.
• Stack materials in supply rooms and storage areas with clear, adequate aisles maintained. Do not stack materials within 18 inches of ceiling sprinkler heads.
• Materials must not project into aisles or passageways.
• Damaged chairs, desks, and shelving must be reported and repaired or replaced. A chair with a broken caster or weakened base is a serious injury hazard.
• Broken glass and other sharp or hazardous materials must be handled carefully and disposed of in a clearly labeled hazardous waste container — never placed loose in a standard trash bag.

Electrical Safety in the Office

For complete electrical safety requirements, refer to Chapter 3.20. Office-specific requirements include:

• Inspect electrical cords regularly for fraying, cuts, and damaged insulation — particularly cords routed behind furniture where desks and bookcases can press tightly against outlets and bend cords sharply at the plug end.
• All electrical appliances must be listed and rated for their intended use.
• Extension cords in office areas are for temporary use only. Use only three-wire grounded extension cords. Do not daisy-chain extension cords.
• Do not overload electrical outlets or power strips. Use only power strips with built-in circuit breakers.
• Do not run cords under rugs, mats, or across doorways where the cord can be pinched or damaged.
• Report any electrical problem — sparks, burning smells, tripped breakers, or damaged equipment — to management immediately. Do not attempt to diagnose or repair electrical problems.

Computer Workstation Ergonomics

Prolonged computer work without adequate workstation setup and rest breaks causes musculoskeletal problems in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, and wrists. These injuries develop gradually and can become chronic and debilitating. Proper workstation setup and work habits prevent them.

Posture and position — goals:

• Arms hang relaxed from the shoulders. When typing, elbows are bent at approximately 90 degrees with forearms approximately parallel to the floor and wrists straight — not bent up or down.
• The head is in line with the body, tilted only slightly forward — not craned toward the screen.
• The back is supported by the chair's lumbar support, with the lower back area making consistent contact with the backrest.
• Thighs are approximately horizontal with feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

Display screen:

• The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. Looking slightly downward at the screen is more comfortable and sustainable than looking up.
• Position the monitor to minimize glare — parallel to windows rather than facing them. Use window treatments or anti-glare filters when glare cannot be controlled at the source.
• Keep the screen clean. A dirty screen causes squinting and accelerates eye fatigue.
• The monitor should be approximately arm's length away — close enough to read clearly without leaning forward.

Your chair: The chair is the most important ergonomic element in the workstation. A properly adjusted ergonomic chair provides lumbar support, adjusts so thighs are horizontal with feet flat on the floor or footrest, and has armrests that allow elbows to rest at approximately 90 degrees without forcing the shoulders up. Adjust your chair at the beginning of each workday. If your chair cannot provide a neutral, supported position, report it to management for repair or replacement.

Working height: The keyboard and mouse surface should be at approximately elbow height when arms hang relaxed from the shoulders. A surface that is too high forces the shoulders up. A surface that is too low forces excessive back bending. Use an adjustable keyboard tray if the desk surface is too high for comfortable typing.

Work and rest schedules:

• Take a short break of 5 to 10 minutes at least once per hour during sustained computer work. Use the break to stand, move, and rest your eyes.
• Rest your eyes periodically by looking at a distant object for approximately 20 seconds. This reduces eye strain from sustained close focus.
• Alternate computer-intensive tasks with non-computer tasks throughout the workday when possible.
• Change position, stand up, or stretch whenever you begin to feel stiffness or fatigue. Do not wait until the end of the workday.

Office Lighting

Different tasks require different lighting levels. When general overhead lighting is inadequate for close work, use an adjustable task lamp to supplement the general light level rather than increasing overhead lighting for the entire space.

Report inadequate lighting, burned-out fixtures, and flickering lights to management for prompt correction. Poor lighting contributes to eye fatigue, headaches, and tripping hazards in low-light areas.

Indoor Air Quality

Report any unusual odors, chemical smells, excessive dust, visible mold growth, or respiratory symptoms to management immediately. LIQUIDMETAL will investigate and address indoor air quality concerns promptly.

Common sources of office air quality complaints include new carpeting or furniture off-gassing, fresh paint or adhesives, malfunctioning HVAC systems, and water intrusion leading to mold growth. Do not continue working in an area with a strong or irritating unexplained odor without reporting the condition and receiving guidance from management.

Waste Disposal

• Dispose of all waste in designated containers. Label containers clearly when they contain hazardous materials — broken glass, batteries, toner cartridges, and fluorescent bulbs — so maintenance personnel are warned of the hazard.
• Electronic waste: Old computers, monitors, phones, and similar equipment must not be placed in regular trash. Coordinate with management for proper disposal.
• Batteries: Rechargeable batteries must be disposed of through an approved recycling program. Do not place batteries in regular trash.
• Fluorescent and compact fluorescent bulbs: Contain mercury and must be disposed of as hazardous waste through approved channels. Do not break them and do not place them in regular trash.

Parking Lot Safety

• Observe all posted speed limits in LIQUIDMETAL parking areas.
• Use designated pedestrian walkways when crossing parking lots.
• Obey all stop signs, yield signs, and roadway markings.
• Use turn signals when turning or changing direction.
• Follow designated traffic flow patterns. Do not cut across empty parking spaces.
• Yield the right of way to all pedestrians.
• Use extra caution when backing out of parking spaces — check mirrors and look over your shoulder. Back slowly.
• Report icy, snowy, or hazardous parking lot conditions to management immediately. Do not assume someone else has noticed or reported it.

Emergency Preparedness

All office employees participate in LIQUIDMETAL's Emergency Action Plan. For complete emergency response requirements, see Chapter 3.31.

Office-specific reminders:

• Know the location of fire extinguishers in your work area.
• Know the designated assembly point for your office location.
• Close your office or workspace door — but do not lock it — when evacuating during a fire alarm.
• Know the location of the nearest emergency exit from your normal work area.
• Participate in all EAP drills. Familiarity with evacuation routes during drills means faster, safer evacuations during real emergencies.

Section 4Safety Documentation

4.1Safety Documentation

Why Documentation Matters

Every safety form LIQUIDMETAL employees complete — a JSA, an inspection report, an incident report, a near-miss submission — becomes part of the official record of how work was planned, what conditions existed, and how the company responded to hazards and events.

That record protects you. It protects your coworkers. It tells the next crew what conditions were present. It drives the corrective actions that prevent the same incident from happening again. And it demonstrates — to LIQUIDMETAL, to customers, and to regulatory agencies — that this company manages safety seriously.

An incomplete form is a gap in protection. An inaccurate form is a false record. Neither is acceptable.

Your Responsibility

Every LIQUIDMETAL employee is responsible for completing required safety documentation accurately, completely, honestly, and on time. This responsibility is not optional, and it does not belong only to supervisors.

Accurately — Record what actually happened, what conditions actually exist, or what you actually observed. Do not write what you think someone wants to see. Do not skip sections because they are inconvenient. Safety records are only useful if they reflect reality.

Completely — Fill in every required field. A form with blank sections is not a completed form. If a field does not apply to your situation, note that explicitly rather than leaving it empty.

Honestly — Falsifying a safety document — including signing your name to a document you did not read, did not complete, or know to be inaccurate — is a serious violation of LIQUIDMETAL policy and may carry legal consequences. This standard applies whether the record is a daily vehicle inspection, a job hazard analysis, or an incident report.

On time — Most safety documents have a required completion window. JSAs must be completed before work begins. Incident reports must be submitted within the timeframes required by LIQUIDMETAL and the customer site. Inspection forms must be submitted before equipment is placed in service. Late documentation is a compliance failure — not a minor administrative inconvenience.

Types of Safety Documentation You May Be Required to Complete

The specific forms, formats, and submission methods used on any given project will be explained by your supervisor or the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative during orientation. The following are the categories of safety documentation most commonly required of LIQUIDMETAL employees.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA) A JSA is completed before any task that presents a significant hazard. It identifies the steps of the job, the hazards at each step, and the controls in place. Every employee who participates in a JSA briefing is expected to review the document, understand its content, ask questions if anything is unclear, and sign it confirming their participation. Signing a JSA means you understand the hazards and the controls for that specific job — not just that you were present when the form was passed around.

Equipment Inspection Forms Powered industrial trucks, aerial lifts, vehicles, rigging equipment, and other equipment require documented pre-use inspections before each shift or use. You are responsible for completing the inspection form for any equipment you operate. Do not operate equipment that has not been inspected and documented. Do not sign an inspection form for equipment you did not personally inspect.

Vehicle Inspection Forms Company vehicles require a documented pre-use inspection before each day's first use. The inspection form must be completed before the vehicle is driven. See Chapter 3.15 for vehicle inspection requirements.

Incident Reports Any workplace injury, illness, near miss, or incident must be documented. Even minor injuries requiring only first aid must be reported and recorded. Do not minimize injuries or conditions to avoid completing a form. Accurate incident documentation is how LIQUIDMETAL identifies hazards, tracks trends, and prevents recurrence.

Near-Miss Reports A near miss is any event that could have resulted in injury, illness, or property damage but did not. Near misses are documented with the same discipline as recordable injuries because they represent an identified hazard that is not yet fully controlled. Employees who report near misses in good faith are making a positive contribution to safety. They are never disciplined for the act of reporting.

Safety Observations LIQUIDMETAL may use a safety observation process to document both hazards identified in the field and safe behaviors observed. Safety observations help build the hazard recognition culture that prevents incidents over time. Your supervisor will explain the observation process used on your project during orientation.

Customer-Required Documentation Many LIQUIDMETAL customers require contractors to complete site-specific safety forms — work permits, pre-task planning documents, safety observation cards, or daily check-in forms — in addition to LIQUIDMETAL's own documentation. These customer-required forms carry the same standard as LIQUIDMETAL's internal documents. Complete them accurately, completely, honestly, and on time. Failure to complete required customer documentation creates a compliance problem for the entire project.

Training and Handbook Acknowledgments When you receive this handbook, complete required training, or are briefed on a new procedure, you may be asked to sign an acknowledgment confirming that you received and understood the information. Read what you are signing. Your signature is a professional statement that you received what is documented — not simply a formality to get through orientation.

How Documentation Is Provided to You

LIQUIDMETAL will provide the required forms, formats, and submission methods for every document you are responsible for completing. Your supervisor or the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative will explain the documentation process during your project orientation. The method used to collect and manage safety documentation may vary by project, by customer site, and over time.

What does not vary is your responsibility: complete what is required, when it is required, accurately and honestly.

If you are not sure what forms are required for a task, or how to submit a completed form, ask before you begin work — not after.

Completed Documents Are Official Records

Once submitted, every safety document becomes an official LIQUIDMETAL record. These records may be reviewed by LIQUIDMETAL management, customer site safety personnel, insurance carriers, and regulatory agencies. They are retained in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

This means two things for you as an employee.

First, complete every document as if it will be reviewed by someone who matters — because it will be.

Second, your name on a document means something. It means you were there, you participated, you reviewed it, or you completed it. Do not put your name on a document that does not accurately represent reality.

If You Are Pressured to Falsify Documentation

If you are ever directed by a supervisor, a customer representative, or any other person to skip a required form, sign a document you did not complete or review, or record information you know to be inaccurate — that is a problem you must report to the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative or Safety Director immediately.

No supervisor, no project schedule, and no customer has the authority to direct an employee to falsify a safety record. Employees who report this type of pressure in good faith are protected from retaliation. The LIQUIDMETAL Safety Director's contact information is provided in your orientation materials.

BACK MATTER

Employee Safety, Health & Conduct Handbook Acknowledgment

By signing below, I acknowledge and agree to all of the following:

Receipt and Understanding I have received a copy of the LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions Employee Safety, Health & Conduct Handbook, Revision 1.0. I have read the handbook — or it has been reviewed with me during new employee orientation — and I understand its contents. I have had the opportunity to ask questions about any content I did not fully understand, and those questions have been answered to my satisfaction.

Compliance I agree to comply with all policies, safety rules, and requirements contained in this handbook, as well as all applicable federal, state, and local safety regulations, and any customer site-specific safety and conduct requirements that apply to my work assignments.

Safety Responsibility I understand that working safely is a condition of my employment with LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions. I accept responsibility for my own safety and for the safety of the people working around me. I understand that failure to comply with the requirements of this handbook may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Stop Work Authority I understand that I have the authority — and the responsibility — to stop any work activity that I believe presents an immediate risk of injury, illness, or property damage. I understand that I will not be disciplined or retaliated against for exercising Stop Work Authority in good faith.

Reporting I understand that I am required to immediately report all injuries, near misses, unsafe conditions, and unsafe acts to my supervisor, regardless of perceived severity.

CRAFT Core Life Saving Rules I understand that violation of LIQUIDMETAL's Core Life Saving Rules — Confined Space, Rigging and Lifting, Arc Flash and Electrical, Fall Protection, and Tagout/Lockout — is treated as a critical safety event subject to immediate stop-work, investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Documentation I understand that I am responsible for completing required safety documentation accurately, completely, honestly, and on time, and that falsification of safety documentation may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Handbook Revisions I understand that this handbook is subject to revision. I will be notified of significant changes and provided with updated materials as they occur.

No Contract of Employment I understand that this handbook does not constitute a contract or guarantee of employment for any specific period or under any specific circumstances. Nothing in this handbook alters the at-will employment relationship between me and LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions.

Employee Name (Print): ___________________________________________

Employee Signature: ______________________________________________

Date: _____________________

Employee ID / Badge Number: _____________________________________

Project / Location (if applicable): ________________________________

Supervisor / Witness Name (Print): _______________________________

Supervisor / Witness Signature: __________________________________

A signed copy of this acknowledgment is retained in the employee's personnel file. The employee retains a copy for their own records. This acknowledgment does not constitute a contract of employment.

Employee Receipt of Handbook

Detach and return the completed form below to your supervisor or Human Resources at the conclusion of orientation.

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions Employee Handbook Receipt

I acknowledge that I have received a copy of the LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions Employee Safety, Health & Conduct Handbook, Revision 1.0, effective July 2026.

I understand that it is my responsibility to read this handbook and to comply with the policies, rules, and expectations it contains. I understand that this handbook may be updated and that I will be provided with revised materials when significant changes are made.

I understand that this receipt does not constitute a contract of employment.

Employee Name (Print): ___________________________________________

Employee Signature: ______________________________________________

Date: _____________________

Department / Trade: _____________________________________________

Project / Location: _______________________________________________

Orientation Date: _____________________

Orientation Conducted By: _______________________________________

Return this receipt to Human Resources or the Safety Department. Retain the handbook for your reference throughout your employment.

Revision History

This handbook is reviewed annually or when regulatory changes, operational changes, or incident findings require an update. Employees will be notified of revisions that affect their work responsibilities. The effective date of the current revision appears on the cover page. The current revision supersedes all prior versions.

THE HANDBOOK IS COMPLETE

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions Employee Safety, Health & Conduct Handbook — Revision 1.0

Questions About This Handbook

If anything in this handbook is unclear, appears to conflict with the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Manual, or appears to conflict with a customer site requirement, ask before you act on it. Contact your supervisor first. If your supervisor cannot resolve it, contact the LIQUIDMETAL Safety Representative or the Safety Director directly.

A handbook is only useful if the people it was written for trust what it says. If you find something in here that is wrong, tell us. That correction protects the next crew.

Work Safe. Work Smart. Go Home Safe.

LIQUIDMETAL Industrial Solutions 6207 Jim Snow Way, Chattanooga, TN 37421 Office 423.541.3210