OSHA Inspection: MORRIS-SHEA BRIDGE COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Jul 13, 1988

Abate by

Jul 16, 1988

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $640

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to
the uncontrolled toppling of free-standing waste sections of prestressed
precast reinforced concrete piling that had been partially sheared at
elevation grade with a model 2400 Hydraulic Power Systems Inc., "Pile
Beaver" hydraulic cutter at the Pulp Processing Building No. 35 area by
Building No. 5 on or about 6/4/88.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is:
a) In one complete operation, so that employees are not required to work
in proximity to any free-standing partially sheared piling, REMOVE
ONE WASTE SECTION OF PILING AT A TIME;
b) During use of a hydraulic cutter at grade elevation to shear a piling
employees must be required to stay out of the trajectory, unless the
employer can secure the waste section in such a manner (such as with
the crane) that would prevent toppling;
c) For a partially sheared piling that requires oxy-acetylene burning
of the strands to complete a cut, the waste section of the standing
piling must be secured in such a manner that oxy-acetylene burning
will not cause the waste section of piling to topple until the
employee who is using the torch can withdraw from the trajectory
around the piling.