OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN LINEN SUPPLY COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Jan 10, 1990

Abate by

Apr 18, 1990

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $500 Reduced

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
serious injury from lifting tasks without administrative or engineering
controls. The injuries have occurred and were noted with the following
occupations:
THE ROUTE TRUCK DRIVERS WERE OBSERVED PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING:
A) LOADING BAGS OF CLEAN LINEN INTO STEP VANS/TRUCKS FROM THE GROUND.
B) PICKING UP AND CARRYING BAGS OR CLEAN LINEN FROM VANS TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF CUSTOMERS.
C) PICKING UP AND CARRYING BAGS OF SOILED LINEN FROM THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF CUSTOMERS INTO VANS.
D) UNLOADING BAGS OF SOILED LINEN IN/ONTO BINS OR ROLLING CARTS FROM
THE VANS.
THE EVALUATION OF THESE MANUAL LIFTING TANKS INDICATES THAT EMPLOYEES
WERE EXPOSED TO AN INCREASED RISK OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES. THE
INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDS FOR 1987, 1988 AND 1989 DOCUMENTED THAT THERE
WAS A PATTERN OF MUSCULOSKELETAL/OVEREXERTION INJURY.
ABATEMENT NOTE: THE REVIEW OF INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDS FOR 1987, 1988
AND 1989 REVEALED AND DOCUMENTED THAT MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES OCCURRED
PLANTWIDE WITH A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF INJURY INDICATED FOR THE
OCCUPATIONS LISTED ABOVE. THE COMMON FACTOR THROUGHOUT THE PLANT WAS
THAT THESE MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES RESULTED FROM LIFTING, CARRYING,
LOADING AND/OR UNLOADING BAGS OR LINEN.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, FEASIBLE AND UNSUAL METHODS TO REDUCE, ELIMINATE,
OR CORRECT THE HAZARD INCLUDE:
1) TRAINING AND SUPERVISION OF EMPLOYEES IN PROPER LIFTING AND HANDLING
TECHNIQUES AND IN THE RECOGNITION AND AVOIDANCE OF HAZARDS ASSOCIATED
WITH MATERIAL HANDLINGS.
2) EVALUATION OF THE LIFTING RANKS TO DETERMINE PROPER WEIGHT RANGES
FOR BAGS AND BOXES.
3) ERGONOMIC REDESIGN OF LINEN BAGS AND/OR WORK STATIONS TO PERMIT
REPOSITIONING OF EMPLOYEES BODIES WHICH WOULD ALLOW EVEN LIFTS,
CLOSE TO THE BODY, AND AT A HEIGHT TO MINIMIZE THE STRESS OF THE
LIFTS.
STEP 1 - EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION, SUCH AS EMPLOYEE
TRAINING, PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT, JOB ROTATION, ETC. SHALL
BE PROVIDED AS AN INTERIM PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL FEASIBLE
ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED
OR WHENEVER SUCH CONTROLS FAIL TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE
TO NOMINAL RISK.
STEP 2 - SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN DETAILED PLAN OF
ABATEMENT OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO CONTROL EMPLOYEE
INJURY DUE TO MANUAL LIFTING TANK. ENGINEERING CONTROLS
TO REDUCE MUSCULOSKELETAL STRESSES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO, JOB REDESIGN, REDUCTION OF THE HORIZONTAL AND
VERTICAL LOAD DISTANCE FROM THE BODY, REDUCTION OF LIFTING
WEIGHT, AND THE USE OF MECHANICAL LIFTING AIDS. THIS PLAN
SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, TARGET DATES FOR THE FOLLOWING
ACTIONS WHICH MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE DATES REQUIRED
BY THIS CITATION:
1) EVALUATION OF THE CONDITIONS, LOCATIONS AND MANUAL
LIFTING ACTIVITIES THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE PERFORMING
AT THE ONSET OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES.
2) EVALUATION OF APPLICABLE CONTROL MEASURE(S).
3) PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF SELECTED
CONTROL MEASURE(S).
4) MONITORING TO ASSURE EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE
CONTROL MEASURE(S).
STEP 3 - ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY IMPLEMENTATION OF
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, UPON
VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE
OCCURRENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES.

Issued

Jan 10, 1990

Abate by

Jan 29, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100 · Current $100

Issued

Jan 10, 1990

Abate by

Jan 29, 1990

Issued

Jan 10, 1990

Abate by

Jan 29, 1990