OSHA Inspection: LEE-ROWAN COMPANY

Issued

Mar 13, 1990

Abate by

May 23, 1990

Penalty

Initial $480 · Current $480

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
of serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to
the hazards of additional trauma and aggravation of previous injuries in
cases such as tendonitis, and chronic extensor tenosynovitis because of
being assigned work activities contrary to physicians' restrictions.
Examples in which employees were under physicians work restrictions and
were placed in work positions not compatible with restrictions likely to
cause further serious physical harm are listed below:
a) An employee diagnosed with traumatic tendonitis of the right wrist
was given work restrictions beginning on 8/28/89 not to use the right
hand for one week. The employee was returned to work with sweeping
and cleaning duties, for approximately two weeks, that required the
use of both hands, and which was not compatible with the physician's
restriction.
b) An employee diagnosed with chronic extensor tenosynovitis to the
right wrist was given a work restriction on 7/11/89 not to use the
right hand; the restriction continued for one week. The employee,
upon return to work, was required to operate a lift truck that
required the use of both hands, which was not compatible with the
physician's restrictions. Lift truck operation was for two days
during the initial work restricted period.
While ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazard rests with the
employer given his superior knowledge of the operation, feasible, and
acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are
not limited to:
1) Implement a comprehensive written program inclusing priorities for
treatment, job reassignment and follow-up of injuries/illnesses. The
program shall include provisions for prompt recognition and
evaluation of employees symptoms, scheduling procedures for employees
to help them recover from injuries/illnesses and possible surgery and
assurance of management's implementation fo medical restrictions.
This program shall be part of the overall written plan describing how
and when each element will be accomplished. The overall plan shall be
reviewed and updated quarterly to ensure goals are being met or to
identify changes needed.
2) Implement a written program to identify employees development
injuries/illnesses and work methods and work stations causing
injuries/illnesses.
a) Design a baseline symptoms survey to measure, on a plant-wide basis,
the extent of employee awareness of their symptoms of work-related
disorders.
b) Conduct a plant-wide symptoms survey and repeat it annually to detect
any significant change in the incidence, scope, and/or location of
reported symptoms. This survey will also help to determine the
effectiveness of the overall medical management program and employees
job rotation program as related to injuries/illnesses.
c) Compile, and keep current, a written catalog of job activities for
each work position. The activity preformed at the work position
should be described and stressors identified as they affect specific
parts of the body such as: physical stress, forces required to
exert, posture (twisting, turning, lifting, bending, misalignment of
body parts), workstation hardware, repetitiveness of activity, lack
of breaks, tool design, training, employee turn over. A current
catalog is very necessary to establish any "light duty" work position
and have an effective job rotation program.
3) Implement a written medical management protocol for injuries/
illnesses as follows:
a) A protocol will be directed by a physician and followed by management
which will allow sufficient time for the involved muscle/tendon/nerve
group to heal. This shall include time off work, or transfer to
another job which allows the affected muscle/tendon/nerve group to
rest. Employees shall be evaluated by a physician to assess their
capability to return to work. Upon returning to work, they shall,
when directed by a physician, be permitted to recondition the injured
muscle/tendon/nerve group by gradual resumption of duties. This
should occur in addition to any other prescribed treatements.
b) Consultant physicians, will be informed as necessary as to the
availability of light duty jobs appropriate for an employee with a
specific condition.
4) Develop and implement a training program for all supervisors and
employees to enable them to recognize early symptoms, the need for
proper medical care, and the need to ensure work activities are
compatible with emloyees physical conditions.
5) Analyze light duty jobs for injury/illness potential.
a) This written analysis shall include the procedures used in the
performance of each job, including lifting requirements, postures,
hand grips and frequency of repetitive motion. Such analysis shall
be reduce to written form and provided to doctors, and supervisory
personnel involved in the assignment of light duty jobs.
b) When an employees in a job not previously evaluated reports an
injury/illness to medical personnel, that employee's actual
performance of the job shall be evaluated to determine if risk
factors exist and corrective action is necessary for the work station
and work method.
6) Develop a policy to inform employees that they will not be
discriminated against because they reasonably request and visit the
medical facilities or because they have diagnosed injury/illnesses
and are undergoing medical rehabilitation.

Issued

Mar 13, 1990

Abate by

Mar 28, 1990

Issued

Mar 13, 1990

Abate by

Apr 13, 1990