OSHA Inspection: THE TOLEDO EDISON CO.

Issued

Aug 15, 1991

Abate by

Aug 27, 1991

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $1,500 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:  the hazards of fractures, internal
injuries, lacerations, and concussions while employees in
training were required to climb wooden utility poles that had
large splinters.  The splinters were caused by repeated climbing
of poles by employees wearing spurs.  The large splinters could
cause employees climbing poles to cut out (spurs fail to
penetrate wooden pole) and fall to ground at which time the large
splinters could easily penetrate employees' arms and legs enroute
to the ground.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this hazard is that the poles routinely be scraped
or planed to remove the protruding splinters.