OSHA Inspection: GATEWAY FOODS INC.

Issued

Jul 19, 1989

Abate by

Oct 19, 1989

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $560 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:
Musculoskeletal injuries to the back and trunk while picking orders
in the warehouse and the employer did not take adequate action to
determine the cause of these injuries. Further, the employer did not
modify the lifting tasks to minimize the hazard, and did not employ
ergonomic designs for new operations.
Among other methods these workplace lifting-related hazards can be
abated by a program that includes, but is not limited to:
a) Investigate past and new worker injuries as they occur. Take
corrective action to change the workplace, procedure, etc., to
prevent future accidents.
b) Ask supervisors and workers to give specific details concerning
lifting and material handling tasks that they have found to be
highly stressful. Use the information wherever possible to change
the job(s) and evaluate the results.
c) Teach employees and supervisors safe lifting techniques.
d) Establish an on-going relationship with therapists aimed at
rehabilitating injured workers. The program is expected to include
exercise, building stamina, training in safe lifting techniques,
work hardening, and demonstration that the worker is able to resume
unrestricted work.
e) Reduce worker lifting strains by changing computer generated order
forms, and order assembly to cause heavy items to be assembles into
the lower half of the pallet loads.
f) Reduce worker lifting strains by causing heavy items being selected
to be elevated by using stacked pallets under the heavy item piles.
g) Reduce worker lifting strain by providing walk space along the sides
of pallets containing heavy objects. Alternately, cause heavy item
pallets to be put on rollers so that order assemblers can pull them
forward to reach items at the back of the pallet.
h) Reduce worker lifting strain by purchasing, handling, and selling
heavy grocery and produce items in smaller size cartons and bags.
i) Reduce worker lifting strain by purchasing, handling, and selling
grocery and produce items in containers that have hand holes in the
sides of cartons.

Issued

Jul 19, 1989

Abate by

Aug 2, 1989

Penalty

Initial $300 · Current $210 Reduced