OSHA Inspection: BEERS CONSTRUCTION CO.

Issued

Feb 24, 1992

Abate by

Feb 27, 1992

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,800 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
hazard of falls to the ground below while attempting to obtain access to, o r
egress from, the fixied climbing ladders located inside the structural
sections of the tower cranes:
(a)  Northwest side of the 18th floor of the C&S Bank Plaza
Building.  On or about 9/11/91 safe access was not provided from
the wood runway to the fixed climbing ladder located on the inside
of the structural tower sections of the #1 North Liebherr 290 HC
tower crane.  Employees were required to climb the outside of the
tower section to a height of approximately 3 feet to reach the
inside of the tower section.  Adequate platforms or walkways were
not provided inside the tower section and employees were required
to either climb through the ladder cage bars, or climb over the
top of the ladder platform railings to reach the proper climbing
side of the fixed ladder.
(b)  Southeast corner of athe 22nd floor of the C&S Bank Plaza
Building.  On or about 9/11/91 safe access was not provided from
the wood runway to the fixed climbing ladder located on the inside
to the structural tower sections of the #2 South Liebherr 290 HC
tower crane.   Adequate platforms or walkways were
not provided inside the tower section and employees were required
to either climb through the ladder cage bars, or climb over the
top of the ladder platform railings to reach the proper climbing
side of the fixed ladder.
Among other methods of fall protection, one feasible and acceptable
abatement method to correct these hazards would be climb the entire
height of the tower cranes by using the fixed ladders which are
provided with the ladder cages and landing platforms.  When
alternative access ways are provided to the fixed climbing ladders,
at various floor levels of the building, the entire access way from
the building to the fixed ladder must be continuous with
uninterrupetd fall protection provided.