OSHA Inspection: NATIONAL SUPERMARKET

Issued

Jun 4, 1991

Abate by

Aug 31, 1992

Penalty

Initial $720 · Current $720

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 REQUIRED TO
PERFORM TASKS INVOLVING IDENTIFIED ERGONOMIC RISK FACTORS INCLUDING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO REPETATIVE MOTIONS, AWKWARD POSTURES AND FORCES RESULTING
IN STRESSORS THAT MAY CAUSE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS; EVALUATION OF
THE FOLLOWING TASKS INDICATES THAT EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO HAZARDS
WHICH ARE CAUSING OR LIKELY TO CAUSE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS:
A) IN THE DECORATING DEPARTMENT WHERE 22 DECORATORS WHO MANUALLY
DECORATED VARIOUS TYPES OF PRODUCTION AND SPECIALTY CAKES
WERE REQUIRED TO REPEATEDLY PERFORM TASKS INVOLVING HAZARDS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREDOMINANT HAND, ARM, AND SHOULDER USED
TO DECORATE, INCLUDING DEVIATION AND FLEXATION OF THE WRIST,
SHOULDER AND ARM ABDUCTION, AND GRIP FORCES.
B) IN THE DECORATING DEPARTMENT WHERE 9 ICERS WHO MANUALLY ICED
VARIOUS SIZES OF CAKES WERE REQUIRED TO REPEATEDLY PERFORM
TASKS INVOLVING HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREDOMINANT HAND,
ARM AND SHOULDER USED TO ICE CAKES INCLUDING DEVIATION AND
FLEXATION OF THE WRIST, AND SHOULDER AND ARM ABDUCTION.
C) IN THE DECORATING DEPARTMENT WHERE 1 MISCELLANEOUS WORKER WAS
DESIGNATED DURING THE DAY SHIFT TO PREPARE ROSE BAGS AND
BORDER BAGS, AND TO MIX ICING, AND WAS REQUIRED TO REPEATEDLY
PERFORM TASKS INVOLVING HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREDOMINANT
HAND, ARM, AND SHOULDER USED IN PREPARATION, INCLUDING DEVIATIONS
OF THE WRIST, ARM AND SHOULDER ABDUCTION, AND GRIP FORCES. THE
EMPLOYER DID NOT IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL STRATEGY TO REDUCE
OR ELIMINATE SUCH DISORDERS.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR ELEMENTS:
1) WORKSITE ANALYSIS TO RECOGNIZE AND IDENTIFY EXISTING ERGONOMIC RISK
FACTORS IN THE WORKPLACE, INCLUDING THE DECORATING DEPARTMENT. THIS
ANALYSIS SHOULD INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF AN ERGONOMIC CHECKLIST
AND AN EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE.
PERIODIC SURVEYS OF THE WORKPLACE SHALL BE CONDUCTED AT LEAST
ANNUALLY TO EVALUATE WORK PRACTICES AND ENGINEERING CONTROLS.
EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN THE ERGONOMIC PROGRAM SHOULD BE
ENCOURAGED THROUGH A MECHANISM SUCH AS A SAFETY COMMITTEE.
2) MEDICAL MANAGEMENT WHICH INCLUDES ACCURATE RECORDKEEPING OF
CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS. THE PROGRAM SHOULD ADDRESS EARLY
RECOGNITION, EVALUATION AND REFERRAL OF CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDER
CASES, AND IN ADDITION, SHOULD INCLUDE CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT AND
CONSERVATIVE RETURN TO WORK. SYSTEMATIC WORKSITE REVIEW BY THE
MEDICAL TEAM SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM.
3) TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR EXPOSED EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING METHODS
TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING. RETRAINING SHOULD
BE DONE ANNUALLY, OR AS OPERATIONS CHANGE. TRAINING SHOULD
ADDRESS HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB, THE RISKS OF DEVELOPING
CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS, SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE, AND HOW TO
PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS. A SUPERVISORS'
TRAINING PROGRAM SHOULD ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED TO ALLOW RECOGNITION
OF THE SIGNS OF CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS; AND TO REINFORCE THE
EMPLOYER'S ERGONOMICS PROGRAM.
4) HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL WHICH INCLUDES ENGINEERING, WORK
PRACTICE AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT WHERE RELEVANT.
A) ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS ARE IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE THE DURATION
FREQUENCY, AND SEVERITY OF EXPOSURE TO ERGONOMIC STRESS. THESE
CONTROLS MAY INCLUDE JOB ROTATION, REDUCTION OR REPETITIONS, AND
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF RELATED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
EXAMPLES OF ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE
FOLLOWING:
I) INCREASED JOB ROTATION IN THE DECORATION DEPARTMENT INCLUDING
INCREASED ROTATION AT THE PRODUCTION TABLE WHEN THE DECORATORS
ARE ASSIGNED THAT TASK SPECIFICALLY FOR AN 8 HOUR DAY. (PRESENT
ROTATION OCCURS EVERY 2 HOURS).
II) BETTER REGULATION OF ICING CONSISTANCE BASED ON ROOM TEMPERATURE
CONTROLS.
III) ALLOWING FOR ROTATION OF THE BAGGER/MISCELLANEOUS PREPPER DURING
A WORK SHIFT TO ALLEVIATE STRESSORS. (NO ROTATION OCCURS AT
PRESENT).
IV) ADJUSTMENTS IN SCHEDULING TO ALLOW FOR MORE JOB ROTATION ON AND OFF
THE PRODUCTION TABLE TO DECREASE THE TIME AND AMOUNT OF REPETATIVE
MOTION OF EACH EMPLOYEE.
V) IMPLEMENTATION OF JOB ROTATION OF THE DECORATORS, ICERS AND OTHER
"MISCELLANEOUS" WORKERS, TO OTHER JOBS WITH DIFFERENT MOTIONS TO
REDUCE STRESSORS.
VI) ANALYZE THE PRODUCTION TABLE SPEEDS AND/OR INCREASE PERSONNEL TO
WORK ON THE PRODUCTION TABLE AT A GIVEN TIME TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT
OF REPETATIVE MOTION FOR EACH EMPLOYEE.
B) WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS TO BE IMPLEMENTED INCLUDE PROPER WORK
TECHNIQUES, NEW EMPLOYEE CONDITIONING AND MONITORING, AND TRAINING
AS NECESSARY TO MINIMIZE ERGONOMIC STRESSORS.
EXAMPLES OF WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE
FOLLOWING:
I) INCREASED MONITORING OF NEW OR REASSIGNED EMPLOYEES TO ASSURE
THAT THEY ARE FREE OF CTD SYMPTOMS AND ARE PROFICIENT ENOUGH TO
PERFORM TASKS ON THE PRODUCTION TABLE AT THE REQUIRED RATE.
II) TRAINING OF ALL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING NEW EMPLOYEES IN RELATION
TO ERGONOMICS AND THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH REPETATIVE WORK
AND STRESSORS.
III) TRAINING IN PROPER HAND/ARM POSITIONING TO HELP MINIMIZE STRESSORS
AND UNWANTED HAND/ARM DEVIATIONS WHEN APPLYING THE ICING AND
DECORATIONS.
C) ENGINEERING CONTROLS DESIGNED BY A QUALIFIED ERGONOMIST MAY INCLUDE
WORK STATION REDESIGN, TOOL AND HANDLE REDESIGN, AND CHANGE OF WORK
METHODS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE TO MAKE THE JOB FIT THE
PERSON.
EXAMPLES OF ENGINEERING CONTROLS APPLICABLE TO THIS WORK PLACE INCLUDE,
BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
I) ICING SPATULA AND COMB REDESIGN TO ALLEVIATE DEVIATIONS OF THE
WRIST, THE ARM AND SHOULDER ABDUCTIONS.
II) REDESIGN OF WORK STATION HEIGHTS AND TABLE HEIGHTS TO BETTER FIT
THE WORKERS AND ALLEVIATE ARM AND SHOULDER ABDUCTIONS.
III) RESEARCH INTO A MECHANICAL MIXER FOR THE COLORED ICING TO ALLEVIATE
STRESSORS CAUSED BY MANUAL MIXING OF COLORS INTO THE ICING.
IV) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT TO REPLACE THE ROSE BAGS
AND BORDER BAGS, PREFERABLY OF THE PNEUMATIC OR ELECTRICL POWERED
TYPES.
STEP 1-
IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERGONOMICS PROGRAM FOR WORKSITE ANALYSIS,
MEDICAL MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AS DETAILED IN
ITEMS 1 - 3 ABOVE.
STEP 2- SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN, DETAILED PLAN OF
SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN, DETAILED PLAN OF ABATMENT
OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE
WORK PRACTICE, AND ENGINEERING CONTROLS AS DETAILED IN ITEMS
4(A) - 4(C).
ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR USE
BY A PERSON TRAINED IN THE EVALUATION OF WORKPLACE CONDITIONS WHICH
CAUSE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS. SIXTY (60) DAY PROGRESS REPORTS ARE
REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.
STEP 3-
IMPLEMENTATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE, WORK PRACTICE, AND ENGINNERING
CONTROLS, AS DESCRIBED IN ITEMS 4(A) - 4(C).

Issued

Jun 4, 1991

Abate by

Jul 19, 1991

Penalty

Initial $90 · Current $90