OSHA Inspection: US PIPE AND FOUNDRY CO.

Issued

Mar 4, 1994

Abate by

Apr 20, 1994

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 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 employee(s) riding on the leading footboards of the
inplant locomotive,
engaged in the movement of railroad cars, were exposed to fall hazards.
a)  U.S. Pipe and Foundry Co., Burlington, NJ.
While the plants diesel locomotive was pushing
an empty coke car onto and down an exchange track,
employee(s) acting as conductor(s)/switchmen were
positioned on the leading footboard of the locomotive
thus facing backwards from the direction of travel.
The empty coke car struck a stationary weight car
which had been positioned on the exchange track,
on or about 10/7/93.
Among other methods a feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct
this hazard is:
1)  Implement and enforce rules operating rules for the inplant
railroad operation, including safety requirements such as those outlined
in:
a)  The General Code of Operating Rules, Second Edition,
effective October 29, 1989 (adopted by Burlington Northern
Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, and others);
b)  Chessie System Safety Rules, effective June 15, 1979;
c)  CSX Transportation Safety Rules;
At the minimum, safety requirements should instruct employees
they must not ride footboards of an engine.  And, while on moving
equipment, they must maintain a lookout in the direction of travel
for obstacles or close clearances along side the tracks.
2)  Exercise vegetation control in the vicinity of the plant's railroad
tracks.