OSHA Inspection: SPECTRUM WAREHOUSE STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.

Issued

Apr 26, 1995

Abate by

May 1, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,500

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent 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:
a.The hazard of being struck by a falling work platform, several of which
were
being installed on an aircraft maintenance docking system that was being
installed
and erected in the Delta Airlines Aircraft hangar at DFW Airport, Texas.
One
of the platforms fell on January 4, 1995, killing an employee who ws under
the
platform.  The platform fell when it was lowered past the intended travel
point.
The set-screw held collar-type stops on the ends of the threaded elevating
drive
screw rods failed under the combined forces of lthe weight of the platform
and
the force applied by the drive motor and the gear train which forced the
platform
downward.
One of the same type platforms had fallen previously in August, 1994,
caused by
the failure of the same collar-type stops as in the January 4th event, but
no
injuries were incurred.  The August 1994 event established knowledge to
management that such an event could occur, and no positive action was
taken to
prevent the recurrence of the event.
Feasible methods of abatement are:
1.Lock out the controls for moving the platforms until personnel with
knowledge
of the dangers of the system are present to assure that the platforms are
not
lowered too low, and all personnel are cleared from the danger area.
2.Install the current limiting transformer switches to shut the motor
power off upon
contact between the collar stops with the threaded nuts (upper end of the
platform
tube.
3.Install false work under the platforms to stop a falling platform before
it could
fall far enough to present a hazard to employees.

Issued

Apr 26, 1995

Abate by

May 15, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,500

Issued

Apr 26, 1995

Abate by

May 15, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,500

Issued

Apr 26, 1995

Abate by

May 15, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,500

Issued

Apr 26, 1995

Abate by

May 15, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,500