OSHA Inspection: COLUMBIA CORPORATION

Issued

Mar 13, 1991

Abate by

Mar 13, 1992

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $900

General-duty citation text

SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970: THE
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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:
A) FEEDER/FINISHER DEPARTMENT: EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD
OF PERFORMING INJURY-CAUSING LIFTING AND LOWERING TASKS WHILE
OFFSTOCKING BOARDS FROM THE GLUE TABLE. EVALUATION OF THESE
TASKS INDICATES THAT THESE EMPLOYEES ARE EXPOSED TO AN INCREASED
RISK OF DEVELOPING MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AS A RESULT OF
PERFORMING THESE TASKS. THE INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDS FOR THIS
COMPANY FOR 1987, 1988 AND 1990 DOCUMENTS A PATTERN OF EXCESSIVE
MUSCULOSKELETAL OVEREXERTION INJURIES FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.
STEP 1-
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION SUCH AS EMPLOYEE TRAINING, PHYSICAL
ASSESSMENT, LIFT/LOWER SHARING, ETC., SHALL BE PROVIDED AS AN INTERIM
PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL FEASIBLE ENGINEERING CONTROLS, WHERE REQUIRED
AND/OR PERMANENT ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, IF PERMITTED, CAN BE
IMPLEMENTED WHICH WILL REDUCE EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE TO NOMINAL RISK.
STEP 2-
SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN, DETAILED PLAN OF ABATEMENT
OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING CONTROLS
AND/OR PERMANENT ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS WHERE PERMITTED, TO CONTROL
EMPLOYEE INJURY DUE TO MANUAL LOWER & LIFT TASKS. ENGINEERING CONTROLS
TO REDUCE MUSCULOSKELETAL STRESS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
1) JOB REDESIGN;
2) REDUCTION OF THE HORIZONTAL AND/OR VERTICAL LOAD DISTANCE FROM THE
BODY;
3) REDUCTION OF THE LIFT/LOWER FREQUENCY OF WEIGHT, AND;
4) USE OF MECHANICAL LIFT/LOWER AIDS.
THIS PLAN SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, TARGET DATES FOR THE FOLLOWING
ACTIONS WHICH MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE DATES REQUIRED BY THIS
CITATION:
A) EVALUATION OF THE CONDITION(S), LOCATION(S) AND MANUAL LIFTING/
LOWERING ACTIVITIES THAT EMPLOYEES ARE PERFORMING AT THE ONSET OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES;
B) EVALUATION OF APPLICABLE CONTROL MEASURES;
PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION, OPERATION OF SELECTED CONTROL MEASURES;
MONITORING TO ASSURE THE EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE CONTROL
MEASURES.
STEP 3-
ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY IMPLEMENTATION OF FEASIBLE
ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, WHERE PERMITTED, UPON
VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE OCURRENCE OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES.