OSHA Inspection: HOMEDCO

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Jun 1, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

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
serious injury from lifting tasks without administrative or engineering
controls:
HOME DELIVERY: OXYGEN TECHNICIANS LIFT FILLED LIBERATORS WEIGHING 120
POUNDS. THE EVALUATION OF THIS MANUAL LIFTING TASKS INDICATES THAT
EMPLOYEES ARE EXPOSED TO AN INCREASED RISK OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES
IN POPULATIONS EXPOSED TO SIMILAR LIFTING CONDITIONS. THE INJURY AND
ILLNESS RECORES FOR 1989, 1990 DOCUMENTED THAT THERE WAS A PATTERN OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL/OVERXERTION INJURIES.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD YO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS:
STEP 1: EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION SUCH AS EMPLOYEE
TRAINING, PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT AND JOB ROTATION SHALL BE
PROVIDED AS AN INTERIM PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL FEASIBLE
ENGINEERING OR PERMANENT ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS CAB 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 IMPLEMENTATION OF
ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO CONTROL EMPLOYEE
INJURY DUE TO MANUAL LIFTING TASKS. ENGINEERING CONTROLS
TO REDUCE MUSCULOSKELETAL STRESSES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO JOB REDESIGN, REDUCTION OF THE HORIZONTAL AND
VERITICAL LOAD DISTANCES FROM THE BODY, REDUCTION OF THE
LIFTING FREQUENCY, OR WEIGHT, AND USE OF MECHANICAL LIFTING
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.
1) EVALUATION OF THE CONDITIONS, LOCATIONS AND MANUAL LIFTING ACTIVITIES
THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE PERFORMING AT THE ONSET OF MUSCULOSKELETAL
INJURIES.
2) EVALUATION OF APPLICABLE CONTROL MEASURE(S).
3) PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF SELECTED CONTROL MEASURES.
4) MONITORING TO ASSURE EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE CONTROL MEASURE(S).
STEP 3: ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY IMPLEMENTATION OF
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, UPON
VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE
OCCURRENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ANOTHER FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THESE HAZARDS IS:
THE EMPLOYER SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE PURCHASE OF HAND TRUCKS WITH
STAIR CLIMBER ATTACHMENTS WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE THE STEP OF THE
EMPLOYEE PHYSICALLY CARRING THE LIBERATOR UP FLIGHTS OF STAIRS.

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Aug 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Jun 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $500 · Current $250 Reduced

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

May 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $500

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Jun 3, 1991

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

May 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $500 · Current $250 Reduced

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Sep 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Jun 17, 1992

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $650 Reduced

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

May 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Jun 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Aug 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

May 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

Issued

May 14, 1991

Abate by

Nov 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400