OSHA Inspection: AUTO BODY CONNECTION

Issued

Apr 29, 1994

Abate by

May 4, 1994

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 multiple injuries from a fall hazard when they
are elevated on platforms with a
powered carriage and/or forks and not provided with standard protective
railing on all sides.
a)Yard Area - Caterpillar Model T50D forklift truck; employee raised on a
wooden, shop made
pallet platform placed on the forks of the trucks without the pallet
being secured to prevent it's
tipping off of the forks and no standard railing at the front of the
platform to prevent falls;
worker was emptying trash into a trash bin from the platform.
Among other methods, a feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to follow safe
construction and use requirements for these platforms as follows:
1)Platform must be secured to the lifting carriage and/or forks.
2)Platform must have a slip resistant surface.
3)Platform must be equipped with a standard guardrail system as follows:
a)System to consist of toprail, midrail, and toeboard.
b)Toprail positioned with a vertical height of between 39 and 45 inches
above the surface of
the platform.  Rope, chain, etc. used in place of solid railing not be
able to be deflected
more than 3 inches outward when a 200 pound force is applied and downward
deflection to
assure vertical height does not go below 39 inches.
c)Midrail be positioned about 1/2 way between platform surface and
uppermost surface of top
guardrail.
d)Access opening through the guardrail system be protected by a device
providing equivalent
protection of the guardrail system.
4)Operator to be in control position of the powered truck when personnel
elevated.
5)Overhead protection is mandatory for the powered truck and, if required
by operating conditions, the
platform.
6)When the moving parts of the truck represent a hazard, means must be
provided to protect personnel
in the normal working position.
7)Workers are to be instructed to keep their feet on the surface of the
platform so as not to negate the
protective guardrail

Issued

Apr 29, 1994

Abate by

May 22, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000