OSHA Inspection: ASPLUNDH TREE EXPERT COMPANY

Issued

Jan 5, 1999

Abate by

Oct 6, 1999

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

Issued

Jan 5, 1999

Abate by

Aug 6, 1999

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $50,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

GENERAL 5A1 WORDING
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 fall hazards related to drive cable failure:
(a)1st Street (River Road) & 23rd Street, Vienna, WV - Employees operated
an
ASPLUNDH aerial lift (Model # LR-50, Serial #890-306) while performing
trimming
operations.  Employees were exposed to severe fall hazard injures when the
employer
failed to perform daily and monthly inspections on the aerial lift's drive
cables. The
cables were not inspected monthly by a competent wire rope inspector as
discussed by
the lift's OPERATIONS MANUAL, which states that cables should be inspected
monthly after two years of use. In addition daily inspections were not
being
performed as discussed in both the "OPERATIONS MANUAL" and "Bulletins".
Noted were two 3/4 inch wire rope lift cables making up the lower drive
cable
assembly.  The two wire rope cables broke causing the bucket to free-fall
in excess of
25 feet.  The wire rope cables were found to have exterior flat spots,
corrosion and
broken wires in the valleys of their strands.
ABATEMENT NOTE:  Conduct inspections on the upper boom drive cables in
accordance with published inspections procedures as outlined in ASPLUNDH's
Operation, Maintenance , Installation and Parts Manual for LR-42, LR-45,
and LR-50
Aerial Lifts.  For cables with over two years of use the inspections
should be
performed by a trained competent wire rope inspector monthly.
Consideration should
be given to electromagnetic non-destructive testing to detect localized
faults such as
wire breaks and damage and loss of metallic area.
(b) 1st Street & 23 Street, Vienna, WV - Employees operated an ASPLUNDH
aerial
lift (Model # LR-50, Ser. # 890-306) while performing trimming operations.
The
upper and lower booms of the trim lift were moved by 3/4 inch drive cables
which
travelled around an outer pivot sheave.  The sheave had four grooves over
which the
four drive cables travelled.  The sheaves had herringbone patterns
imbedded and
imprinted in all four of the grooves of the sheave.  Gaging the grooves in
the sheaves
indicated that groove radius for the sheaves was undersized for a 3/4 inch
wire rope.
This condition would cause the wire rope to be pinched and prevent proper
movement
of wires in the ropes.  The herringbone pattern condition of the sheaves
can cause flat
spots and excessive outer wear as noted on the wire ropes when inspected.
The wire
ropes driving the upper boom and reeving around the sheave grooves were
also noted
to have internal strand corrosion, damaged core wires along its length and
broken
wires noted in the rope valleys along some of the wire rope that was still
intact.
ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method to abate this hazard is to replace the existing sheave with a new
one having
dimensions adequate for the size of the wire rope used and sheaves having
adequate
smooth grooves.  Sheave condition should be incorporated into the overall
wire rope
inspection program.