OSHA Inspection: WESTERN AUTO OF P.R., INC.

Issued

Mar 9, 2001

Abate by

Mar 19, 2001

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act:  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 physical harm to employees in
that employees were
exposed to:
Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico:
El patrono no
proveyo empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten
causando o que
puedan causar muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados
estaban expuestos
a:
In the automotive service area at the Western Auto of Puerto Rico, Inc.
facilities located
at Fragoso Ave., corner with Fidalgo Diaz, Carolina: Employees worked
servicing
automotive vehicles raised on automotive lifts.  There were seven
instances of automotive
lifts were the employer did not have a qualified inspection performed at
least
annually,
as required by the ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000 standard, section 5.5 that states
that
Without regard to the frequency of inspection specified by the lift
manufacturer,
whether it be weekly, monthly, semi-annually, annually or on some other
basis, the
owner or employer shall ensure that the points presented in 5.6 are
inspected by a
qualified lift inspector as a minimal annual requirement.  The instances
are:
1. alignment purpose automotive surface mounted hinged side lift trademark
FMC,
model 98, serial number S61DL024, capacity 7000 pounds, located at wheel
alignment area;
2. automotive surface mounted hinged wheel service side lift, no
identifying plate
or documentation was found at the lift or area, located at the tire
service area;
3. automotive single post in-ground lift, no identifying plate or
documentation was
found at the lift or area, located at a mechanic service area next to the
wheel
alignment area;
4. automotive single post in-ground lift, no identifying plate or
documentation was
found at the lift or area, located at a mechanic service area next to the
tire service
area;
5. automotive two post surface mounted lift, trademark Rotary, model
AR-098-2,
serial number L79375, capacity 7000 pounds, located at a mechanic service
area
between to the tire service area and a mechanic service area with an
automotive
two post surface mounted lift;
6. automotive two post surface mounted lift, trademark Forward, model
9000A,
serial number 057JB3238, capacity 9000 pounds, located at a mechanic
service
area between two other mechanic service areas with automotive two post
surface
mounted lifts;
7. automotive  two  post surface  mounted lift,  trademark Challenger,  no
other
identification found at the lift or area, located at a mechanic service
area
between
another mechanic service area with automotive two post surface mounted
lift and
a wall.
Hazard: Struck by falling automotive lift and or vehicle due to equipment
malfunction.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard is to
conducted a qualified inspection covering the points stated in section 5.6
of the
ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000 standard.
En el area de servicio automotriz de las facilidades de Western Auto of
Puerto Rico,
Inc., ubicado en la Ave. Fragoso, Esq. Fidalgo Diaz, Carolina: Empleados
trabajaban
dando servicio a automoviles trepados en pinos para automoviles.  Habian
siete instancias
de pinos para automoviles donde el patrono no obtuvo una inspeccion
cualificada
realizada de los pinos por lo menos una vez al ano, como requerido por la
seccion 5.5
del reglamento ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000, que establece que  Sin tomar en cuenta
la
frecuencia para inspecciones especificada por el manufacturero del pino,
sea este
semanal, mensual, semi anual, anual o otra base de intervalo de tiempo, el
dueno o
patrono debera asegurarse que los puntos presentados en la seccion 5.6
seran
inspeccionados por un inspector cualificado de pinos con un requerimiento
de por lo
menos una vez por ano.  Las instancias son:
1. pino automotriz tipo bisagra de montaje de superficie, elevado lateral
marca FMC, modelo 98, numero de serie S61DL024, capacidad de 7000
libras, ubicada en el area de alineacion de ruedas;
2. pino automotriz tipo bisagra de montaje de superficie, elevado lateral
para
servicio de gomas, no se encontro ningun tipo de placa de identificacion o
documentacion en el pino o area, ubicado en el area de servicio a gomas;
3. pino automotriz tipo montaje soterrado de un poste, no se encontro
ningun
tipo de placa de identificacion o documentacion en el pino o area, ubicada
en
un area de servicio de mecanica al lado de el area de alineacion de ruedas;
4. pino automotriz tipo montaje soterrado de un poste, no se encontro
ningun
tipo de placa de identificacion o documentacion en el pino o area, ubicada
en
un area de servicio de mecanica al lado de el area de servicio a gomas;
5. pino automotriz tipo de montaje de superficie con dos postes, marca
Rotary,
modelo AR-098-2, numero de serie L79375, capacidad 7000 libras, ubicado
en un area de servicio de mecanica entre el area de servicio a gomas y otra
area de servicio de mecanica con un pino automotriz de montaje de
superficie
con dos postes;
6. pino automotriz tipo de montaje de superficie con dos postes, marca
Forward,
modelo 9000A, numero de serie 057JB3238, capacidad 9000 libras, ubicado
entre otras dos areas de servicio de mecanica con pinos automotriz tipo de
montaje de superficie con dos postes;
7. pino automotriz tipo de montaje de superficie con dos postes, marca
Challenger, no se encontro otra informacion o documentacion en el pino o el
area, ubicado entre otras dos areas de servicio de mecanica con pinos
automotriz tipo de montaje de superficie con dos postes.
Riesgo: Impacto por pino y/o vehiculo cayendo por malfuncionamiento del
equipo.
Entre otros metodos, un metodo factible y aceptable para corregir este
riesgo, es de
conducir una inspeccion cualificada cubriendo los puntos senalados en la
seccion 5.6 del
reglamento ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000.

Issued

Mar 9, 2001

Abate by

Mar 28, 2001

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act:  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 physical harm to employees in that employees
were exposed to:
Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico:
El patrono no proveyo
empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten
causando o que puedan causar
muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados estaban
expuestos a:
At the tire service area, in the automotive service area at the Western
Auto
of Puerto Rico,
Inc. facilities located at Fragoso Ave., corner with Fidalgo Diaz,
Carolina: An employee
works servicing automotive vehicles raised on automotive lift, the
employee changes, rotates
and balances the vehicle tires.  The lift is an automotive surface mounted
hinged side lift for
wheel service, no identifying plate or documentation was found at the lift
or the facilities.
The automotive lift is missing the locking safety bar.  The ANSI/ALI
ALOIM-2000 standard,
section 4.4.2 states that  The operator shall use all applicable safety
features provided on the
automotive lift and operate the lift in accordance with the instructions
furnished by the lift
manufacturer.
Hazard: Struck by falling lift and or car.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard is to replace
the missing locking safety bar and operate the lift in accordance with
section 4.4.2 of the
ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000 standard.
En el area de servicio de gomas del area de servicio automotriz de las
facilidades de Western
Auto of Puerto Rico, Inc., ubicado en la Ave. Fragoso, Esq. Fidalgo Diaz,
Carolina: Un
empleado trabaja dando servicio a automoviles trepados en pinos para
automoviles, el
empleado cambia, rota y balancea gomas de vehiculos.  El pino automotriz
es de tipo de
bisagra de montaje de superficie con elevado lateral para servicio de
ruedas, no se encontro
ningun tipo de placa de identificacion o documentacion en el pino o las
facilidades.  Al pino
automotriz le falta la barra de fijacion de seguridad.  El reglamento
ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000,
seccion 4.4.2 establece que  El operador debera usar todos los aditamentos
de seguridad
aplicables y provistos en el pino automotriz y operar el pino en
conformidad con las
instrucciones provistas por el manufacturero del pino.
Riesgo: Impacto por pino y/o vehiculo.
Entre otros metodos, un metodo factible y aceptable para corregir este
riesgo, es de
reemplazar la barra de fijacion de seguridad y operar el pino en
conformidad con la seccion
4.4.2 del reglamento ANSI/ALI ALOIM-2000.

Issued

Mar 9, 2001

Abate by

Mar 15, 2001

Penalty

Initial $3,500

Issued

Mar 9, 2001

Abate by

Mar 14, 2001

Penalty

Initial $3,500