OSHA Inspection: VAN HEUSEN COMPANY

Issued

Jan 12, 1990

Abate by

Jul 2, 1994

Penalty

Initial $810 · Current $405 Reduced

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
an unacceptable risk of musculoskeletal injuries and cumulative trauma
disorders, due to the performance of various lifting tasks, repetitive
motions, and undesirable hand, arm and shoulder postures, while sewing
and/or material handling in the cutting, operating, finishing and
warehouse departments. Employees thus exposed were exposed to the risk
or increased severity and/or reoccurence of the illnesses in that an
effective ergonomics program had not been implemented:
a) While ultimate responsibility for correcting this hazard rests with
the employer, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following:
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERGONOMIC PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES
THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
A) IDENTIFICATION OF ALL CURRENT EMPLOYEES WHO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES, OR ANY SYMPTOMS GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH
CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS;
B) AN ERGONOMICC ASSESSMENT OF EACH OPERATION TO IDENTIFY STRESSORS
WHICH MAY BE PRODUCED BY THE ENVIRONMENT AND/OR WORK METHODS;
C) AN ERGONOMICS PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS, ENGINEERS AND
MANAGERS;
D) A WORK CONDITIONING PROGRAM FOR NEW EMPLOYEES;
E) A LIGHT DUTY PROGRAM;
F) A MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING MUSCULOSKELETAL TRAUMA
DISORDERS.
ABATEMENT NOTE: THREE-STEP ABATEMENT PLAN
STEP 1: EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION SUCH AS EMPLOYEE TRAINING,
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENTS, JOB ROTATION, ETC. SHALL BE PROVIDED AS AN
INTERIM PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED; OR WHENEVER SUCH
CONTROLS FAIL TO REDUCE EMPLOYEES EXPOSURE TO NOMINAL RISK.
ABATEMENT DATE: APRIL 17, 1990
STEP 2: A WRITTEN DETAILED PLAN OF ABATEMENT OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
WHICH WILL REDUCE EMPLOYEE INJURIES DUE TO MANUAL LIFTING TASKS,
REPETITIVE MOTIONS AND UNDESIRABLE POSTURES.
ABATEMENT DATE: JULY 17, 1990
STEP 3: ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS UPON
VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE OCCURRENCE OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS.
ABATEMENT DATE: JANUARY 17, 1991

Issued

Jan 12, 1990

Abate by

Jul 2, 1994

Penalty

Initial $810 · Current $405 Reduced

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
an unacceptable risk of musculoskeletal injuries and cumulative trauma
disorders, due to the performance of various lifting tasks, repetitive
motions, and undesirable hand, arm and shoulder postures, while sewing
and/or material handling in the cutting, operating, finishing and
warehouse departments.
a) While ultimate responsibility for correcting this hazard rests with
the employer, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard include, but are not limited to, the implementation
of control measures for:
a) Reducing wrist deviations and forearm rotations;
b) Limiting the arm reach;
c) Adjusting heights of material by adjusting heights of carts, tables,
and bins.
d) Resdesign of workstations or minimize physiological stress;
e) Lowering the frequency of repetitive motions;
f) Rotation of personnel between high and low stressor tasks;
g) Reduction of weights being lifted.
ABATEMENT NOTE: THREE-STEP ABATEMENT PLAN
STEP 1: EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION SUCH AS EMPLOYEE TRAINING,
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENTS, JOB ROTATION, ETC. SHALL BE PROVIDED AS AN
INTERIM PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED; OR WHENEVER SUCH
CONTROLS FAIL TO REDUCE EMPLOYEES EXPOSURE TO NOMINAL RISK.
ABATEMENT DATE: APRIL 17, 1990
STEP 2: A WRITTEN DETAILED PLAN OF ABATEMENT OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
WHICH WILL REDUCE EMPLOYEE INJURIES DUE TO MANUAL LIFTING TASKS,
REPETITIVE MOTIONS AND UNDESIRABLE POSTURES.
ABATEMENT DATE: JULY 17, 1990
STEP 3: ABATEMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS UPON
VERIFICATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE OCCURRENCE OF
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS.
ABATEMENT DATE: JANUARY 17, 1991
.

Issued

Jan 12, 1990

Abate by

Jan 17, 1990