OSHA Inspection: LANGHORNE CARPET COMPANY, INC.

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $420.00 · Current $210.00 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 REQUIRED TO
PERFORM TASKS INVOLVING REPETITIVE MOTIONS RESULTING IN STRESS THAT HAD
CAUSED, WERE CAUSING, OR WERE LIKELY TO CAUSE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA
DISORDERS:
A) EMPLOYEE(S) (BURLERS) REMOVING AND RESEWING DEFECTS IN CARPETS IN
THE FINISHING DEPARTMENT, ON OR ABOUT MARCH 20, 1991.
B) EMPLOYEE(S) (WINDERS) WINDING YARN FROM SPOOLS ONTO BOBBINS IN THE
WEAVING DEPARTMENT, ON OR ABOUT MARCH 20, 1991.
THE EVALUATION OF THESE TASKS INDICATES THAT EMPLOYEES ARE EXPOSED TO
A HAZARD WHICH IS CAUSING OR LIKELY TO CAUSE MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS.
THE EMPLOYER DID NOT IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL STRATEGY TO REDUCE
OR ELIMINATE SUCH DISORDERS. THE INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDS FOR 1990
DOCUMENTED A PATTERN OF REPETITIVE MOTION.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR ELEMENTS:
1) WORKSITE ANALYSIS TO RECOGNIZE AND IDENTIFY EXISTING MANUAL LIFTING
HAZARDS IN THE WORKPLACE. THIS ANALYSIS SHOULD INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT
AND USE OF AN ERGONOMIC CHECKLIST AND EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE.
PERIODIC SURVEYS OF THE WORKSITE SHALL BE CONDUCTED AT LEAST ANNUALLY
TO EVALUATE WORK PRACTICES AND ENGINEERING CONTROLS. EMPLOYEE
PARTICIPATION IN THE ERGONOMIC PROGRAM SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED THROUGH
A MECHANISM SUCH A SAFETY COMMITTEE.
2) MEDICAL MANAGEMENT WHICH INCLUDES ACCURATE RECORDKEEPING OF MANUAL
LIFTING INJURIES. THE PROGRAM SHOULD ADDRESS RECOGNITION, EVALUATION,
TREATMENT, AND REFERRAL OF LIFTING CASES. SYSTEMATIC WORKSITE REVIEW
BY THE MEDICAL TEAM SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM.
3) TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR EXPOSED EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING METHODS TO
EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING. RE-TRAINING SHOULD BE
DONE ANNUALLY, OR AS OPERATIONS CHANGE. TRAINING SHOULD ADDRESS
HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB, THE RISKS OF MANUAL MATERIAL
HANDLING, AND HOW TO PREVENT LIFTING INJURIES. A SUPERVISOR'S
TRAINING PROGRAM SHOULD ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED TO ALLOW RECOGNITIONOF
MANUAL LIFTING HAZARDS, AND TO REINFORCE THE EMPLOYER'S ERGONOMIC
PROGRAM.
4) HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL WHICH INCLUDES ENGINEERING, WORK
PRACTICES AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT WHERE RELEVANT.
A) ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS ARE IMPLEMENTED WHICH REDUCE THE DURATION,
FREQUENCY, AND SEVERITY OF EXPOSURE TO ERGONOMIC STRESS. THESE
CONTROLS MAY INCLUDE JOB ROTATION, REDUCTION OF REPETITIONS, MULTIPLE
PERSON LIFTS, AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF RELATED EQUIPMENT.
B) WORK PRACTICES CONTROLS ARE IMPLEMENTED WHICH INCLUDE PROPER WORK
TECHNIQUES, NEW EMPLOYEE CONDITIONING, PROPER PLACEMENT OF LOADS, AND
REDUCTION OF WEIGHT LIFTED.
EXAMPLES OF WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS APPLICABLE TO THIS WORKPLACE INCLUDE:
I) TOOL UTILIZATION TECHNIQUES WHICH MINIMIZE STRESS ON THE HANDS,
WRISTS AND ARMS.
II) ADJUSTMENT OF WORKSTATIONS TO FIT INDIVIDUAL WORKERS.
III) MONITORING OF NEW WORKERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE UTILIZING
PRESCRIBED WORK TECHNIQUES.
IV) NEW EMPLOYEE CONDITIONING OR JOB BARDERING BY EASING EMPLOYEE INTO
FULL SHIFT WORK.
V) ROTATION OF WORKERS TO TASKS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE USE OF THE SAME
MUSCLE-TENDON GROUP(S).
C) ENGINEERING CONTROLS ARE DESIGNED BY A QUALIFIED ERGONOMIST AND MAY
INCLUDE WORK STATION REDESIGN, TOOL AND HANDLE REDESIGN, AND USE OF
MECHANICAL LIFTING AIDS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE TO MAKE
THE JOB FIT THE PERSON.
EXAMPLES OF ENGINEERING CONTROLS APPLICABLE TO THIS WORKPLACE INCLUDE:
I) REDESIGN OF WORKSTATIONS TO ALLOW MORE NEUTRAL WRIST POSITION
WHILE SEWING.
II) TOOL AND HANDLE REDESIGN TO ALLOW MORE NEUTRAL WRIST POSITION AND
TO REDUCE STRESS ON THE PALMER SURFACES OF THE HANDS.
III) STEADIER MORE ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED SEATING.
STEP 1-
IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERGONOMICS PROGRAM FOR WORKSITE ANALYSIS, MEDICAL
MANAGEMENT, AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AS DETAILED IN ITEMS 1-3, ABOVE.
STEP 2-
SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN, DETAILED PLAN OF ABATEMENT
OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE, WORK
PRACTICE AND ENGINEERING CONTROLS AS DETAILED IN ITEMS 4(A)-4(C).
ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR USE
BY A PERSON TRAINED IN THE EVALUATION OF WORKPLACE CONDITIONS WHICH
CAUSE MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS. SIXTY (60) DAY PROGRESS REPORTS ARE
REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.
STEP 3-
IMPLEMENTATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE, WORK PRACTICES AND ENGINEERING
CONTROLS AS DESCRIBED IN ITEMS 4(A)-4(C), ABOVE.

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $490.00 · Current $245.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-05-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $490.00 · Current $245.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-05-10 00:00:00

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $490.00 · Current $245.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $140.00 · Current $70.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-30 00:00:00

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-28 00:00:00

Issued

1991-04-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-04-30 00:00:00