OSHA Inspection: DAWSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Issued

Jun 5, 1992

Abate by

Dec 7, 1992

Penalty

Initial $4,250 · Current $3,750 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 was
free from recognized hazards that were causing, or were likely to cause
death  or serious  physical harm  to employees  in that  employees were
exposed to  repetitive motions  resulting in stressors  likely to cause
cumulative trauma disorders (CTD):
(a)   Finishing department, hammering operation - Employees repeatedly
performing tasks which require various ergonomic stresses were
exposed to ergonomic stressors resulting in CTD's of the upper
extremities, on or about 12/19/91 and on or about 4/14/92.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct this
hazard may include but are not limited to:
1)   Reduce the total amount of force exerted by the employee's upper
extremities.
2)   Limit the employee's arm reach.
3)   Develop work methods to keep the wrists in neutral (straight)
position as much as possible.
4)   Provide proper working heights for the employees.
5)   Reduce the total amount of repetitive motions done by the
employees.
6)   Daily rotate employees to/from the hammering operation to/from
lower stressor jobs.
7)   Provide sharp cutting dies and have a supply of sharp replacement
cutting dies.
8)   Provide several hammers according to size, shape and weight for
each employee.
9)   Provide power-assisted hammers and/or cutting dies.
10)   Develop a pre-placement review program for new employees relative
to CTD.
11)   Develop an ergonomic training and awareness program for employees
and managers.
12)   Develop a work hardening program for new employees.
13)   Develop a medical surveillance system for tracking CTD's.
14)   Develop a light-duty program for employees with CTD illness.
15)   Perform an ergonomic assessment of the hammer operation to
identify mechanical stressors which may be produced by the work

Issued

Jun 5, 1992

Abate by

Jun 30, 1992