OSHA Inspection: BLOOMINGDALE'S BY MAIL, LTD.

Issued

1990-04-17 00:00:00

Abate by

1990-11-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1000.00 · Current $500.00 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 in the packing
department were required to perform duties which would require
repetitive motions in postures (hands and wrist) resulting in stresses
likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders:
PACKING DEPARTMENT: THE PACKERS AT PACKING STATIONS WERE EXPOSED TO
UNDUE REPETITIVE MOTIONS OF WRISTS AND HANDS, RESULTING IN STRESSES
TO FLEX OR TENDON OF WRISTS FROM SORTING, PACKING, FORMING AND/OR
SEALING PACKAGES AND BOXES.
ABATEMENT METHODS: FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHODS, AMONG
OTHERS, TO CORRECT THE HAZARD INCLUDE:
A) IMPLEMENT ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, SUCH AS ROTATION OF EMPLOYEES TO
JOB(S) WITH DIFFERENT MOTIONS AND/OR LESS REPETITIVE MOTION STRESS.
B) REDUCE THE LINE OR PROCESS SPEED OR PACE, AND/OR INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF PERSONNEL TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF REPETITIVE MOTION WORK PER
EMPLOYEE.
C) USE OF MECHANICAL BOX FORMING AIDS OR EQUIVALENT WHICH WOULD REDUCE
STRESS TO FINGERS.
D) USE OF MECHANICAL BOX SEALING AIDS OR EQUIVALENT WHICH WOULD REDUCE
STRESS TO WRISTS AND/OR FINGERS.
E) ERGONOMIC REDESIGN OF WORKSTATIONS TO PERMIT REPOSITIONING OF
EMPLOYEES' BODIES, HANDS. AND/OR WRISTS, AND WHICH WOULD REDUCE OR
ELIMINATE TWISTING, BENDING, OR SIMILAR MOTION WHILE SORTING, PACKING
FORMING, AND/OR SEALING PACKAGES AND BOXES.
F) ASSURE THE WEARING OF ARM AND WRIST PROTECTORS TO AVOID OR REDUCE
CONTACT STRESSES ON ARMS AND WRISTS.
ABATEMENT SCHEDULE:
STEP 1 - EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROTECTION, SUCH AS EMPLOYEE TRAINING,
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT, JOB ROTATION, REDUCTION OF LINE OR PROCESS SPEED
/PACE, ETC. SHALL BE PROVIDED AS AN INTERIM PROTECTIVE MEASURE UNTIL
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED,
OR WHENEVER SUCH CONTROLS FAIL TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE TO
NOMINAL RISK.
STEP 2 - SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN DETAILED PLAN OF
ABATEMENT OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING
AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO CONTROL EMPLOYEES EXPOSURE TO
CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS (CARPAL, AT A MINIMUM, TARGET DATES
FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WHICH MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ABATEMENT
DATES REQUIRED BY THIS CITATION.
a) EVALUATION OF EXTENT AND LOCATION OF THE HAZARD SOURCE.
b) EVALUATION OF CONTROL MEASURE OPTIONS.
c) SELECTION OF OPTIMUM CONTROL MEASURE(S).
d) DETERMINATION OF CONTROL MEASURE DESIGN.
e) ORDERING AND DELIVERY OF ANY EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS.
f) INSTALLATION OF CONTROL MEASURES.
g) TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES.
1) JOBS WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR REPETITIVE MOTIONS EXIST.
2) ERGONOMIC METHOD(S) OF HOLDING AND HANDLING MATERIALS AND
PERFORMING REQUIRED WORK.
3) PROPER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OR NEWLY IMPLEMENTED CONTROL
MEASURES.
h) ASSURANCE OF EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE CONTROL MEASURES.
ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE EVALUATED FOR EACH PARTICULAR
USE BY A TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED PERSON(S).
PROGRESS REPORT(S) ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.
STEP 3 - CORRECTION SHALL BE COMPLETED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
FEASIBLE ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS AND THEIR
EFFECTIVENESS AT ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE VERIFIED.

Issued

1990-04-17 00:00:00

Abate by

1990-05-20 00:00:00