OSHA Inspection: MARON ELECTRIC COMPANY

Issued

May 6, 1997

Abate by

May 9, 1997

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,500 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:
On November 16, 1996, four workers under the supervision of Maron Electric
Company and
Power Contracting and Engineering Corporation physically moved a piece of
electrical
equipment, weighing approximately one and one-half tons, over the access
panels of a raised
floor that had been partially dismantled.  The workers were exposed to the
hazard of being
struck by the electrical equipment falling to the subfloor when the raised
floor collapsed.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct
this hazard would have been to:
Prior to the movement of material or equipment across a raised floor,
determine
the heaviest object that may be moved across the floor, and the manner in
which
it can be safely moved, that will not result in a structural failure of
the raised
floor.  This may be accomplished by, but not limited to, one or more of the
following:
(1) A review of the existing raised floor plan and specifications by
a competent person;
(2) Consultation with the raised floor manufacturer, distributor,
installer, or other competent person;
(3) Evaluation by a registered professional engineer.nal