OSHA Inspection: BETCO SCAFFOLD INC

Issued

Jul 28, 1997

Abate by

Jul 31, 1997

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

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 the following conditions:
Northline Mall, Houston TX. On or about 30 Jan 97, BETCO Scaffolding
erected shoring
towers at the site that were not secured for laterally applied forces.
According to the
Scaffolding, Shoring and Forming Institute - "Code of Safe Practices for
erecting & dismantling
of vertical shoring", "Prevent tipping by guying or bracing when height
exceeds 4 times the
minimum base dimension".  The Code also states that "...safe and proper
use of the equipment
is the sole responsibility of the employer and user".  In this instance,
the towers were in excess
of 20 feet in height and the base of the towers measured 2 ft x 3 ft,
which would require guying
or bracing for any shoring tower over 8 ft.  This exposed other contractor
employees
to the
hazards and injuries related to being struck by falling walls, roof and
shoring resulting from the
collapse of the shoring towers.
Among other methods, One feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
strict adherence to nationally recognized and established standards,
guidelines and practices of
the shoring industry and to develop internal procedures for the safe
erection and use of vertical
shoring towers.