OSHA Inspection: NYS THRUWAY AUTHORITY

Issued

Aug 13, 2002

Abate by

Jun 15, 2003

General-duty citation text

hazard may
result in serious physical harm and/or death.
1.Reasonable and adequate methods to abate this hazard may include but are
not limited
to:
a)i) Engineering controls embodied in new or renovated toll plaza design
and
construction, such as overhead walkwaysor tunnels, affording access to toll
booths without the need to cross active toll lanes.
ii) The installation of parabolic mirrors at locations at the toll plaza
which
would allow drivers to see the area immediately in front of their vehicles
and
allow crossing or exiting employees to check for traffic without entering
or
closely approaching the lane.
iii) The provision of appropriate means, such as hand bags or other
suitable
containers, by which employees may carry items to be used while working,
such as cash trays, tickets, forms and permitted optional items, to their
toll
booth without reasonable risk of spillage while still keeping at least one
hand
free.
iv) Advising motorists of crossing employees through the modification or
addition of traffic signaling devices employing signals of character
differing from
those indicating that the toll has been paid.
b)Communication of the potential of crossing employees to motorists by
properly
maintaining crosswalk pavement markings according to the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), Subpart 1A.05, so that no more
than ten percent of the marking is missing according to inspection
criteria set
forth by ATSSA in Quality Standaards for Workzone Traffic Control Devices.
c)Communication of the potential of crossing employees to motorist through
the
proper use of pedestrian crossing signs according to MUTCD 2C.37 and 3B.17.
d)Modification of the "Crossing Lanes Safely" work rules and subsequent
training to include the following:
i) The requirement that crossing employees keep at least one hand free for
signaling traffic, according to the binding safety measure added by the
Arbitrator in his September 9, 1993 written decision on the ETC Safety
Grievance brought by Local 72, New York State Thruway Employees, IBT,
AFL-CIO (page 31).
ii) The use of uniform hand signals, such as the arm straight out with palm
facing motorist, or other means such as hand held signs or other visual
awareness or signaling devices, to facilitate reliable communication by the
crossing employee to the motorist.
iii) The prohibition of crossing in front of, or otherwise entering the
front
blind spot of large trucks or other vehicles which limit the frontal field
of
vision of the driver.
e)Periodic inspection of the workplace by the employer to evaluate
employee
compliance with lane crossing work rules, with particular emphasis on
achieving eye contact and proper communication before proceeding, and the
implementation of effective progressive disciplinary action to correct
deficiencies.
f) Install mirrors, remove steel plates and obstructions and replace with
glass,
or provide some other means to ensure the safety of employees exiting toll
booths exit blindly into lanes with limited clearance.  Lane 1 is regular
lane
that also accepts EZ Pass; Lane 7 is dedicated EZ Pass lane.  Vision of
oncoming traffic is blocked in these two booths due to the steel plates
and
computers installed there.