OSHA Inspection: DAVEY TREE EXPERT COMPANY

Issued

Aug 5, 1998

Abate by

Aug 23, 1998

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $3,150

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statue 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of North Carolina:  The employer did not furnish to
each of his employees  conditions of 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, unsafe work practice(s) allowed employee to be exposed
to hazard of being caught in and struck by rotating parts within
feed chute of self-feeding chipper:
jobsite, Bandit Tree Chipper - employer failed to provide or
insure employee was adequately trained and practiced safe
operation while using Bandit brush chipper; safety policy and
procedures as established by employer company and/or
recommended by equipment manufacturer were not consistently
enforced. Employer failed to insure chipper operator was
properly trained and warned that amputation and death could
happen unless they follow all of the warning instructions for
operating brush chipper. Inadequate training and failure to
practice safe operation of Bandit Chipper resulted in accident
and death of employee on 05/27/98. (Reference Bandit Tree
Chipper Model 250 & 1250 Operating & Parts Manual (see pages
#2, 6, 7 & 30); Safety Bandit Bits newsletter by Performance
First, Inc.)
One feasible and acceptable method of abatement is to conduct
hazard assessment of machinery/equipment as to related work
activity, wherein the following concerns are addressed: (a)
employer insures proper and ongoing training for operator (or
affected personnel) to identify danger areas and hazards associated
with equipment and work being performed; provide means to insure
consistent enforcement of established safety policy and procedures
for equipment (chipper) operation; (b) provide concise information
and instruction to employee on hazards; (c) identify and require
use of proper personal protective equipment for work performed; (d)
certify actions taken for hazard assessment and employee training.