OSHA Inspection: STEVEN KEMPF BUILDING MATERIALS CO.

Issued

Nov 2, 2000

Abate by

Nov 13, 2000

Penalty

Initial $1,225 · Current $613 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 were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed
to fall hazards while working
from makeshift platforms raised on the forks of powered industrial trucks:
a)  Warehouse Number One (1) - An employee was exposed to a fall hazard of
approximately 75
inches while standing on a pallet which was lifted on the forks of a
"Caterpillar 90" powered industrial
truck, on or about 8/27/00.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to follow these
safety requirements:
A.  The platform shall:
1.  be sufficiently strong to support any load(s) which may be imposed on
it,
2.  be securely attached to the lifting carriage or forks, which shall be
secured so they do not
pivot upward,
3.  be designed so that employees will not be exposed to an ingoing nip
point, which can be
created between the rear of the platform and the structure of the powered
industrial truck, as a
platform is raised and lowered,
4.  be designed so that personnel on the platform are protected from
moving parts of the truck,
5.  be horizontal and centered and not tilted forward or rearward when
elevated,
6.  be moved in a smooth, steady fashion when personnel are on it,
7.  be moved only when the personnel on it specifically request that it be
moved,
8.  be moved after it has been elevated, when there are personnel on it,
only when there is a
need for minor horizontal adjustments,
9.  be provided with a fall protection system if it is elevated more than
four (4) feet above the
walking/working surface or is above or adjacent to dangerous equipment.
If a guardrail
system is used, it shall:
a.  consist of a toprail, approximately 42 inches in height, a midrail
approximately 21
inches in height, and a toeboard if operating conditions necessitate such
equipment,
b.  be provided with a toprail, which will not deflect to less than 39
inches above the
platform when a 200-pound force is imposed on it,
c.  be provided with a toprail which will not fail when a 200-pound force
is imposed
on it.
10.  be provided with fall protection at the opening used for access and
egress, which provides
protection equivalent to that of a standard guardrail system, and
11.  have a slip-resistant surface.
B.  The truck shall:
1.  be operated on a level surface and have firm and level footing,
2.  be operated so that overhead obstructions are avoided,
3.  be operated so that personnel do not come closer to overhead electric
equipment than
permitted by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.333,
4.  be equipped with overhead protection if operating conditions
necessitate such protection,
5.  have all operating controls set at neutral and the parking brake set
when personnel are on
an elevated platform,
6.  have a qualified operator at the controls whenever personnel are on an
elevated platform,
7.  not be moved after the platform has been raised into position, while
personnel are on the
platform, except when minor horizontal adjustments of the platform must be
made, and
8.  be loaded to no more than one-half the capacity of the truck, as
indicated on the nameplate
of the truck on which the platform is used.
c.  signage, per paragraph (c)(3) of OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.145, shall
be
utilized when needed to protect the elevated personnel from injury,
d.  an effective means of communications between the truck operator and
the personnel
on the platform shall be provided.  (If the noise level is low, this may
be done orally.)
Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The
certification shall include a
statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement,
and state that employees and their
representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 2, 2000

Abate by

Nov 13, 2000