OSHA Inspection: STONE CRAFT, INC.

Issued

Sep 8, 1999

Abate by

Sep 25, 1999

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $4,000 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 the hazard of crushing injury from unstable natural stone
slabs during slab
transport operations:
a) Employees in the natural stone storage yard were exposed to crushing
hazards
during slab transport operations.  During these transport operations
employees
were required to tilt up slabs to the vertical balancing position. These
slabs, some
weighing in excess of 400 pounds, were stored on A-frame racks at a slight
(approx. 7$) angle.  The employees were then required to balance them
vertically
by hand while attaching slab tongs (pressure gripping lifters).  This was
done
while standing in front of the slab in the danger zone.  On August 6, 1999
an
employee was fatally injured by a falling marble slab during a slab
transport
operation.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
as follows:
a) Institute and enforce a policy in which employees are prohibited from
standing
in the danger zone of unstable and/or hand-supported stone slabs.
b) During stone transport operations employees should lift the slabs to
the vertical
position from the ends so as to be out of the danger zone should the slab
fall.  If
a mechanical below-the-hook lifting device is required to be placed on the
slab,
the slab should be mechanically stabilized or should be resting at a
slight angle
(not hand-supported) against the A-frame rack while the lifting device is
situated.
A spacer may be inserted behind the slab to be lifted to provide an open
space
at
the top to facilitate insertion of the mechanical lifting device.
Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required
for this item (See
enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter").