OSHA Inspection: FOWLER EXPRESS

Issued

2001-05-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2001-06-12 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4900.00 · Current $2450.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety & 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 crushing injuries between tractor/trailers and loading docks:
On 01/03/2001 an employee was fatally crushed to death as a result of a
tractor/trailer rolling
back and crushing the driver between the trailer and the loading dock. A
defective brake
hose/tube connection supply line was broken off below the glad hand, and
the brakes were out
of adjustment on the 1989 Mack tractor and as a result of these
deficiencies the brakes did not
function properly on the tractor/trailer combination.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to ensure that all tractors and trailers are inspected daily by each
operator and an inspection
checklist is used to identify equipment that is in need of repair and turn
in the inspection
checklist daily to the supervisor for follow up action to be taken; also
operators should be
trained and supported that they can refuse to operate unsafe
tractor-trailers due to faulty
equipment without reprisal or discrimination from the employer.