OSHA Inspection: CHEWNING & WILMER, INC.

Issued

Feb 8, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $4,500

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 fall hazards:
a)On or about December 16, 1999, and prior to that date, employees
performing intermediate
structural tower assembly, at heights exceeding 40.0 feet, were exposed to
the hazard of
compounding physical injury and/or death while awaiting rescue from
elevated work locations
in that:
(1)No rescue plan, system, or devices were available in the event expedited
removal was necessary;
(2)Proximal emergency medical services were not capable of providing high
angle/location rescue;
(3)Employees were not trained in the methods and procedures utilized for
rapid
evacuation from elevated locations(high angle rescue).
One means of abatement among others, is to:
(1)Establish a rescue procedure including training for employees and the
acquisition and usage of a controlled descent device to allow a controlled
lowering of an injured employee;
(2)Pre-planning to include the capabilities of localized fire/rescue
services for
equipment availability (height), high angle rescue capability, and their
response
time to the worksite.y,