OSHA Inspection: GABE'S CONSTRUCTION CO, INC.

Issued

Sep 3, 2002

Abate by

Jun 5, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

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
performing horizontal directional drilling operations were attaching
pipes/tooling to the drill
string using a wrench, a backhoe bucket and the drill rig power.  This
exposed employee(s) to
struck by hazards in the event the wrench would fail.  One feasible means
of abatement would
be to use an approved breakout device for this operation.:
(a)On or about March 8th, 2002 and March 16th, 2002, at the exit end of
the job
site at or around the intersection of North 7th Street and West Winnebago
Street,
Milwaukee, WI employee(s) performing horizontal directional drilling
operations
using an American Augers DD5 directional drill rig were exposed to struck
by
hazards while attaching drill pipe and tooling to the drill string.
(b)On or about March 16th, 2002, at the drill rig end of the job site
located at or
around 1347 North 7th Street, Milwaukee, WI employee(s) performing
horizontal
directional drilling operations using an American Augers DD5 directional
drill rig
were exposed to struck by hazards while detaching and/or troubleshooting
drill
pipe from the drill string.
Certification, and documentation/evidence of abatement is required.
Certification of abatement is required by 29 CFR Part 1903 and is to be
submitted within ten (10)
calendar days after the abatement date.

Issued

Sep 3, 2002

Abate by

Sep 6, 2002

Penalty

Initial $56,000 · Current $20,000 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 hazards of entanglement when attaching tooling and drill
pipes to a horizontal
directional drill string.  One feasible method to protect employees from
this hazard would be to
install and use a remote lockout device:
(a)On or about March 8, 2002, at the exit end of the job site at or around
the
intersection of North 7th Street and West Winnebago Street, Milwaukee, WI,
employees using an American Augers DD5 directional drill rig, performing
horizontal directional drilling operations, were exposed to an
entanglement hazard
in that the tooling and pipes being added to the drill string were not
protected
from unintentional startup.
No certification required.  Violation Abated.

Issued

Sep 3, 2002

Abate by

Oct 8, 2002

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.300(b)(2):  Moving part(s) of equipment exposed to contact by
employees or
which otherwise created a hazard, were not guarded:
(a)On or about March 8, 2002, at the exit end of the job site at or around
the
intersection of North 7th Street and West Winnebago Street, Milwaukee, WI
employee(s) performing horizontal directional drilling operations using an
American Augers DD5 directional drill rig were exposed to the unguarded
rotating drill pipes.  This exposed the employee(s) in the area of the
rotating pipe
to struck by hazards.
Certification, and documentation/evidence of abatement is required.
Certification of abatement is required by 29 CFR Part 1903 and is to be
submitted within ten (10)
calendar days after the abatement date.
IN THE ALTERNATIVE
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
hazards of being struck by the unguarded rotating drill pipes connected to
a
horizontal directional drill
string.  One feasible method to protect employees from this hazard would
be to install and use a anti-
rotation device in the drill string.
(a)On or about March 8, 2002, at the exit end of the job site at or around
the intersection
of North 7th and West Winnebago Street, Milwaukee, WI, employees using an
American
Augers DD5 directional drill rig, performing horizontal directional
drilling operations,
were exposed to a struck by hazard in that the rotating drill pipes were
not guarded.
Certification, and documentation/evidence of abatement is required.
Certification of abatement is required by 29 CFR Part 1903 and is to be
submitted within ten (10)
calendar days after the abatement date.