OSHA Inspection: COLORADO MARBLE & GRANITE, INC.

Issued

Feb 16, 2001

Abate by

Feb 22, 2001

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,600 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 area were exposed to crushing
hazards
during stone slab transport operations.  During these 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
inward angle.  The employees were then required to balance them vertically
by
hand while attaching the slab tongs (pressure gripping lifters).  This was
done
while standing in front of the slab in the danger zone and exposed the
employees
to severe injury or death should the slab fall.
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 slabs.
b) The slabs may be supported with heavy duty nylon straps wrapped around
the
entire A-frame rack until the slab is securely supported with the
mechanical lifting
device (e.g., slab tongs).
c) The pneumatic slab lifting device, already on hand, may be used to lift
slabs
without the need for employees to hold them while standing in the danger
zone.
COLORADO MARBLE & GRANITE, INC. WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION
OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS
CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 302770268, CITATION NUMBER 1, ITEM
NUMBER 1, ISSUED ON 2/16/2000, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT
1265 S. JASON ST., DENVER, CO.
Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required
for this item (See
enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter").

Issued

Feb 16, 2001

Abate by

Mar 14, 2001

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $960 Reduced