OSHA Inspection: PRICES' UTILITY CONTRACTORS,INC

Issued

Jan 16, 2001

Abate by

Jan 26, 2001

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $750 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:
1301 South Shackleford Road, Little Rock, AR 72211:  At the job site, in
addition to the
machine operator, employees were riding on a New Holland 555 E
backhoe/loader.  The
employees were standing on the step plates and holding onto the grab
handles while
riding.  The machine was not equipped with a safe place for passengers.
The employees
were exposed to the hazard of falling off of the step plates and being
struck by the back
wheel(s) of the machine.
Among other methods, two feasible and acceptable abatement methods to
correct this
hazard are as follows:
1)  The development and enforcement of a work rule prohibiting
unauthorized personnel
(employees other than the driver) from riding on the backhoe/loader.
2)  Provide motorized carts on job sites where work areas are significant
distances from
job trailers, material storage areas, etc. so that employees other than
the backhoe
operator may ride from place to place.
The employer is not limited to the recommended abatement methods.  It is
possible that
the methods may not be effective in all circumstances.