OSHA Inspection: RAILWAY TRANSFER & STORAGE

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $400 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 associated with the movement of rail cars in a rail yard.  On
or before June 11, 2001, employees
of Railway Transfer & Storage Co. were engaged in a rail car switching
operation which involved the
movement of a rail car from one track to another on company property.  The
crew consisted of two
employees, one operating a front end loader used to move the rail cars in
the rail yard, and another employee
to assist in setting the hand brake of the rail car.  During the movement
of the rail car it was determined that
the car had been transferred to the wrong track.  The front end loader
operator stopped pushing the rail car
allowing it to roll freely and requested the other employee to set the
hand brake and stop the car from rolling.
The assistant hand brake operator had not been trained in the proper
procedures for rail car movement
operations and had minimal experience working in a rail yard.  While
trying to board the moving rail car, the
hand brake operator was, consequently, exposed to the hazards of a
crushing and/or amputation-type of injury.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to control the
hazard is: (1) Establish a policy
requiring mandatory training of all switching crew members in all aspects
of the job prior to their assignment
to such work; (2) Prohibit rail cars from being moved or otherwise set
into motion if the brakeman is not in
proper position on the car to be moved; (3) Prohibit employees from
getting on or off moving cars; (4)
Provide a rail car positioning device, with rail car couplers, on the
front end loader to maintain continuous
control of the rail cars during moving operations.

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Penalty

Initial $450 · Current $250 Reduced

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 30, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 30, 2001

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 30, 2001

Penalty

Initial $450 · Current $250 Reduced

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Sep 17, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 2, 2001

Issued

Aug 30, 2001

Abate by

Oct 30, 2001