OSHA Inspection: TREE POWER

Issued

2003-03-24 00:00:00

Abate by

2003-05-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1500.00 · Current $1000.00 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 being struck by a falling tree during tree
removal operations:
a)Jobsite:  The employer did not provide training for the employees
engaged in tree
removal operations, to insure that the employees were aware of the hazards
associated with the employees specific work environment, on or about
9-25-02.
b)Jobsite:  The employee topping out the tree was exposed to the hazard of
being
struck by the falling tree, on or about 9-25-02.
c)Jobsite:  The employees operating the gasoline driven chain saws were not
wearing eye and/or face protection or chaps, on or about 9-25-02.
d)Jobsite:  The employees operating the wood chipper were not wearing eye
and/or
face protection, on or about 9-25-02.
e)Jobsite:  The employees were riding the crane ball, on or about 9-25-02.
Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible abatement method to
reduce these hazards is to provide training and information to employees in
a carefully planned out manner prior to any tree work, such as specified in
American National Standard Institute (ANSI Z133.1 - 1994). "Safety
requirements for Tree Pruning, Trimming, Repairing or Removal"
Sections:
4.2 Personal Protective Equipment
6.3 Brush Chippers
9.0 Work Procedures for Climbing
9.4 Topping/Lowering Limbs
9.5 Felling
9.6 Brush Removal and Chippers