OSHA Inspection: NATIONWIDE TOWER COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Apr 28, 2003

Abate by

May 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,000

Issued

Apr 28, 2003

Abate by

May 31, 2003

Issued

Apr 28, 2003

Abate by

May 31, 2003

Issued

Apr 28, 2003

Abate by

May 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $56,000

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 that were free from recognized hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm in that employees working at the KMFC radio tower
site, located south of Centralia,
Missouri, were exposed to hazards of falling or being crushed as a result
of tower failure and collapse.  The
employer's prior visual inspection and evaluation of the structural
integrity of the radio tower was not
provided, nor the danger effectively communicated, to field employees
assigned to work on or around the
tower.  The employer stated in the written inspection report dated October
10, 2002, on the page noted
"Emergency Repair Work"1 that "our inspector finds the tower unsafe to
climb"  The employer additionally
listed sixteen (16) items which required emergency repair.  The employer
also listed three (3) items on the
page noted "Safety Repair Work".2
1 Emergency - Defined in the Nationwide Inspection report as "an item
judged to have a deficiency requiring
immediate attention.  Failure to repair this deficiency may result in
tower
failure, property damage, or injury
to personnel on tower and ground.
2 Safety - Defined in the Nationwide Inspection report as "an item judged
to have a safety deficiency
requireing immediate attention.  Failure to repair this deficiency may
result in physical harm to personnel on
the tower and ground."
One feasible means of abatement would be; when the employer conducts a
visual inspection and composes a
written report identifying emergency and safety items that need to be
addressed, provide the field employees
with a copy of said report and procedures on how to initiate work on site.
Additionally, if the employer intends to conduct demolition or removal or
replacement of the tower, or any
integral supporting structural component thereof, include a survey by a
qualified person to assure that the
tower structure could withstand the loads imposed, when a visual
inspection of the tower, reasonably indicates
that the tower may not withstand such loads such as, but not limited to;
its age, evidence of prior structural
damage or corrosion.
The employer has been previously cited for a 5(a)(1) citation, which
became final order on July 16, 2002,
Docket # 01-2082, Region V, as a result of a fatality investigation by the
Cleveland, Ohio OSHA Office
where an employee of Nationwide Tower fell approximately 400 feet to his
death.  The citation was amended
from willful to serious and reads, from the Settlement Agreement, Item 2
of Citation 2 shall be affirmed as
Serious and amended as follows:
The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment, which
was free from recognized
hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical
harm in that, at the Adelphia Tower site
at 178 Underridge Road E. in Conneaut, Ohio, Respondents evaluation of the
structural integrity of a
telecommunications tower prior to commencing work on the tower did not
consider all aspects of the condition
of the tower and potential hazards to employees who were required to work
on such tower.
One feasible means of abatement would, when results of Respondents intends
to conduct demolition or
removal or replacement of the tower or an intergral supporting structural
component thereof, include a survey
by a qualified person to assure that the tower structure could withstand
the loads imposed when a visual
inspection of the tower, its age, evidence of prior structural damage or
corrosion reasonably indicates that the
tower may not withstand such loads.
Respondent represented that the violation in Citation 2 had been abated.