OSHA Inspection: TRUCK SERVICE, INC.

Issued

Mar 31, 2003

Abate by

May 3, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,750

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of North Carolina:  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 struck by hazard(s):
a)on or about 9 Oct 2002, near US Highway 74 and Interstate
85 interchange, employee was exposed to struck by
hazard(s) due to improper use of equipment.  Air was
released into air bag suspension components for the
purpose of elevating the trailer height to perform
trailer repair.  Air bags were not restricted by an
assembled suspension system or other adequate support
structure.
b)on or about 9 Oct 2002, near US Highway 74 and Interstate
85 interchange, appropriate equipment such as trailer
jack(s) and jack stand(s) of adequate capacity and
lifting range (i.e. loading height) were not used for
road side trailer repair of trailer suspension.
Among other feasible means, one feasible and acceptable
abatement method to correct these hazards are:
1) The use of heavy hydraulic or pneumatic jack(s), crane or
tow truck of adequate capacity;
2) The placement of jack stands underneath the trailer, once
the trailer is elevated a sufficient height for the
repair work to be performed safely;
3) Make mandatory job safety practices that require that air
bag assemblies not be used for purposes not intended by
the manufacture such as elevating trailers, trucks or
other vehicles unless the air bag assembly for trailer or
vehicle repair/maintenance purposes;
4) Document and enforce the implemented procedures; and
5) Train mechanics/service department personnel in
procedures/work rules forbidding the use of air bags
assemblies to elevate trailers, trucks or other vehicles
for the purpose trailer or truck repair.  Air bag
assemblies must be inflated only when restricted by
completely assembled suspension systems including the
attachment of shock absorbers at their mounting brackets.
Or in the alternative 29 CFR 1910.244(a)(1)(i):  The operator
did not make sure that the jack used had a rating sufficient
to lift and sustain the load:
a)jobsite, bottle jacks used by mechanics and
provided by the employer did not have an adequate
capacity and/or lifting range (i.e. loading height)
to elevate the trailer for the required repairs.
Or in the alternative 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):  The employer did
not establish a program for control of hazardous energy
(lockout/tagout) which consisted of control procedures,
employee training, and periodic inspections to ensure that
before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on
a machine or equipment, procedures would isolate the machine
and render it inoperative, preventing the unexpected start up,
energization, or release of energy:
a)jobsite, the employer had not developed procedures
forbidding the use of air bag assemblies to elevate
vehicles unless the air bag assembly is restricted
by a completely assembled suspension system and had
not trained employees of the hazards of air
pressure associated with inflated, unrestricted air
bag assemblies.d