OSHA Inspection: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY

Issued

Jun 20, 2003

Abate by

Jul 23, 2003

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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 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 the load free falling to the elevator pit
while an employee was
riding on the load and/or struck by recoiling cable:
a) HOISTWAY #14, 30 Hudson St., Jersey City, NJ:
The employer did not insure, by providing and requiring the use of a
Torque wrench, that the
fist grips which were used to form the lifting eye on the portable hoist
rope were properly
installed to safely hold the load. The Crosby fist grip clips, model G-429
manufacturers
application instructions & warnings are printed on the packaging in which
fist grips are received.
i.e.,torque the nuts to 65 foot pounds as instructed in table #1 of the
package
as well as insuring
employees follow the instructions on pages 81,88,91 & 93 of the Otis
Employee Safety
Handbook,(7/00 edition.)
"Among other methods, the following feasible and acceptable abatement
methods to correct this
hazard are:
1) Prepare and provide to employees a Standard Operating Procedure for the
Safe Installation
of Traction Elevators. Procedures should include instructions for clearing
obstructions in a safe
manner to eliminate employees riding the load to clear obstructions from
hoist ways under
construction as recommended in the " Installation Manual, Basic Field
Practices For Installation
of Elevator Equipment", published by the National Elevator Manufacturing
Industry in 1970
which recommends in chapter 2, page27," Never let anyone "ride the ball"
or ride with a load
of material on a hoist" , and also chapter 3, page 51, para.4," No men
should be permitted to
"ride the ball" or a load of material!".
These recommendations are also contained in the 2001 edition of
"Installation Manual, Basic
Field Practices for Installation of Elevators and Escalators, in chapter
2, page 27 and also in
chapter 3, page 51 which is published by Elevator World Magazine.
2) Provide and enforce the use of Torque wrenches to follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
warnings to install wire rope clips properly for safe lifting."
Violation occurred on 12/23/02.