OSHA Inspection: WHITE WAY SIGN & MAINTENANCE CO.

Issued

2003-10-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2003-10-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1750.00 · Current $1225.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer failed to
provide a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that
were likely to
cause death or serious physical harm to employees:
(a)  On or about August 27, 2003, at the above address job site, an
employee of Chellino
Crane Rental,Inc. operated a crane which lifted a man basket carrying two
White Way Sign
& Maintenance Co. employees to an approximate height of 40 - 50 feet.
Alternate ways to
gain access to the area to perform the required work without the use of a
crane and
manbasket were not initially investigated.  In addition, the crane was not
equipped with a
positive acting device which prevents contact between the load block or
overhaul ball and the
boom tip (anti-two-blocking device), or by a system to deactivate the
hosting action before
damage occurs in the event of a two-blocking situation (two block damage
prevention
feature). The employees in the man basket were thereby exposed to the
hazards associated
with falls of approximately 40-50 feet.
A feasible means of abatement would have been to gain access to a lower
roof by an
alternate method. Where a man basket was the only way to perform the work
a feasible
means of abatement would be to provide a positive acting device which
prevents contact
between the load block or overhaul ball and the boom tip
(anti-two-blocking device), or by a
system to deactivate the hosting action before damage occurs in the event
of a two-blocking
situation (two block damage prevention feature) in accordance with the man
basket  and
crane manufacturer's requirements and ASME/ANSI B30.5 1989.