OSHA Inspection: DENVER MARBLE COMPANY

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,225 · Current $490 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 crushing injury from unstable
natural stone slabs
during slab transport operations:
(a) Employees in the natural stone storage yard were exposed to crushing
hazards during slab transport operations. During these transport operations
employees were required to tilt up slabs, that were stored at a slight
angle to
the vertical balancing position. The employees were required to lift the
slabs
onto a wooden holding frame. Employees conducted slab handling while in the
danger zone and were subject to crushing injury if the slab tilted toward
the
employee.
Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable abatement methods to
correct this
hazard are as follows:
(a) Institute and enforce a procedure in which employees are prohibited
from
standing in the danger zone of unstable and/or hand-supported stone slabs.
When lifting the slab from the storage position to the vertical position
employees should only handle the slabs at the extreme ends so they would
not
be struck by the slab if it fell. Also, while placing the slab onto the
wooden
storage frame,employees should only support the slab by the ends.
(b) A suitable forklift equipped with slab tongs would greatly facilitate
this
process. If this method of slab transport is used the slabs should be
secured
(e.g., a web belt circling all slabs on the storage rack). The belt could
then be
loosened just enough to hand-raise the slab to the vertical position but
not
enough to allow the slab to fall. When the slab tongs are in place and the
slab
is supported by the forklift the belt could be removed entirely and the
slab
transported to the storage area or into the shop.
Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation is required for
this item
(see enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter").

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $525 · Current $210 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 crushing injury from unstable
natural stone slabs
during slab transport operations: (a) Employees in the natural stone
storage yard were
exposed to crushing hazards during slab transport operations. During these
transport
operations employees were required to tilt up slabs, that were stored at a
slight angle to the
vertical balancing position. The employees were required to lift the slabs
onto a wooden
holding frame. Employees conducted slab handling while in the danger zone
and were subject
to crushing injury if the slab tilted toward the employee. Among other
methods, some
feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are as
follows: (a) Institute
and enforce a procedure in which employees are prohibited from standing in
the
danger zone
of unstable and/or hand-supported stone slabs. When lifting the slab from
the storage position
to the vertical position employees should only handle the slabs at the
extreme ends so they
would not be struck by the slab if it fell. Also, while placing the slab
onto the wooden
storage frame,employees should only support the slab by the ends. (b) A
suitable forklift
equipped with slab tongs would greatly facilitate this process. If this
method of slab transport
is used the slabs should be secured (e.g., a web belt circling all slabs
on the storage rack).
The belt could then be loosened just enough to hand-raise the slab to the
vertical position but
not enough to allow the slab to fall. When the slab tongs are in place and
the slab is
supported by the forklift the belt could be removed entirely and the slab
transported to the
storage area or into the shop. Abatement Note: Abatement certification and
documentation is
required for this item (see enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification
Letter").

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 30, 2003

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $280 Reduced

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Dec 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,225 · Current $490 Reduced

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 30, 2003

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $280 Reduced

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003

Issued

Oct 28, 2003

Abate by

Nov 24, 2003