OSHA Inspection: SMALLWOOD DESIGN GROUP/SMALLWOOD LANDSCAPE, INC.

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Sep 7, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

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 are exposed to a crushing and/or drowning hazard due to
potential roll-over when
operating ride-on mowers on an embankment which has wet grass, and a slope
ranging from
15 degrees to 21 degrees, in close proximity to the edge of a large body
of water, on or
about 3/10/03.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard
would be to develop and implement an effective written operator training
program for the
mower operators which incorporates, at a minimum, that supervisors and
operators be
thoroughly trained in the safe operating practices for the mowers, and in
the recognition of
potentially hazardous conditions, such as those stated in the "Training
and Operation
sections" of the American National Standard for Commercial Turf Care
Equipment, ANSI
B71.4-1999, and in the "Site Preparation/Circumstances and Mowing Slopes
sections" of the
manufacturers Operation and Safety Manual for the Bob-Cat ZT 200 EFI
Series Ride-On
Mowers.