OSHA Inspection: AMBASSADOR SERVICES INC.

Issued

Oct 1, 2003

Abate by

Oct 6, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,675 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 being struck by objects tipping over such as a
spreader used to off load
cargo from a ship:
a. South Cargo Pier #5, employees were in progress of off-loading
containers and other
cargo from a ship known as "The Ascension". While in progress of changing
the lifting
spreader from a small to a larger spreader in order to properly handle the
cargo the
larger spreader fell over into the cargo bay fatally injuring one
employee. The spreader
was stored between the containers and the bulkhead (rear cargo bay wall)
and was
leaning against the bulkhead, once the containers were removed the
spreader was free
standing without being secured from movement. When the hoisting cables
were
raised
and passed through from the one side of the spreader to the other side in
an effort to
attach it to the crane hook the spreader started to tip over and
subsequently fell into the
cargo bay fatally injuring one employee who was caught by the falling
spreader.
One feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct these hazard is to
follow the
requirements of American National Standards Institute / American Society
of Mechanical
Engineers (ANSI/ASME) standard B30.20-1993 "Below the Hook Lifting
Devices",
chapter 20-1, section 20-1.6.4(c) titled "Lifting Device Operating
Practices", which states
that "The lifter shall be applied to the load in accordance with
established procedures".