OSHA Inspection: REPUBLIC WASTE SERVICE OF TEXAS LP

Issued

Sep 20, 2004

Abate by

Oct 23, 2004

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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 following conditions:
a)On or about June 18, 2004 the employer did not protect employees from the
recognized hazards of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, while employees
loaded
garbage onto garbage trucks for disposal, on the curbside and back door
routes.
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard include:
(1)Establishing an acclimation program for new employees.
(2)Establishing a mandatory work/rest schedule for employees.
(3)Establishing a heat stress monitoring program for employees.
(4)Establishing an initial and annual heat stress training program for all
high risk
employees. The program shall address the following:
a.Sources of heat transfer, i.e. metabolism, radiation, convection.
b.Physical responses to heat and first aid measures to take to alleviate
symptoms.
c.Physical indications that a worker should be removed from the job/task.
d.Administrative and work practice controls in use such as diet, salt
intake,
acclimation...
e.Medical and social conditions that affect heat tolerance: i.e. acute or
chronic illness, alcohol intake, drugs.
f.Description of heat stress program and responsibilities of enforcement.
g.Providing ice and water-cooled garments for employees.
h.Assigning and utilizing relief workers and/or extra workers to reduce
heat
stress on workers.
i.Establishing a water/electrolyte replenishment program for employees.
j.Establishing an appropriate medical surveillance program for employees.
The employer is not limited to the abatement methods suggested by OSHA,
i.e., methods
explained are general and may not be effective in all cases. Other methods
of abatement may
be equally or more appropriate. Ultimate responsibility for determining
the most appropriate
abatement rest with the employer, given its superior knowledge of specific
conditions on its
worksite.