OSHA Inspection: SUPREME TRANSPORTATION, INC.

Issued

Sep 25, 2003

Abate by

Oct 28, 2003

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,500

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not
provide a place of employment that was free from recognized hazards that
were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed
to
a crush hazard
between the loading dock and moving trailers.
Dock Area, Door #4, 1300 Michael, Wood Dale, IL.  On 8/3/03, a 17-year-old
temporary agency employee under the supervision of Supreme Transportation,
Inc., was
fatally injured when his head was caught between the loading dock wall and
the back end
of a 53-foot trailer.  The trailer, which was uncoupled and spotted at the
time of the
accident, moved back toward the dock several inches when the driver
attempted to hook
it up to the tractor's fifth wheel to pull it away from the dock.  The
employee was
standing in the open dock door with his head extended outside the door.
No safety
practices were utilized to keep the employee from being at the open dock
door behind
the moving trailer.  The employer did not establish dock safety rules and
train employees
accordingly.  Supervision of the employee was not adequate.  No means were
used to
keep the trailer from coming in direct contact with the dock wall, such as
bumpers.
DOCUMENTATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM
Feasible methods of abatement, among others, include:
1)Develop and implement a dock safety program for employees, which
includes the
following provisions:
a)Policy prohibiting employees from standing/working near the edge of the
dock, when tractor trailers are moving, entering or leaving the dock area.
b)System for notifying truck drivers when it is safe to enter and exit the
dock area.
c)Policy that trailers are not to be hooked up or moved until the truck
driver
has verified, or another employee has verified and communicated to the
truck driver, that all employees and equipment have been removed from
the trailer and surrounding dock area.
d)Procedures for employees serving as spotters for truck drivers, including
where they will stand and how they will communicate with drivers (e.g.,
verbal, hand signals, flags, etc.)  Consider having spotters and other dock
workers wear reflective clothing or vests to increase their visibility to
drivers.
e)Conduct a job safety hazard analysis of the types of tasks employees
perform and determine the extent of their exposure to hazards.
f)Train all affected employees on established procedures and recognition of
hazards.  Provide additional training and supervision for inexperienced or
new employees and limit their exposure to hazardous tasks and areas.
g)Monitor work practices to assure compliance with safety rules.  Establish
and enforce discipline policy.
2.At all loading dock doors, utilize method to prevent trailers from
coming into
direct contact with dock wall, such as properly sized bumpers to
accommodate
all trailer types.
Abatement note:  For assistance in developing a safety program or
performing job hazard
analysis, see the National Safety Council's Motor Fleet Safety Manual,
Chapter
7
"Employee Safety Program" and Chapter 14 "Job Safety Analysis", 4th
Edition, 1996,
1121 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, IL 60143-3201, www.nsc.org.

Issued

Sep 25, 2003

Abate by

Sep 30, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not
provide a place of employment that was free from recognized hazards that
were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees who did not
wear seatbelts while
operating powered industrial trucks equipped with them were exposed to
having
their head and
torso entrapped between the truck and ground in the event of a tip over
accident.
Warehouse area.  Employees drove Toyota lift trucks and did not wear the
seatbelts
provided on the trucks.
NO DOCUMENTATION OR CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM
Feasible means of abatement would include wearing seatbelts at all times
while operating
powered industrial trucks provided with them in compliance with the
following American
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)/American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)
Safety Standards:
ASME/ANSI B56.1-1988, Section 5.3.19, Powered Industrial Trucks
ASME/ANSI B56.1a-1989, Addenda to ASME/ANSI B56.1-1988
ASME/ANSI B56.1-1993, Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks

Issued

Sep 25, 2003

Abate by

Sep 30, 2003

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $750

Issued

Sep 25, 2003

Abate by

Sep 30, 2003