OSHA Inspection: ALLEGHENY POWER

Issued

Dec 16, 2004

Abate by

Dec 21, 2004

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,250 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 crushing injuries or death from being struck by falling or
swinging loads during
the removal and setting of telephone poles:
(a) Lloyd Avenue, Latrobe PA job site: On or about 10/01/04 an employee
placed
the single leg, steel alloy chain sling in a choker configuration around
the
telephone pole. This configuration could cause the chain to break with
great force
causing serious injury or death from flying chain parts and falling loads.
(b) Lloyd Avenue, Latrobe, PA jobsite: On or about 10/01/04 an employee was
assisting the lifting device by pushing on the butt end on the 38 foot long
telephone pole while operator was attempting to lower the pole to the
ground.
This action contributed to the pole being inadvertently disengaged from
the guide
tongs.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means to correct these
hazards
is to comply with the requirements outlined in the "Altec" D 945/947
Operator's
Manual" Altec Industries Inc. copyright 2001.