OSHA Inspection: WENGER EXCAVATING INC.

Issued

May 25, 2004

Abate by

May 28, 2004

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $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 harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
An employee was working/walking within the swing radius of a backhoe
machine which was not blocked off or
guarded to prevent accidental entry into the area.
There are at least three methods of abatement for swing excavators:
1.The area surrounding the excavator/track hoe can be guarded with a
barrier guard attached to the vehicle in
such a way that it extends beyond the swinging body/counter weight
preventing entry of workers to this radius of
the machine.
2.Since the trackhoe is often times moving, barricade a designated portion
of the work area where the trackhoe
will be working making the area "off limits" to personnel (i.e.extend the
warning line 150 feet beyond the
excavator and 10ft. to it's side) eliminating the risk of accidental
contact
with employees while being used.
3.Use a safety monitor designated to monitor the immediate area around the
trackhoe while in operation. If this
procedure is to be used, additional training of both the designated safety
monitor and potentially exposed
employees would be required.