OSHA Inspection: BIRD CONSTRUCTION CO INC

Issued

Jul 20, 2007

Abate by

Aug 22, 2007

Penalty

Initial $1,200

General-duty citation text

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act:  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 physical harm to employees in
that employees were
exposed to:
Ref. 10 OSH 1926.16(a) ... In no case shall the prime contractor be
relieved of overall
responsibility for the compliance with the requirements of this part for
all work to be
performed under the contract.
Ref. Multy-employer Policy
Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico:
El patrono no
proveyo empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten
causando o que
puedan causar muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados
estaban expuestos
a:
Ref. 10 OSH 1926.16(a) ... En ningun caso se relevara al contratista
general de la
responsabilidad general de cumplir con los requisitos de esta Parte para
todos los
trabajos que se realizaran bajo el contrato.
Ref. Politica de  Multy-employer
Bird Construction Corporation was the prime contractor at Ocean View and
HEMCO Electrical
and Mechanical Associates, S.E. worked under contract for them at this
establishment.
Bird Construction as General Contractor failed to excercise his authority
in order to enforce their
safety and heal program on the entire project.  As a result of the lack of
enforcement,
subcontractors did not keep employees clear of loads lifted and of
suspended loads under the
following circumstances in one instance.
On March 16, 2007 at the construction of the Ocean View building located
at Isla Verde Avenue
Carolina Puerto Rico, employees were exposed to the hazard of being
struck.  It was observed
a bucket containing concrete was transported continuously over employees
by a crane from a
truck, located on the street, to the top of northern side of the building.
This bucket was being
moved over HEMCO ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ASSOC S.E. employees working on
southern side of the tenth floor of the building under construction (this
is the side of the building
next to the street), and onto the northern side of the tenth floor of the
building (the side next to
the beach).  These employees worked installing electrical connections
beneath the path used to
move the previously described suspended load.
Buckets containing cement used in construction tend to accumulate cement
on its outer surface
that dry and fall during its transportation.  In addition, this situation
presents the hazard of
cement accumulations falling from the bucket on employees working beneath.
These employees worked and walked on top of a mat of structural steel rods
as well as lines of
post-tension wires laid on a mold.  Walking and working over a surface
that makes it impossible
to move freely augments the possibility of an accident.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard are:
1. Removing the employees before moving the loads
2. Moving the loads on paths where no employees work or walk below.
Bird Construction Corporation era el contratista General en la
construccion de Ocean View y
HEMCO ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATES, S.E., trabajaba para ellos en
este establecimiento bajo un contrato.
Bird Construction Corporation como contratista general fallo en ejercer su
autoridad de forma
que se asegurase del cumplimiento de su programa de seguridad y salud en
el proyecto
completo.  Como resultado de la falta de esta aplicacion los
subcontratistas no mantuvieron a
los  empleados libres de las cargas que se levantaron o de cargas
suspendidas en una instancia
bajo las siguientes circumstancias:
El 16 de marzo de 2007 en la construccion del edificio Ocean View,
localizada en la Avenida
Isla Verde Carolina Puerto Rico, los empleados estuvieron expuestos a ser
golpeados.  Se
observo a una grua transportar continuamente sobre empleados un canasto
con cemento desde
un camion, localizado en la carretera, hasta la parte superior del norte
del edificio.  Este canasto
era movido sobre empleados de HEMCO ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ASSOC S.E. que
trabajaban en el decimo piso de la parte sur del edificio (esto es el lado
del edificio que daba
hacia la carretera), y hacia el decimo piso de la parte norte del edificio
(el lado al lado de la
playa).  Estos empleados trabajaban instalando conexiones electricas
debajo del paso utilizado
para mover la carga suspendida previamente descrita.
Los canastos de cemento utilizados en la construccio tienden a acumular
cemento en su
superficie exterior que seca y cae durante su transportacion.  En adicion,
esta situacion presenta
el riesgo de que la acumulacion de cemento caiga desde el canasto sobre
empleados que se
encuentren debajo.
Estos empleados trabajaban y caminaban sobre una malla de varillas de
construccion y lineas de
cable post-tensado que descansaban sobre un molde.  Caminar y trabajar
sobre una superficie
que hace imposible moverse libremente aumenta la posibilidad de un
accidente.
Entre otros metodos, metodos accesibles y aceptables para corregir este
riesgo lo son:
1. Remover los empleados antes de comenzar a mover las cargas.
2. Mover las cargas por una ruta donde los empleados no trabajen ni
caminen.

Issued

Jul 20, 2007

Abate by

Aug 22, 2007

Issued

Jul 20, 2007

Abate by

Aug 22, 2007

Penalty

Initial $25,000

Issued

Jul 20, 2007

Abate by

Aug 22, 2007

Issued

Jul 20, 2007

Abate by

Aug 22, 2007