OSHA Inspection: ABX AIR, INC.

Issued

May 11, 2006

Abate by

Jun 14, 2006

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent 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 falling and impact hazards should trailers creep or be
moved from the dock
while employees are inside, or while employees are loading/unloading,
pushing carts, and
moving into and out of the trailers:
a)  North side of the building, dock door 20 -- a trailer was moved from
the dock before
the trailer door was closed and sealed, after it had left the facility, on
or about 3/20/06.
The employer failed to implement, communicate and enforce a definitive
procedure to
ensure that trailers are not removed from the dock door(s) before they are
closed, sealed,
and ready to be pulled from the dock.
Among other methods, one feasible and accepted method to correct this
hazard
is to
install and enforce the use of vehicle restraints which prevent trailers
from pulling away
from the dock before released (such as Dok-Loks); implement and enforce a
lock-out
procedure (such as "The Salvo Process") which will not allow air back into
the trailer
to release the trailer brakes, making it impossible for the trailer to be
moved until
released; implement and enforce a wheel chocking procedure which would
assign
responsibility to certain individuals (and only those individuals) to
install and remove
chocks, thereby preventing unintended movement and signalling to the
driver that it is
safe to depart; implement, communicate and enforce a procedure in which
loading
employees (and only loading employees) are responsible for sealing doors
and signalling
drivers that it is safe to depart; and/or to implement and enforce a
procedure in which
yard employees or contracted drivers walk to the back of the trailer to
make certain the
door is closed and it's safe to depart.
Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after
abatement date.
The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete,
date and method
of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed
of this
abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating
that
abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of
equipment,
photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.