OSHA Inspection: ASPLUNDH TREE EXPERTS CO.

Issued

Jul 10, 2007

Abate by

Jul 16, 2007

Penalty

Initial $2,125 · Current $1,625 Reduced

General-duty citation text

21 VSA Title 2, Chapter 3, Sub-chapter 5, section 223(a): 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: On 5/04/07
employees engaged in tree
trimming operations were exposed to struck-by motor vehicle hazards while
clearing limbs and
branches under power lines adjacent the roadway on the Southbound lane of
Vermont Route 35.
Location: Route 35 South Townsend, Vermont 05353
Violation: No flaggers were used to control high speed traffic while
blocking off one lane in a 50 MPH speed
zone as specified in the ANSI Z-133.1-2006 Safety Requirements for
Arboricultural Operations, Paragraph 3.2
Traffic Control Around the Jobsite Section 3.2.2 Effective means for
controlling pedestrian and vehicular
traffic shall be instituted on every jobsite where necessary, in
accordance with the US Department of
Transportation (DOT) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or
applicable state and local
laws and regulations.
Feasible method of abatement: Among other feasible and acceptable methods
to correct this hazard is to
ensure employees are trained and qualified to be flaggers and are required
to remain  positioned to
control traffic while employees and equipment are occupying one lane of
traffic on a two lane
roadway. These abatement methods are discussed in the US Department of
Transportation Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) section 6H page 24 and were
displayed on the side of the
Asplundh truck located on the site.