OSHA Inspection: W. KOST MANUFACTURING

Issued

Dec 19, 2007

Abate by

Jan 7, 2008

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $875 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards
that were causing
or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employee(s) exposed
to struck-by hazards
while moving railcars to load and unload.
At the lumber yard storage area, employee(s) were using forklift(s) such
as, but not limited to
Yale, Unit #NE000790, Model #GDP170DB, Serial #C876E01659C, that was not
designed
and/or equipped to position railcars for loading/unloading.  The forklift
was placed at the back
of the railcar, at an approximate 45 degree angle to move the railcar
while a second employee
acted as a brakeman and rode the railcar to a stop.  The employee(s) were
exposed to being
struck by the forks in the event of slippage as pressure was applied to
move the railcar or pinned
against the railcar in the event of instability or tip-over of the
forklift since there was a four to
six inch drop-off at the edge of the platform.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct this
hazard would be:
a)Utilize car puller(s) consisting of a mechanical winch/wire rope spindle
system
and hook to pull/move rail car in either direction.  This would require
that the employer also
provide protection to the car puller operator by placing them behind steel
plating at the time of
the pull to prevent being struck-by wire rope in the event of failure
and/or breakage, and to
install a warning system so that all employee(s) in the rail area would be
warned that a railcar
pull was being initiated and/or in process of being moved.  The warning
system would be active
until the railcar move was completed.
b)Utilize a forklift-propelled railcar mover.  This system involves
placing the railcar
mover onto an embedded track by the forklift.  Then ramps are lowered to
drive the forklift onto
the car mover where the forklift transmission drive is used to move the
railcar
either forward
or backward.  This system would allow the operator to have complete
control over the railcar
including moving, braking and stopping.
c)Utilize portable, battery, or gas powered hand-operated or radio
controlled railcar
movers.  This system would allow the operator to have complete control
over the railcar
including moving, braking and stopping.
d)Complete yard platform up to and in-between rails allowing up to/all
four railcars
to be positioned during unloading and loading, so that a locomotive can
move the railcars instead
of relying on other mechanical means.
Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the
requirements of 29
CFR 1903.19(d).s

Issued

Dec 19, 2007

Abate by

Jan 7, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,375 · Current $725 Reduced

Issued

Dec 19, 2007

Abate by

Jan 7, 2008

Issued

Dec 19, 2007

Abate by

Jan 7, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,375 · Current $725 Reduced

Issued

Dec 19, 2007

Abate by

Jan 7, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,375 · Current $725 Reduced