OSHA Inspection: GENTLE GIANT MOVING COMPANY

Issued

Aug 6, 2009

Abate by

Aug 11, 2009

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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 physical harm in that
employees were exposed
to severe multiple injuries or death from a fall hazard in excess of 12
ft. Two employees in
involved in moving furniture, were lowering a large piece of furniture
over a hand railing using
manual hoisting techniques, when the piece dropped suddenly during the
"break-over", causing
the railing to break and pulling the two workers over the edge of the
porch to the ground below.
One feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to: 1) use
safety lines attached to
building surfaces to protect those lifting and lowering pieces from falls
and allow for additional
leverage points 2) avoid having hoist crews near the edge of elevated
floors during hoisting
operations 3) use an additional belay line attached to a fixed object
sufficient to sustain the load
imposed on it during the "break over" period of the lift.
A) LOCATION: 66 MILK STREET, WESTBORO, MA:  TWO EMPLOYEES WERE
EXPOSED TO A FALL HAZARD OVER 12 FT WHEN THE METHODS USED TO LOWER
A LARGE PIECE OF FURNITURE OVER AN EXISTING PORCH RAILING CAUSED THE
EXISTING RAILING TO FAIL. MANUAL RIGGING METHODS USED TO LOWER THE
PIECE OVER THE RAILING ALLOWED THE PIECE TO DROP SUDDENLY, PLACING
AN IMPACT STRESS ON THE RAILING WELL OVER ITS DESIGN STRENGTH.