OSHA Inspection: SOUTHERN GLAZING SERVICES, INC.

Issued

Feb 12, 2008

Abate by

Mar 10, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $1,000 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 to
employees in that employees
were exposed to:
a) Two employees were operating a Skyjack 66TK articulating aerial lift at
a job site on a grade
of seven degrees, two degrees over the prescribe limit of five degrees for
the lift. The job site
was at the Flint Energy Building located at 98 Carl Vinson Parkway Warner,
Robins, Georgia
31088. The lift had the Operating Manual and Manual of Responsibilities on
board in the manual
compartment. It was clear that the equipment was being operated on a slope
and that it might
be too much of an incline for the lift to operate on. In this case, the
operation of the lift on a
slope greater than five degrees, resulted in the tipping over of the lift
and two fatalities on or
about 8-29-2007.
The slope of the land was recognizable and the manual addressed the
hazards of operating on
a slope or uneven services. There is caution warning throughout the
Operating
Manual, but
especially in section 1, page 2 where tip-over hazards are addressed in
visual and written
description. Section 1, page 1 states that lifting and elevated driving
MUST be on a flat, level,
compacted surface. Also in the Manual of Responsibilities page 9 it
address that the aerial
platform shall not be operated in any manner on grades, side slopes, or
ramps exceeding those
for which the aerial platform is rated by the manufacture.
There were feasible and useful methods to correct the hazard such as but
not limited too:
1) By following the Operating Manual and the Manual of Responsibilities.
2) The area could have been graded so as to reduce the seven degree slope
to more of a flat
service for the lift to operate on.
In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required
for this violation
(using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Feb 12, 2008

Abate by

Mar 10, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,900 Reduced