OSHA Inspection: IRISH WELDING SUPPLY CORP.

Issued

Dec 14, 2007

Abate by

Dec 28, 2007

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $100 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 crushing injuries while standing/working in the loading
dock area directing
motor vehicles such as, but not limited to, tractor trailers
operating/traveling in reverse gear:
a) On or about 9/7/07, employees were exposed to being crushed between
dock wall and the rear
end of the trailer.  Employee was acting has the "helper" assisting the
driver in backing up his
53 foot trailer into the dock bay.  The employee's head was pinned between
the dock wall and
rear end of the trailer, resulting in fractures to his skull and hearing
loss.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard are to:
1) Follow NY State Commercial Driving manual (Pages 11 & 12 section 2.2.4)
under backing
safety; 2) use of high visibility vest; 3) use a system for notifying
drivers when it safe to enter
dock area; 4) prohibit employees from standing in dock bay when a
truck/trailer is
revering/moving or has the potential to move; 5) develop and implement
procedures for
employees serving as spotter/helper for drivers, to include where they
will stand and how they
will communicate with drivers (e.g., verbal, hand signals, flags, etc.)
ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED