OSHA Inspection: PAUL GERBER GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Issued

2008-05-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-04 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2100.00 · Current $1680.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Nevada Revised Statute 618.375(2):  The employer failed to furnish and use
such safety devices
and safeguards, and adopt and use such practices, means, methods,
operations and processes as
were reasonably adequate to render such employment and places of
employment safe and comply
with all orders issued by the Division:
The employer failed to ensure that the place of employment was free from
recognized hazards
in that:
At the Roma Hills construction site, a crew of stucco employees were
tasked to apply stucco
"mud" to the outside of a two story home under construction.  At
approximately 0900 hrs. an
employee turned off the stucco pump due to a clog in one of the "mud"
hoses.  As Employee
#1 bent over to pick up a coupling connection between two of the hoses,
the metal shank
coupling located inside and between the two hoses, suddenly broke in half
and the connector
end, still under pressure, whipped up and struck Employee #1 in the head,
face and neck area.
Employee #1 was knocked to the ground face down bleeding from the mouth
and nose.  As a
result Employee #1 was transported to a nearby hospital unconscious having
sustained massive
head and neck injuries and after two days was pronounced dead due to blunt
force trauma to the
head:
a.The General Foreman did not have a pressure relief value installed at the
manifold of the Western Manufacturing Predator G450 gasoline pumper. If the
pumper had been equipped with a pressure relief valve the valve could have
relieved the pressure inside the hoses and therefore may have averted the
accident.  Reference:  Western Manufacturing Predator Pumps Instruction
Manual
pages 17, 18 and 37.
b.The General Foreman was using a SK21 Dixon Valve metal super king long
shank coupling as a permanent coupling instead of the required internal
expansion
coupling between the two hoses.  The shank coupling, rated for only 150
psi, had
worn out and broke at the time of the accident due to the abrasive sand and
plastic cement of the stucco mixture. The pumper was, at a minimum, rated
at
700 psi.  Reference:  Dixon Valve & Coupling Company, Product Catalog
Online
page 234 and also online Pressure Chart.
c.The General Foreman was not aware that the clamps, holding the metal long
shank coupling inside the Goodyear hoses, were required to be offset to
prevent
a leak path.  Reference:  Dixon Coupling Procedures, Procedure 2100,
paragraph
4f, Note:  "When multiple clamps are used, clamp buckles must be offset to
prevent a leak path" and also Procedure 2100, paragraph 3h, Note.
One feasible and acceptable abatement method would be to follow
requirements set forth
in the Western Manufacturing Predator pumper and Dixon Valve & Coupling
Company
instruction manuals for the pump and couplings.

Issued

2008-05-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-07 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2100.00 · Current $1680.00 Reduced

Issued

2008-05-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-17 00:00:00

Issued

2008-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-06 00:00:00