OSHA Inspection: HUNTINGTON TN DEPT OF GEN SVS

Issued

May 18, 2010

Abate by

Jun 14, 2010

General-duty citation text

NYSLL Article 2, Section 27-a.3.a(1):  The employer did not furnish to
each of its employees,
employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized
hazards that are causing
or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees
and which will provide
reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, safety or health of its
employees.  In applying
this paragraph, fundamental distinctions between private and public
employment have been
recognized.
a) Huntington Tn General Svs Caledonia Pk - During the performance of his
regularly assigned
duties, a Huntington Town General Service employee was routinely exposed
to caught
between/crushed by hazards while unloading line striping equipment from a
highway vehicle.
The hazard is a known recognized hazard as identified in the Graco Inc.
Line Driver operation
manual.
A Graco Line Driver (model 309402) was connected to a Graco Line Striper
(model
III 3900)
and was being unloaded from a 1987 Chevrolet G30 step van (#GS522). The
equipment was
being unloaded from the rear of the truck using a 96" long x 29.25" wide
metal ramp connected
to the truck at a height of 33" resulting in a ramp angle of 19.47
degrees. While being unloaded
using the ramp the employee was sitting on the Line Driver operator's seat
when the equipment
fell off of the ramp pinning the employee between the ground with the
equipment falling on top
of the employee. The specifications of the combined Line Driver/Line
Striper as provided on
the Graco Inc. website indicate a weight of 487 pounds (Line Driver weight
275 pounds; Line
Striper weight = 212 pounds).
The Graco operation manual (#309402) states on page two: "Do not operate
on slopes greater
than 15 degrees. Loss of traction may occur going downhill."
Reasonable and adequate methods to abate this hazard include, but are not
limited
to:
1) Provide a ramp with a total length of 128" that is strong enough to
support the weight of the
operator, the weight of the Line Driver, the weight of the Line Striper,
the weight of the paint
stored in the container of the Line Striper, and the weight of the
gasoline stored in both fuel
tanks of the equipment. The width of the ramp should be wide enough to
safely permit
maneuverability of the equipment while on the ramp, i.e., 37"-43" wide.
The weight of the ramp
shall not cause a hazard for one employee to be able to put into place.
2) Provide a trailer appropriate for the tasks involved.
3) Provide a truck with a lift gate.