OSHA Inspection: EXPERT ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE CORP.

Issued

Mar 6, 2008

Abate by

Mar 14, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,100 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 the hazard of falling down an exposed elevator shaft.  The
hoistway door unlocking
device was bypassed to allow unlocking of the hoistway door from the
access landing without
special keys or tools.
At the facility, 66 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012, floors 1,4,6,7
On or about 01/28/08
Hoistway door unlocking devices, for the freight elevator 1F5617, were
modified/bypassed by
tying & taping one end of a short length of cord to the devices & hanging
the other end between
the doors on the access landing side.  This was done to allow anyone, by
pulling on the cord,
to open the hoistway doors from the access landing side without special
keys or tools.
Employees would open the doors in order to lean in and determine the
location of the elevator
car.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard is to comply
with the American National Standards Safety Code for Existing Elevators
and Escalators
stipulated by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) ASME
A17.1 2000.
1) Follow section 8.6.1.6.1 "Making Safety Devices Inoperative or
Ineffective" which states that
no person shall at any time make any required safety devices or electrical
protective devices
inoperative, except when necessary during test, inspection, and
maintenance, provided that the
installation is first removed from normal operation.  Such devices shall
be restored to their
normal operating condition in conformity with the applicable requirements
prior to returning the
equipment to service (see 2.26.7 and 8.6.1.6).
2) Enforce and comply with ANSI A17.1.1971,2000 and/or ASME 17.3 -
1993,1996,2000.
3) Instruct employees on the dangers of bypassing the elevator locks,
interlocks, and/or switches.
4) Inspect all elevator locks, interlocks, and/or switches for objects
used to bypass them.
Remove objects found and do not allow use/operation of the elevator
doors/cars until the objects
are removed.
NOTE: THE EMPLOYER IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT CERTIFICATION OF
ABATEMENT FOR THIS ITEM, FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN AN
ADDITIONAL PENALTY OF $1,000.00 AS PER 29 CFR 1903.19.