OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN COTTON GROWERS

Issued

2008-09-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-10-17 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2125.00 · Current $1275.00 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 condition(s) listed below:
a) On July 14, 2008, and for a period of time prior to that date, a
personnel platform (also
called a "man basket") was used by employees engaged in inventory work in
the warehouse and
shipping department, or engaged in adustments, repairs and/or cleanup on
the sanforizer line.
This platform was not equipped with any means of attaching it firmly to
the carriage of the fork
lift that hoisted it. Employees were thus exposed to the hazards of broken
bones, internal
injuries, or a broken back, in the event that the platform were dislodged
from the forks while
it was elevated with employees in it.
One feasible method of abatement is to weld a clamp, clevis, or hasp
mechanism
on to the
personnel platform so that it can be secured to either the forks or the
carriage of the fork lift.