OSHA Inspection: BUFFALO CITY AUTO IMPOUND

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Nov 11, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Nov 11, 2013

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)The employer did not keep the workplace free from recognized hazards to
which
their employees were exposed. In the impound garage, employees were exposed
to pieces of plaster, glass, and roofing material falling from the
roof/ceiling in
bays 1 and 2 to the garage floor. Pieces of plaster, up to 10 inches by 12
inches
by 1/2 inch thick, have fallen from the ceiling. Pieces of glass, up to 5
inches by
10 inches by 1/2 inch thick, have fallen from the roof and upper walls.
Pieces of
roofing material, up to 6 inches by 12 inches, by 1 inch thick, have
fallen from
the roof. This exposes employees to the hazard of being struck by pieces of
plaster and glass falling about 35 feet to the floor below. There are no
OSHA or
PESH standards which address this specific hazard.
The hazard was recognized. Large pieces of plaster and glass falling into
occupied areas
of the garage present obvious hazards to employees. The employer was aware
that falling
debris presents a hazard as they have implemented abatement measures in
the past. One
section of broken windows had been covered with sheet metal to prevent
plaster and glass
from falling. The employer had barricaded an area, subject to falling
debris, with plastic
snow fence to prevent employee access and exposure. At the time of the
inspection, the
fencing was observed to have fallen over offering inadequate protection
from the area
subject to falling debris. According to employees, the determination to
place barricades
is not made by employees on site. They were directed to do this by the
employer. The
Buffalo City Auto Impound was previously cited for a similar condition
under NYSLL
Article 2, Section 27-a.3.a(1) following PESH inspection number 306915638,
citation
number 1, item number 1, issued in February 2008.
The hazard was likely to cause death or serious physical injury including,
but not limited
to: contusions, concussions, lacerations, etc. as a result of being struck
by pieces of
plaster and/or glass falling from the ceiling/roof to the garage floor.
Reasonable and adequate abatement methods are readily available to control
or eliminate
the hazard. Feasible means of abatement include, but are not limited to:
replacing broken
windows and damaged plaster with sheet metal and/or placing  permanent
barricades in
the areas affected by falling debris to prevent employee access. Areas of
falling plaster
could be repaired or covered with protective material and/or the employer
could
prevent
employee exposure by closing off affected areas.

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Sep 2, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Sep 2, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Sep 16, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Aug 19, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Aug 19, 2013

Issued

Aug 14, 2013

Abate by

Nov 11, 2013