OSHA Inspection: ALLSTATE BUILDING SERVICES INC.

Issued

Aug 14, 2008

Abate by

Aug 27, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,125 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 falls:
a)  420 Lime Street, Lakeland, FL - An employee (window washer) using a
portable
counterweighted outrigger suspension device was exposed to falls of six
stories from the roof
to the ground below in that:
1.  The employer did not ensure that the building had provided, identified
and certified
anchorages for: independent safety lines; tie-backs for outriggers,
parapet clamps and cornice
hooks; primary support anchorages for powered and manual boatswain's
chairs; primary support
anchorages for rope descent systems; horizontal (rope) lines or lifelines;
and wherever else
required.
2. The employer did not ensure that the portable counterweighted outrigger
suspension
device had been approved by a registered professional engineer;
3. The employer did not ensure that every primary line, lifeline and
tie-back line was
attached with minimal slack to an identified anchorage in line (within 15
degrees of
perpendicular) with the area being accessed;
4.  The employer did not ensure that the tie-back anchorage and safety
line anchorage
were independent of each other and had been specifically designed for
horizontal movement of
a worker and repositioning under load;
5.  The employer did not ensure that lifelines or suspension lines were
not attached to
or through free standing weights.
Among other methods, a feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct
these hazards is
to follow the requirements in American National Standard Institute Window
Cleaning
Safety
IWCA I-14.1-2001, including but not limited to Part A-General and
Performance Requirements,
3.9 Anchorages; and 5.7.17 Suspension Devices for Rope Descent Systems
(RDS)

Issued

Aug 14, 2008

Abate by

Aug 20, 2008

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,125 Reduced