OSHA Inspection: F.A. BARTLETT TREE EXPERT COMPANY

Issued

Sep 22, 2009

Abate by

Nov 9, 2009

Penalty

Initial $5,000

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 being struck by and crushing hazards:
Location - 459 Broadway Street, Cambridge:
On or about 08/07/09, the employer did not take necessary precautions
while creating
a rigging system, to ensure forces exerted on it do not pose a risk of
failure at any point
in the system.
The method or methods to feasibly correct or abate the hazards include,
but are not
limited to, the following elements:
1. Comply with ANSI Z -133.1 -2006, Safety Requirements for Arboricultural
Operations:
Work Procedures Section 8.4.8   Arborists performing rigging operations
shall be
educated to understand and trained to estimate the potential forces at any
point in the
rigging system being used.
Work Procedures Section 8.4.9   Careful consideration shall be given to
the potential
forces resulting from specific influences of rope angles as well as the
number of lines
and/or line parts that will act on any rigging point.
Additionally, other means of abatement include:
2. Prior to working on any tree and choosing rigging points for removal
and lowering
operations, estimate potential forces at all points in the rigging system
to ensure that it
can handle the maximum forces exerted.
3. Carefully assess the wood weight for each section being cut.  Cut
smaller sections to
reduce the working load within the rigging system.
4. Consider incorporating multiple-block rigging with understanding of the
angle of
deflection, to reduce the force exerted on the lowering point.
5. Consider cabling or guying the lowering branch temporarily to
strengthen and provide
additional support.
6. Consider using a crane for complex and dangerous removal operations.