OSHA Inspection: SEARS ROEBUCK AND COMPANY

Issued

Nov 9, 2010

Abate by

Nov 22, 2010

Penalty

Initial $4,500

General-duty citation text

Nevada Revised Statute 618.375(1):  Duties of employers.  The employer
failed to furnish
employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized
hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees:
The employer failed to furnish employment and a place of employment which
are free from
recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to his
or her employees, as follows:
a.At 4000 Meadows Lane, Las Vegas, NV automotive center employees utilized
automotive lifts throughout the day in the performance of several
automotive
maintenance tasks. The employer did not have an automotive lift training or
inspection program that was compliant with the American National Standard
Institute/Automotive Lift Institute (ANSI/ALI) ALOIM:2000 - Safety
Requirements for Operation, Inspection and Maintenance in the following
areas:
1.The employer's online elearning system for auto lifts was not equivalent
to the requirements of the Automotive Lift Institutes publication "Lifting
It Right".
2.The employer did not document the operator training by completing the
operator training log found in the appendix of ANSI/ALI ALOIN-2008.
3.The employer's inspection program did not include all of the inspection
points as required by ANSI/ALI ALIOM-2008.
4.The employer's maintenance program did not include all of the
manufacturer's requirements.
5.Three of the employer's automotive lifts did not have the rated capacity
listed on them and did not have the required safety decals posted.
6.The employer did not have the Automotive Lift Institute publications
"Quick Reference Guide", "Lifting It Right" and "Safety Tips" were not
available in the lift area. The ANSI/ALI ALIOM-2008 and the
manufacturer's installation, operation and maintenance manuals were also
not available.
Employees were exposed to possible serious injury from operating
automotive lifts that are not
properly inspected or maintained and they are not trained to operate in
accordance with industry
standards.
References:
American National Standard Institute/Automotive Lift Institute -
Automotive Lift Operation,
Inspection and Maintenance (ALOIM):2008 Page 5, Paragraph 4.2.1 "The owner
or employershall ensure that operators of automotive lifts are instructed
in the safe use and operation of the
lift using the manufacturer-provided instructions and warning labels and
the Automotive Lift
Institute publications "Quick Reference Guide, Vehicle Lifting Points for
Frame
Engaging Lifts",
"Lifting It Right" and "Safety Tips" and this ALOIM standard. Equivalent
documents may be
substituted for proprietary materials."
American National Standard Institute/Automotive Lift Institute -
Automotive Lift Operation,
Inspection and Maintenance (ALOIM):2008 Page 5, Paragraph 4.3 - Operator
Training
Documentation. "The owner or employer shall appropriately document
operator training by
completing the operator training log found in the appendix of this
standard."
American National Standard Institute/Automotive Lift Institute -
Automotive Lift Operation,
Inspection and Maintenance (ALOIM):2008 Page 7, Paragraph 5.6.1 Inspection
Points -
Checklist "The qualified lift inspector shall follow the specific
directions provided by the lift
manufacturer in the inspection of each lift including the following
minimum points. If a lift
manufacturer supplied checklist is not readily available then the
appropriate
periodic inspection
checklist(s) located in the appendix to this standard shall be used. At
the completion of the
inspection the qualified lift inspector shall complete the inspection
certificate also located in the
appendix to this standard. The qualified lift inspector shall obtain the
acknowledgment signature
of the owner or employer and post the inspection certificate along with
the inspection checklist
on or near the lift inspected or together with other printed material or
records pertaining to the
lift."
American National Standard Institute/Automotive Lift Institute -
Automotive Lift Operation,
Inspection and Maintenance (ALOIM):2008 Page 12, Paragraph 6.1.1 Planned
Maintenance
Procedure "The owner or employer shall establish a periodic planned
maintenance procedure in
accordance with the recommendations of the lift manufacturer in order to
ensure reliability and
allow the continued safe operation of the lift".
One feasible and acceptable abatement method would be to follow the
requirements of the
American National Standard Institute/Automotive Lift Institute -
Automotive Lift Operation,
Inspection and Maintenance (ALOIM):2008 requirements for the establishment
of a employee
training, automotive lift inspection and preventative maintenance.