OSHA Inspection: G.P. EVANS CONTRACTORS, LLC

Issued

Mar 19, 2012

Abate by

Apr 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not
furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment
which were free
from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or
serious physical
harm to employees due to the potential of the mowers tipping or rolling
over when the
mowers are operated on inclines or when mowers are operated in close
proximity to drop
offs, at or near bodies of water exposing employees to struck-by/crushing,
run over, and
drowning hazards.
On or about  November 14, 2011, on a levee located next to a canal, off of
South
China Road, near China, Texas, an employee was operating mowing the sides
of the
levee with a Kubota Tractor, Model No. M1O8S, Serial No.1047132. The
tractor got
too close to the edge of the levee, tipped and fell upside down in the
canal.
Among other methods of abatement, a feasible and acceptable method to
correct this
hazard is to:
1. Prohibit employees from operating this type of equipment near steep
inclines.
2. Following the operation instructions in the Kubota manufacturer's
manual,
which indicates that operators must stay off slopes too steep for safe
operation.
3. Develop and implement an effective written operator training program for
the mower operators which incorporates, at a minimum, that supervisors and
operators be thoroughly trained in the safe operating practices for
mowers, and
in the recognition of potentially hazardous conditions, such as those
stated in
the "Safety Instructions for Operators: section of the American National
Standard for "Safety Specification for Power Lawn Mowers, Lawn and Garden
Tractors, and Lawn Tractor," ANSI B71.1-2003.
PLEASE NOTE: CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS
VIOLATION.
DISCLAIMERS: 1)You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested
above.
2)The methods explained are general and may not be effective inall cases.
3)The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an
appropriate abatement method.nt