OSHA Inspection: ASPEN HOME IMPROVEMENTS, INCORPORATED

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

Apr 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,160 · Current $1,500 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 struck-by and fall hazards
associated with the use of a homemade freight lift:
(a)Aspen Home Improvements, Incorporated, 2653 Lititz Pike, Lancaster,
Pennsylvania - The
employer used a homemade freight lift, which met the definition of a
vertical reciprocating
conveyor, to move windows between the basement and first floor level of
the building.  This
freight lift consisted of:  (1) a Harrington electric chain hoist, model
EFZE-S4005L, serial
number EF2E-3C24, which hung on an overhead beam and provided the means
for raising and
lowering the lift platform; (2) a lift platform; (3) two posts, which ran
from the floor of the
basement level to the beam from which the hoist hung, located on either
side of the lift
platform and which ran through the top supporting member of the lift
platform.
These two
posts served to guide the lift platform.  The freight lift had the
following deficiencies, on or
about February 3, 2012:  (1) The lift platform had no rated load capacity
marked on it.  (2)
The first floor level loading station had removable railings to protect
the floor opening;
however, an employee could open these railings with the lift platform
located at the basement
level, exposing the employee to a fall of 8 feet 8 inches.  (3) The two
posts, which ran from
the floor of the basement level to the beam from which the hoist hung,
served to guide the lift
platform.  Harrington designed the electric chain hoist to lift freely
suspended, unguided loads.
(4) Neither the Harrington electric chain hoist nor the other components
of the freight lift
received regular and periodic inspections.  The latch on the load hook of
the hoist had broken.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct the hazards includes
following the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B30.20
Below-the-Hook
Lifting
Devices, 2003 edition, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
B20.1 Safety Standard
for Conveyors and Related Equipment, 2009 edition, the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) B30.16 Overhead Hoists (Underhung), 2003 edition, and the owners
manual from
Harrington Hoists & Cranes, the manufacturer of the hoist used to raise
and lower the lift platform,
including, but not limited to:
*Have the rated load of the lift platform legibly marked on the main
structure of the lift
platform or on a tag attached in a visible location (ASME B30.20-2003,
Section 20-1.2.1(a)).
*Equip the freight lift with doors or an equivalent means at each manual
loading and unloading
station, arranged so that the doors only open when the lift platform is
present at the level of
the loading/unloading station and such that the lift platform will not
move until the doors close
(ASME B20.1-2009, Section 6.21.2(b)).
*Have Harrington Hoists & Cranes, the manufacturer of the electric chain
hoist used as part of
the freight lift, supply written approval to use the electric chain hoist
to raise and lower a
guided load, or if the manufacturer will not provide written approval for
such use, have a
qualified registered professional engineer evaluate and approve the use of
the chain hoist as
part of the freight lift.
*Have a qualified person perform a periodic (annual) inspection of the
freight lift, including,
but not limited to, the electric chain hoist and the lift platform, and
maintain written
documentation of these periodic inspections (ASME B20.1-2009, Section
5.2(b), ASME
B30.16-2003, Section 16-2.1.1(b)(2)(a) and ASME B30.20-2003, Section
20-1.3.1(b)(3)(a)).
*When any part of the freight lift needs repairing, has a defect, or
becomes unsafe in any way,
take the freight lift out of service and have a qualified person perform
the
repairs (ASME
B20.1-2009, Section 5.2(b), ASME B30.16-2003, Section 16-2.3.3(a) and ASME
B30.20-
2003, Section 20-1.3.7).
Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The
certification shall include a
statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and
states employees and their
representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

Apr 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,160 · Current $1,500 Reduced

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

Apr 24, 2012