OSHA Inspection: APPERSON CHIMNEY SWEEPS, INC.

Issued

Feb 22, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(b)(1):     Each platform on all working levels of scaffolds shall be fully planked or decked between the front uprights and the guardrail supports as follows:      a.  At the site, there were employees installing masonry stone on a chimney from a roof scaffold that was not fully planked, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazard of approximately 10-1/2 feet.

Issued

Feb 22, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(c)(2):     Supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills or other adequate firm foundation.    a.  At the site, employees were installing masonry stone on a residential home's chimney from a tubular weld frame scaffold that did not have any mudsills under the scaffold's base plates, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazards of a maxium height of approximately 26 feet.

Issued

Feb 22, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13):     "Residential construction." Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.  Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan which complies with 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.    a.  At the site, employees were installing masonry stone to the outside of a chimney of a residential home without any means of fall protection when gaining access to a roof scaffold from a ladder, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazards of approximately 10-1/2 feet.

Issued

Feb 22, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.503(a)(1):     The employer shall provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards. The program shall enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and shall train each employee in the procedures to be followed in order to minimize these hazards.    a.  At the site, employees were exposed to a fall hazard on a steep pitch roof on a residential home, because the employer did not train the employees of the hazards that were involved with working on a roof.

Issued

Feb 22, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1):     When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails shall extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access; or, when such an extension is not possible because of the ladder's length, then the ladder shall be secured at its top to a rigid support that will not deflect, and a grasping device, such as a grabrail, shall be provided to assist employees in mounting and dismounting the ladder. In no case shall the extension be such that ladder deflection under a load would, by itself, cause the ladder to slip off its support.    a.  At the site, there were employees installing masonry stone to the outside of a chimney of a residential home.  The employees were gaining access to the roof in order to perform this work by means of a ladder that did not extend three feet above its landing surface, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazard of approximately 10-1/2 feet.