OSHA Inspection: EASTERN CONSTRUCTORS, INC.

Issued

May 1, 2013

Abate by

Jun 5, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(iv): Employees shall always stand firmly on the floor of the basket, and shall not sit or climb on the edge of the basket or use planks, ladders, or other devices for a work position.     a. At the north/west side of the worksite where employees were installing roof girders, employees were standing on the guardrails of the basket of the aerial lifts. The floors of the aerial lifts were 12-14 feet above the ground, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazard.        b. At the south/west side of the worksite where employees were installing roof girders, employees were standing on the guardrails of the basket of the aerial lifts. The floors of the aerial lifts were 12-14 feet above the ground, thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazard.

Issued

May 1, 2013

Abate by

Jun 5, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16)(iii):     Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed, and used as follows: be rigged such that an employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor contact any lower level.     a. At the worksite where employees were working from the basket of aerial lifts, employees were observed standing on the guardrails of the aerial lift with a fall distance of approximately 12 feet thereby exposing employees to striking the ground in the event of a fall from the basket.

Issued

May 1, 2013

Abate by

Jun 5, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.503(c)(3):      "Retraining." When the employer has reason to believe that any affected employee who has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill required by paragraph (a) of this section, the employer shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to, situations where:  Inadequacies in an affected employee's knowledge or use of fall protection systems or equipment indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill.  Note: The following appendices to subpart M of this part serve as non-mandatory guidelines to assist employers in complying with the appropriate requirements of subpart M of this part.  [59 FR 40738, Aug. 9, 1994; 60 FR 5131, Jan. 26, 1995]    a. At the worksite where employees were using fall arrest systems while working from the baskets of aerial lifts, the employees did not understand the height requirements for the 6 foot lanyard with shock absorber, thereby being exposed to a fall hazard with ground contact in the event of a fall.