OSHA Inspection: EMICH SUBARU WEST, LLC

Issued

Aug 29, 2013

Abate by

Sep 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to crushing hazards associated with improper operation of automotive lifts:    a)     On or about April 25, 2013, and at times prior, employees were exposed to crushing and struck-by injuries while they used hydraulic automotive lifts in the following inappropriate manner:    1.     Lift arm safety locking mechanisms (posts/bars) on Vehicle Lift 1 were malfunctioning because critical pieces were broken or disabled.  Without fully-functioning locking mechanisms in place, lift arms were vulnerable to unintentional lateral movement and would therefore decrease the stability of the elevated vehicle.      2.     The employer did not require automotive lift operators conduct daily inspections of the lifts before use to ensure the proper operation of lift controls, restraints and locking devices.      Recommended Abatement:  Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct the hazard would be to implement the requirements of the American National Standard for Automotive Lifts Safety Requirements for Operation, Inspection and Maintenance (ANSI/ALI ALOIM 2008 or more current edition) as well as the guidelines found in Lifting it Right, a safety manual from the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI).  These documents require that lifts be inspected to ensure, among other things, that lift locks engage in the fully extended position before use.