OSHA Inspection: ADVANCE CONSTRUCTION, INC.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1):  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 struck by and crushed by hazards.   On or about 11/21/2013, an employee working in a trench installing 30 inch sanitation sewer pipe was exposed to struck by and crushed by hazards while occupying the work area of a hydraulic excavator.  The operator had lost visual contact with the signaler and continued to operate the excavator, resulting in the signaler being crushed between the excavator's bucket and sanitation sewer pipe.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $27,500 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(a)(1): Defective rigging equipment was not removed from service:     The employer did not ensure that defective rigging equipment was removed from service when discovered.  This violation was most recently observed on 11/19/13, when hooks on a three way piece of rigging equipment was used to lower the top of a sanitation sewer manhole and it did not have the safety latches they were purchased with, exposing employees to potential crushed by hazards if the hooks were to become removed during the lift.     Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit documents describing the steps it is taking to ensure compliance, including an explanation of how these steps protect its employees from crushed by hazards from defective rigging.    Advance Construction Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.251(a)(1) which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 455800, Citation Number 1, Item Number 2a, and was affirmed as a Final Order on 8/20/2012, with respect to a workplace located at 1600 N. Ballard Rd. Appleton, WI 54913.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $31,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1): Each employee in an excavation was not protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section:     (a)  The employer did not ensure that employees were protected by adequate cave-in protection.  This was most recently observed on 11/18/2013, when employees were working in an excavation approximately 18 feet in depth without proper cave-in protection.  The employees were preparing to install manhole number 1.  The employer had installed one trench shield and had not protected the employees on one side of the shield where the spreader bar was located. Employees were exposed to cave-in hazards while performing sewer and water line construction.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit documents describing the steps it is taking to ensure compliance, including an explanation of how these steps protect its employees from cave-in hazards.     Advance Construction Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1) which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 455800, Citation Number 2, Item Number 2, and was affirmed as a Final Order on 8/20/2012, with respect to a workplace located at 1600 N. Ballard Rd. Appleton, WI 54913.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $27,500 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(g)(2): Excavation of material to a level no greater than 2 feet (.61m) below the bottom of a shield system was allowed when there were indications while the trench was open of a possible loss of soil from behind or below the bottom of the shield:    (a)  The employer did not ensure that employees were not exposed to excavations that were dug more than two feet below trench shields.  This was most recently observed on 11/18/2013, when a trench box was positioned at least 30" above the floor of the trench and then undercut an additional 2-3' for the manhole bedding at the location for manhole number 1.  Employees were exposed to crushed by hazards related to potential cave-ins.      Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit documents describing the steps it is taking to ensure compliance, including an explanation of how these steps protect its employees from cave-in hazards.    Advance Construction Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.652(g)(2) which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 455800, Citation Number 1, Item Number 4b, and was affirmed as Final Order on 8/20/2012, with respect to a workplace located at 1600 N. Ballard Rd. Appleton, WI 54913.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(b)(6)(ii): Record(s) of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected were not available for examination:   The employer did not maintain any record of the chain slings they inspected.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

May 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(d)(2): Manufactured materials and equipment used for protective systems were not used and maintained in a manner that was consistent with the recommendations of the manufacturer:        (a)  On or about 11/18/13, the employer utilized a trench shield in a manner that was inconsistent with the manufacturer"s recommendations of not applying any lateral pressure against the spreader bars while installing manhole number 1.  The employer placed steel plates on a trench edge that had a seam potentially applying lateral pressure to the spreader bars in the event of a collapse as they did not span from shield end to shield end.