OSHA Inspection: ELDRIDGE OF NEBRASKA, INC.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a) (1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:       The employer failed to furnish a place of employment which was free from a recognized hazard that caused or was likely to cause death or serious harm to employees in that employees were exposed to amputation hazards from unsafe automotive lifts / jacks.       In the vehicle maintenance shop of Eldridge of Nebraska, Inc. dba Square Tire located at 1060 E 23rd Street, Fremont NE:       The employer is exposing employees to unsafe automobile lifts similar but not limited to those manufactured by Challenger Lifts; Four Post Surface Mounted Lift  model #40000 and Rolling Air Jack model #24006 to hoist vehicles on the lifts in order to perform vehicle maintenance activities. On January 7, 2014 and dates prior the employer allowed employees to use lifts/jacks that had been identified to be in need of repair; specifically the lift/jack in Bay #3. The lift/jack is used to hoist a customers vehicle in order perform the requested maintenance. Once complete employees were instructed how to release air pressure from the jack manually rather than using the release lever by using their hand to reach under and into the bottom side of  jack and activating the release; exposing their fingers to potential amputations from pinch points created by lowering arms of the jack. The lifts/jacks were not periodically inspected to identify these types of hazardous operations. The lifts/jacks were not properly maintained in that pins were breaking and adequate operator training was not conducted to provide employees with the ability to recognize the hazardous operation and to ensure that the lifts were inspected and maintained properly as required by the Automobile Lift Institute / ANSI 153.1: 2008.       Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are:   1)      Develop, implement and enforce procedures for affectively training lift/jack operators per Section 4 of ANSI 153.1: 2008   2)      Develop, implement and enforce procedures for daily, monthly and periodically inspecting of the lifts/jacks per Section 5 of ANSI 153.1: 2008   3)      Develop, implement and enforce procedures for the proper maintenance of the lifts to ensure that only replacement parts that are approved by the manufacturer or meet their specifications per Section 6, 7 and 8 of ANSI 153.1: 2008

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toe boards:    In the shop on the Northeast corner: The employer failed to ensure that employees were protected from fall hazards created by an open sided platform. Employee are exposed to a fall hazard of approximately 11 foot 11 inches measured from the platform to the concrete floor of the shop when turning on a waste oil burner / heater. The employees access the platform via a Werner aluminum extension ladder.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):   The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:    At Eldridge of Nebraska, Inc. dba Square Tire: The employer failed to develop and implement an energy control program as required by this standard. Employees of the company perform preventative maintenance as well as repair to equipment located inside the shop such as but not limited to:    1. Challenger Lifts Rolling Air Jack Model 2400B  2. Challenger Lifts Four Post Surface Mounted Lift Model 40000

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7):  Electrical equipment was not installed in a neat and workmanlike manner:    At Eldridge of Nebraska, Inc. dba Square Tire: The employer failed to ensure that electrical equipment located in the shop was repaired in a neat workmanlike manner as to not expose employees to any electrical related hazards in that:    on the Challenger Automotive Lift, Serial# 051100000020700 Model# 40xfx- The 220v electrical wires were exposed on the hydraulic motor of the lift.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f),(g),and(h) will be met:    Eldridge of Nebraska, Inc. dba Square Tire: The employer failed to develop and maintain a written hazard communications program in accordance with current Hazard Communications requirements (HCS 2012) that described how criteria for Labeling of Chemicals, the maintaining of SDS' for those chemicals as well as the Training and Education of all exposed or potentially exposed employees in the workplace.

Issued

May 15, 2014

Abate by

Jun 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iv):   The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, did not include an explanation of the labels received on shipped containers and the workplace labeling system used by their employer; the safety data sheet, including the order of information and how employee could obtain and use the appropriate hazard information:    Eldridge of Nebraska, Inc. dba Square Tire: The employer failed to provide training for employees on the changes Hazard Communication Standards 2012 changes prior to December 1, 2013 as required per 29CFR 1910.1200(j)(1).