OSHA Inspection: EMPIRE DRYWALL, INC.

Issued

Aug 21, 2014

Abate by

Sep 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $850 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.100(a): Employees were not protected by protective helmets while working in areas where there was a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from fall objects, or from electrical shock and burns:      (a)Empire Drywall, Inc. @ 970 Colorado Ave., Carbondale, CO 81623: On or before April 1st, 2014, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities, the exposing employer did not ensure each employee conducting work in the townhouses building under construction were wearing a hard hat. Employees were conducting work activities below an erected scaffolding system. This condition exposed employees to a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects from elevation.

Issued

Aug 21, 2014

Abate by

Sep 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3):  Scaffolds and scaffold components were not inspected for visible defects by a competent person before each work shift, and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold's structural integrity:      (a)Empire Drywall, Inc. @ 970 Colorado Ave., Carbondale, CO 81623: On and before April 1st, 2014, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities, the exposing employer did not ensure the fabricated frame scaffold had been inspected by a competent person for visible defects which could affect the scaffolds structural integrity and was safe to be used by the employees conducting stucco activities. The scaffolding was missing cross bracing, connecting frame pins,  and working platforms were not fully planked. Guardrails were not erected and proper ladder access was not provided for all levels. Due to the lack of the competent person scaffold safety inspections, employees were exposed to scaffold fall hazards up to 18 feet to the ground.       Abatement Note:  The requirements and duties of a competent person:      (1)  "Competent person" means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.      (2)  The competent person must be able to carry out the tasks specified in the standard. In order to be able to carry out the tasks the competent person needs to have knowledge in the issues relating to the strength and structural integrity of the scaffold. A competent person must be fully knowledgeable about erecting, disassembling, moving, operating,  repairing, maintaining and inspecting the scaffold.      (3)  Section 1926.454 states that a competent person will train employees involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining, or inspecting a scaffold. To meet this requirement, a competent person must be fully knowledgeable about erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining and inspecting    the scaffold.

Issued

Aug 21, 2014

Abate by

Sep 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

CFR 1926.501(b) (13): Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8m) or more above lower levels was not protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, personal fall arrest system, or other approved alternative fall protection system:      (a)Empire Drywall, Inc. @ 970 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623: On and before April 1st 2014, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities, the exposing employer did not ensure that fall protection systems were provided to employees when performing stucco  activities from the unprotected porch roof(s) on the townhomes under construction. This condition exposed the employees to the hazard falling 10 feet eave to ground.