OSHA Inspection: VILLWELL BUILDERS, LLC

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Sep 30, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,200 · Current $1,320 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(1): Accident Prevention Responsibilities: It shall be the responsibility of the employer to initiate and maintain such programs as may be necessary to comply with this part:    WORKSITE: The employer did not initiate, maintain and provide accident prevention program in order for a competent person was able to conduct the frequent and regular inspections of the worksite and the equipment being used.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Sep 30, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3): Scaffolds and scaffold components shall be inspected for visible defects by a competent person before each work shift, and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold's structural integrity.    WORKSITE: The two (2) pump jack scaffolds, which was used by the employees while installing siding were not inspected by a competent person prior to the scaffolds use for conditions that may affect the scaffolds structural stability or integrity.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,760 · Current $1,050 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.100(a): Employees working in areas where there is a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns, shall be protected by protective helmets.    WORKSITE: The employee, working on the ground underneath the overhead work being done from the pump jack scaffold was not wearing a head protective equipment.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,200 · Current $1,320 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.102(a)(1): Employees shall be provided with eye and face protection equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.    WORKSITE: The employees using power tools including (but not limited to)) a pneumatic nailing device and a Makita circular saw were not wearing any eye/face protection.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,080 · Current $1,840 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(c)(2)(i): Footings shall be level, sound, rigid, and capable of supporting the loaded scaffold without settling or displacement.    WORKSITE:  The base plates on which the poles of the two (2) pump jack scaffolds were placed on small pieces of oriented strand board (OSB) that was broken under the weight of the scaffold and the scaffolds were not otherwise secured at the bottom to prevent accidental displacement.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(c)(2)(ii): Unstable objects shall not be used to support scaffolds or platform units.  WORKSITE: The base plates of the pump jack scaffold in front of the Unit 5 were placed on bush roots and the scaffold was not otherwise secured at the bottom to prevent accidental displacement.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.452(j)(2): Poles shall be secured to the structure by rigid triangular bracing or equivalent at the bottom, top, and other points as necessary. When the pump jack has to pass bracing already installed, an additional brace shall be installed approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) above the brace to be passed, and shall be left in place until the pump jack has been moved and the original brace reinstalled.  WORKSITE: The poles of the two (2) pump jack scaffolds from which employees were installing siding were not secured at the bottom of the pole to prevent accidental displacement.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,080 · Current $1,840 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1)(vii): For all scaffolds not otherwise specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) through (g)(1)(vi) of this section, each employee shall be protected by the use of personal fall arrest systems or guardrail systems meeting the requirements of paragraph (g)(4) of this section.    WORKSITE: The employees, installing siding from the two (2)pump jack scaffolds were not protected from the hazard of falling between 10 feet and 18 feet 4 inches to the ground by the use of appropriate fall protection equipment and/or devices.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.451(g)(4)(ix): Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, and equivalent structural members of a guardrail system shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force applied in any downward or horizontal direction at any point along the midrail or other member of at least 75 pounds (333 n) for guardrail systems with a minimum 100 pound toprail capacity, and at least 150 pounds (666 n) for guardrail systems with a minimum 200 pound toprail capacity.  WORKSITE: The safety netting that was placed in lieu of a mid-rail and toe-board on the two (2) pump jack scaffolds was not secured at the scaffold plank as per the manufacturers instructions, exposing employees to fall hazards between 10 and 18 feet, 4 inches to the ground below.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Sep 30, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,200 · Current $1,320 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.454(a): The employer shall have each employee who performs work while on a scaffold trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize the hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and to understand the procedures to control or minimize those hazards.     WORKSITE: The employees, installing siding from pump jack scaffolds were not provided training in the recognition of hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used or the procedures necessary to eliminate or minimize those hazards.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Sep 30, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1060(a): The employer shall provide a training program for each employee using ladders and stairways, as necessary. The program shall enable each employee to recognize hazards related to ladders and stairways, and shall train each employee in the procedures to be followed to minimize these hazards.    WORKSITE: The employees, using aluminum extension ladders to access/egress two pump jack scaffolds were not provided training in the recognition of hazards associated with the type of ladder being used or the procedures necessary to eliminate or minimize those hazards.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,080 · Current $1,840 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1): When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails shall extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access; or, when such an extension is not possible because of the ladder's length, then the ladder shall be secured at its top to a rigid support that will not deflect, and a grasping device, such as a grabrail, shall be provided to assist employees in mounting and dismounting the ladder. In no case shall the extension be such that ladder deflection under a load would, by itself, cause the ladder to slip off its support.    WORKSITE: The side rails of the following aluminum extension ladders, used by employees to access/egress the two (2) pump jack scaffolds did not extend at least three feet above the walking/working surface of the scaffold and neither ladder was otherwise secured to prevent accidental displacement:           1. Werner 24 foot ladder.       2. Werner 16 foot ladder.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(7): Ladders shall not be used on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided with slip-resistant feet to prevent accidental displacement. Slip-resistant feet shall not be used as a substitute for care in placing, lashing, or holding a ladder that is used upon slippery surfaces including, but not limited to, flat metal or concrete surfaces that are constructed so they cannot be prevented from becoming slippery.  WORKSITE: The base feet of the Werner 24 foot aluminum extension ladder, used by employees to access/egress the pump jack scaffold were placed on plastic sheeting and the ladder was not otherwise secured to prevent accidental displacement.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(8): Ladders placed in any location where they can be displaced by workplace activities or traffic, such as in passageways, doorways, or driveways, shall be secured to prevent accidental displacement, or a barricade shall be used to keep the activities or traffic away from the ladder.  WORKSITE: The Werner 16 foot aluminum extension ladder, used by employees to access/egress the pump jack scaffold was placed on the sidewalk directly in front of the entrance door to the condo and the ladder was not secured to prevent accidental displacement.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,280 · Current $3,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(9): The area around the top and bottom of ladders shall be kept clear:    WORKSITE: The areas, around the bottoms of the following aluminum extension ladders were not kept clear of construction debris:           1. Werner 24 foot ladder.      2. Werner 16 foot ladder.    Villwell Builders LLC was previously cited for a violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health standard (29 CFR1926.25(a)), which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 316075696, Citation Number 1, Item Number 1b, having the same hazards and affirmed as a final order on 03/26/2013, with respect to a workplace located at 330 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06704.

Issued

Aug 10, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.200(g)(1): Construction areas shall be posted with legible traffic signs at points of hazard.  WORKSITE: The employer did not provide adequate traffic control/warning signs and/or devices for employees working in an active driveway.