OSHA Inspection: SELECT VAN & STORAGE

Issued

Aug 14, 2015

Abate by

Oct 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(l) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:     The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to workers, in that the workers were exposed to excessive heat:      On or about June 9th, 2015, at a clients residence in Omaha, NE, the employer exposed employees transferring house hold goods from a residence to an enclosed trailer to the recognized hazard of excessive heat; at the time of the incident the heat index reached 112 degrees F. The employees were required to perform the strenuous activity of transferring household goods from the home (Air Conditioning was turned off with in the residence) to an enclosed semi-trailer.  During the inspection the internal temperature in the trailer was measured and found to be 10 degrees F higher than the temperature on the outside. Employees were not provided with water and only drank sodas containing caffeine in an attempt to hydrate. This exposure to excessive levels of heat, lack of water, and the inability to get out of the heat contribute to serious heat-induced illnesses and/or injuries which include: transient heat fatigue, heat rash, fainting, heat cramps, rhabdomyolysis, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, up to and including death.      The employer is failing to develop and implement an adequate and effective heat stress program, specifically in the following instances:                  The employer is failing to develop and implement a work-rest regimen or an employee rotation program to reduce employee exposure to conditions that pose a risk of inducing severe heat-related illness.                    The employer is failing to provide adequate and effective heat stress/heat exhaustion training to supervisors/employees who had oversight on employees required to work outdoors. The supervisor/employees have not been provided adequate and effective training specific to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat related illnesses in order to deal with employees experiencing heat-related problems.                 The employer is failing to provide adequate and effective heat stress/heat exhaustion training to employees before requiring them to work outdoors in conditions that pose a risk of inducing severe heat-related illness or death.                The employer is failing to develop and implement effective employee heat stress monitoring while employees work outdoors in conditions that pose a risk of inducing severe heat-related illness.

Issued

Aug 14, 2015

Abate by

Sep 10, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a):      An oral report of an employment accident resulting in a fatality or the inpatient hospitalization of three or more employees was not made within eight (8) hours after the occurrence to the nearest Area Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or to the OSHA toll-free central telephone number (1-800-321-OSHA).      The employer failed  to report to OSHA within 8 hours a work related fatality.  An employee working  for the company collapsed and died on June 9th 2015 at approximately 1500 hours while performing work for the company.