OSHA Inspection: THOMAS INDUSTRIAL COATINGS

Issued

Oct 30, 2015

Abate by

Nov 27, 2015

Penalty

Initial $6,930 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): Section 5(a)(1) 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 employee(s) in that employee(s) were exposed to the hazard of getting Struck by barge guiding boats while working on under-bridge, suspended work platform.  On or about 07/16/2015, over the Mississippi River, in St Louis Missouri,  painters conducting blasting, painting and cleaning work, under the Eads Bridge, were exposed to struck-by hazard. On the date above,  a worker was killed when the barge towing boat (the Danny Bradford) veered outside of the navigational zone and struck the Safespan Systems suspended platform. At the time of the incident, the worker was conducting cleaning operations on the deck the platform.  One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to place a watchman whose duty is to warn the workers with an audible air horn to vacate the  platform when barge towing boats approach the bridge.  Disclaimer: a) The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by OSHA. b) The employer is responsible  for selecting and implementing an effective abatement method.