OSHA Inspection: EUROPA ASSOCIATES CORPORATION

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Abate by

Dec 24, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,320 · Current $2,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2):     The employer did not instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his/her environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury:    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ and at the Corporate Office  at 263 Highland Place, Kearny, NJ.    Employee(s) were not instructed to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions and were not trained as to what OSHA regulations applied to them so that they could control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to injury while engaging in trenching and excavation operations.                        Violation observed on or about 10/19/2015.

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,640 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2):      A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress was not located in trench excavations that were 4 feet (1.22m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62m) of lateral travel for employees:    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ     Employee(s) were working inside the 60' by 45' excavation that was 6 1/2' to 11' in depth and did not have a safe means of egress from the excavation.                Violation occurred on or about 10/19/2015.

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,640 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2):     Protection was not provided by placing and keeping excavated or other materials or equipment at least 2 feet (.61m) from the edge of excavations, or by the use of retaining devices that were sufficient to prevent materials or equipment from falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination of both if necessary:    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ     Employees were exposed to struck-by injuries in the up to 11 foot deep excavation as the employer had not ensured that soil and rocks that could fall into the trench were kept back at least 2 feet from the edges of the excavation.                        Violation occurred on or about 10/19/2015.

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,320 · Current $2,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1):      An inspection of the excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems was not conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift:    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ.    A daily inspection of the excavation was not made by a competent person. The excavation had visible deficiencies, such as but not limited to, no protective cave-in system, lack of safe egress, a spoil pile less than 2 feet from the edge of the excavation, with a depth of up to 11 feet.                        Violation observed on or about 10/19/2015

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,080 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1):     Each employee in an excavation was not protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.652(b) or (c):    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ     Employee(s) were exposed to cave-in hazards working inside the 60' by 45' excavation that was 6 1/2' to 11' feet in depth as they did not use protective systems or employ sloping or benching of the excavation.                                        Violation occurred on or about 10/19/2015.

Issued

Nov 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $6,160 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.701(b):     All protruding reinforcing steel, onto and/or into which employees could fall or come against, was not guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement:    a)  Work Site:  Southeast Corner of Broadway & 14th Street, Bayonne, NJ.    Employees working in and around the excavation were exposed to penetrating trauma from approximately 15 instances of rods of reinforcing steel projecting upward 1 to 2 feet without any impalement protection on the rod ends.                            Violation observed on or about 10/19/2015.    Europa Associates Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.701(b)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 972790, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on 08/06/2014, with respect to a workplace located at 1040 JFK Boulevard, Bayonne, NJ 07002.