OSHA Inspection: SIERRA STEEL, INC.

Issued

Sep 1, 2016

Abate by

Sep 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,672 · Current $2,672

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2): The employer did not initiate and maintain a safety program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of the jobsite, materials, and equipment to be made by a competent person:     (a) Sierra Steel, Inc. @ 1 Superior Drive, Superior, Colorado 80027:  On or before March 3, 2016, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities under its safety program, the exposing employer did not ensure that a competent person conducted inspection(s) of roof where metal decking installation was being performed by employees to make sure that the Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) used by the employees was designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two as required under the standard.  Five to six employees working on the roof were using a sagging single cable horizontal lifeline, which had not been designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of an adequate and complete personal fall arrest systems in accordance with the standard. This condition exposed employees to the hazard of falling up to 40 feet to the ground.       Abatement note: The requirements and duties of a competent person are:  (1)  A competent person is 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 the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.  (2)  The competent person must understand and be able to carry out the tasks specified in the OSHA standard.  The competent person must also have knowledge about steel erection fall protection systems or plans and the employer's safety program.

Issued

Sep 1, 2016

Abate by

Sep 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.761(b):  The employer had not provided a fall hazard training program for employees engaged in steel erection activities. The training was not provided by a qualified person:    (a) Sierra Steel, Inc. @ 1 Superior Drive, Superior, Colorado 80027.  On or before March 3, 2016, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities under its safety program, the exposing employer did not ensure each employee conducting activities on the roof of the metal building was provided with adequate fall hazard training as required under the standard.  Five to six employees working on the roof were using a sagging single cable horizontal lifeline, which had not been designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of an adequate and complete personal fall arrest systems in accordance with the standard. This condition exposed employees to the hazard of falling up to 40 feet to the ground.       Abatement Note: The following provisions supplement the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.21 regarding the hazards addressed in this subpart.    (a)  Training required by this section shall be provided by a qualified person.    (b)  The employer shall provide a training program for all employees exposed to fall hazards. The program shall include training and instruction in the following areas:    1)      The recognition and identification of fall hazards in the work area; 2)      The use and operation of guardrail systems (including perimeter safety cable systems), personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems, fall restraint systems, safety net systems, and other protection to be used; 3)      The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting the fall protection systems to be used;  4)      The procedures to be followed to prevent falls to lower levels and through or into holes and openings in walking/working surfaces and walls; and  5)      The fall protection requirements of this subpart.    (c)  A qualified person means one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.

Issued

Sep 1, 2016

Abate by

Sep 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,741 · Current $3,741

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.760(a)(1): Except as provided by paragraph (a)(3) of this section, each employee engaged in a steel erection activity who is on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge more than 15 feet above a lower level was not protected from fall hazards by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems or fall restraint systems:    (a) Sierra Steel, Inc. @ 1 Superior Drive, Superior, Colorado 80027:  On or before March 3, 2016, as part of the injury/accident prevention responsibilities under its safety program, the exposing employer did not ensure that each employee installing metal decking on the roof of the building utilized adequate fall protection in the following instances:  (1)  On March 3, 2016 an employee who was installing metal decking on the roof fell 32 feet through a soffit overhang to the ground.  The employee sustained broken ribs, and pelvis and hand lacerations.  The employee was not tied-off.  (2)  On March 3, 2016, five to six employees were installing metal decking on the roof.  The fall protection system in place included a singular horizontal lifeline for the employees to connect their retractable lifelines to, running from the eave to the peak. This horizontal lifeline had no intermediate stanchions for support, and was not designed to support five to six employees.     These conditions exposed employees to the hazard of falling up to 40 feet to the ground.