OSHA Inspection: ABEL TREE SERVICE

Issued

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $3,242 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to fall hazards during arborist work:     (a) 435 McClellan Street, front of house, during tree removal:  On or about 7/11/16 employee(s) were exposed to fall and struck-by hazards while climbing a maple tree during arboricultural operations due to condition and rigging of fall protection and climbing equipment, including but not limited to:      -- Arborist climbing lines, worklines, lanyards, and other climbing equipment were not inspected for damage, cuts, abrasion, and/or deterioration before each use, in that climbing line(s) with visible cuts and abrasion were used.    -- Arborist lanyards were altered in a manner that would comprise the integrity of the equipment, in that a 6' rope lanyard with dual locking snaphooks was modified using a prusik hitch to make the lanyard adjustable.    -- The non-working end of the 6' rope work-positioning lanyard did not have a fixed termination (fixed stopper knot, eye-splice, snap, carabiners or other hardware) to prevent the non-working end of the lanyard from advancing through the friction device (prusik hitch).

Issued

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,850 · Current $1,853 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(a): Safety-related work practices were not employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work was performed near or on equipment or circuits which were or could be energized:    (a) During tree removal, front of house:  On or about 7/11/16, employees used a rope to pull an energized 220V service entrance away from the area where a tree was being removed.

Issued

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $455 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye as a result of a work-related incident to OSHA within twenty-four (24) hours.    (a) During tree removal, 435 McClellan Street:  On 7/11/2016, an employee was cutting limbs from a maple tree in front of the house when he fell approximately 25', sustaining multiple injuries and requiring hospitalization.   The incident was not reported to OSHA within 24 hours.