OSHA Inspection: BLACK HILLS AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $6,000 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 were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that, employees were exposed to struck-by and crushing injuries related to forklift rollover:    (a)Black Hills Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701: On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure employees were protected from struck-by hazards while operating a GEHL Rough Terrain Forklift Truck Model # RS6-42 with a suspended load. On August 14, 2018, an employee operating a rough terrain forklift affected the stability of the fork truck by turning on and attempting to ascend an inclined grade in excess of 5 percent with the boom elevated approximately 21 feet and extended 25% while carrying a load. An employee was standing in close proximity to the rough terrain forklift holding a tag line to stabilize the truss and was struck-by the forklift boom as a result of the machine rolling over and landing on the employee. This condition exposed an employee to serious injury as a result of a struck-by hazard.    (b)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701:  On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure that an employee used the operator restraint system available in the GEHL Rough Terrain Forklift Truck Model # RS6-42 while operating the forklift truck. On August 14, 2018, the operator of the forklift truck was ejected after the machine became unstable and tipped over.  The hazardous condition exposed the employee to a crushing hazard.    Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to follow ANSI/ITSDF B56.6-2011, Safety Standard for Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks 6.2 General, .6.2.1 states, before starting to operate the rough terrain forklift truck:  Be in operating position and fasten seat belt, if so equipped.      Additionally, the Operators Manual for the GEHL RS6-42 states that operators must ALWAYS wear the seat belt provided to prevent being thrown from the machine.

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $6,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2): The employer did not provide for frequent and regular inspections of the job sites, materials, and equipment or ensure inspections were made by competent persons designated by the employers:     (a)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc., at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701:  On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure an accident prevention program was developed and implemented for the work environment to include regular inspections of the job-site, materials, and equipment; conducted by a competent person. Employees were utilizing a rough terrain forklift to set trusses on a single-family home without evaluating the site conditions related to operation of the machine. The terrain was sloped at approximately 11 degrees and the ground was saturated with water from a recent heavy rain. The operator of the rough terrain forklift was turning with an elevated load on an incline which caused the forklift to roll-over and the boom to strike an employee causing serious injuries. The condition exposed employees to crushing and struck-by hazards.      Abatement Note: OSHA defines a "competent" person as 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 authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $8,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator was competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):    (a)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc., at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701: On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure a forklift operator was trained in the operation of powered industrial trucks in that, an operator was not trained in the use of the GEHL Rough Terrain Forklift prior to use. This condition exposed the employee to the hazard of improper forklift operation.     Abatement Note: Training shall consist of a combination of formal instruction (e.g., lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video tape, written material), practical training (demonstrations performed by the trainer and practical exercises performed by the trainee), and evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace.

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(a)(1): Rigging equipment for material handling was not inspected prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use to ensure that it was safe nor did the employer ensure that defective rigging equipment was removed from service:    (a)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701: On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure the rigging used was inspected to ensure it was safe prior to use. The employer allowed employees to use a nylon tow rope with observed defects to include a knot, fraying and discoloration. The nylon tow rope was not designed to be used as rigging to lift roof trusses. This condition exposed employees to a crushing hazard.     Abatement Note: Each day before being used, all rigging shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Additional inspections shall be performed during rigging use, where service conditions warrant. Damaged or defective slings shall be immediately removed from service.

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(a)(2): The employer did not ensure that rigging equipment: (i) Has permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load; (ii) Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and (iii) Not be used without affixed, legible identification markings, required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section:    (a)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701: On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure rigging used to lift roof trusses was designed for that purpose. The rigging used did not have permanently affixed and legible identification to indicate the safe working load. The rigging used to lift roof trusses  was a nylon tow rope not designed for lifting. This condition exposed employees to struck-by hazards associated with failure of the rigging while lifting roof trusses.

Issued

Dec 28, 2018

Abate by

Jan 25, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(d)(6): Natural and synthetic fiber rope slings were not immediately removed from service when any of the following conditions specified in 1926.251(d)(6)(i) through (d)(6)(vi) were present:    (a)Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. at 613 Lemmon Avenue, Rapid City, SD 57701: On or about and at times prior to August 14, 2018, the exposing employer did not ensure that a nylon tow rope that was being used to lift roof trusses onto a second story single-family home was properly inspected and removed from service when damage to the Nylon tow rope used for lifting was identified. The Nylon tow rope had a knot, fraying, and showed signs of discoloration and was not removed from service. This condition exposed employees to struck-by hazards associated with failure of the rigging while lifting.