OSHA Inspection: LENOX VALLEY WTF LLC

Issued

Jun 5, 2020

Abate by

Jul 16, 2020

Penalty

Initial $4,048 · Current $2,834 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 pedestrian employees were exposed to struck-by hazards:  Rail car bay (pit), 64-68 Willow Creek Road, Lenox, MA 01240.  On or about January 27, 2020 employees were directed to clean rubbish that had fallen over the edges or over tops of open top rail cars and into the rail car bay (pit).  During cleaning operations employees would enter the rail car bay (pit) and utilizing various hand tools, would pick and move the fallen rubbish to another container or reposition it for pick up by the excavator's grapple attachment.  This action put employees into close proximity of the grapple attachment and exposed them to being struck-by the boom or attachment due to the obstructed view of the employees in the pit from the excavators operator's station and their relation to the boom or attachment.  Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard is to:  (a) Follow the recommendations contained in the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Safety Manual for Operators and Maintenance for Hydraulic Excavators page 11, "Know the location of other personnel and machines and make sure they are a safe distance from the machine."