OSHA Inspection: ATKINS & STANG, INC.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Penalty

Initial $12,145 · Current $5,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2): (Accident prevention responsibilities.) Such programs shall provide for frequent and regular inspections of the job sites, materials, and equipment to be made by competent persons designated by the employers.    On or about May 21, 2020, located on the rooftop of a high-rise office building, there were no frequent and regular inspections being performed by a competent person in that employees:     (a) were using a modified Greenlee #649 pipe adapter sheave with vise chain unit that had not been inspected for damage, vise chain pin placement or chain tension prior to and during lowering of a suspended load of steel pipe    (b) were using a modified Greenlee #649 pipe adapter sheave with vise chain unit as rigging equipment without establishing, at a minimum, a revised maximum allowable working load that would apply to the safe use of a structurally modified component prior to use    (c) were using a custom-made gin pole as hoisting equipment that had not been engineered by a qualified person or assigned load ratings prior to use    (d) were using modified rigging equipment and a custom-made gin pole, with unknown operating limitations, without use of standard rigging practices such as installing guys at the top of the gin pole to take the strain of lowering the suspended load of steel pipe    (e) were standing on the buck bolts of a monopole tower mast, approx. 20 feet above the roof surface, and within 2-3 feet of a modified Greenlee #649 pipe adapter sheave with vise chain unit that was stabilizing a custom-made gin pole which failed while lowering a suspended load of steel pipe    (f) were climbing the buck bolts of a 36 foot tall monopole tower mast while using a work positioning belt as part of a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) in that the wearer's lanyard attachment point was the side D-ring on either side of the positioning belt while clipping snap hooks into the monopole buck bolts    (g) were holding rope tension on a suspended heavy load while positioned within 6 feet of the unprotected roof side or edge of a flat roof while not utilizing a fall protection system and exposed to potential fall heights of 418 feet above ground level    (h) were standing at the unprotected roof edge, without utilizing a fall protection system, while watching other employees attempt to lower a suspended load of steel pipe

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Abate by

Sep 22, 2020

Penalty

Initial $12,145 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2): (Employer responsibility.) The employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.    On or about May 21, 2020, located on the rooftop of a high-rise office building, employees were dismantling a 36 foot tall antenna tower using modified rigging and hoisting equipment including, but not limited to, a modified Greenlee #649 pipe adapter sheave with vise chain unit and custom-made gin pole. Employees had not been instructed on the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions to minimize those hazards while performing this work.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Penalty

Initial $12,145 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.251(a)(1): (General.) Rigging equipment for material handling shall be inspected prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use to ensure that it is safe. Defective rigging equipment shall be removed from service.    On or about May 21, 2020, located on the rooftop of a high-rise office building, employees using a gin pole to dismantle a 36 foot tall antenna tower were exposed to struck-by hazards while using modified rigging equipment that had not been inspected for damage, vise chain pin placement or chain tension prior to beginning work and as necessary during its use in that the vise chain broke loose during use. Employees had welded several pieces of steel strapping and steel pipe onto the frame of a modified Greenlee #649 pipe adapter sheave with vise chain unit, for use as rigging equipment, that later failed under load.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Penalty

Initial $12,145 · Current $5,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.502(d)(17): ("Personal fall arrest systems.") Personal fall arrest systems and their use shall comply with the provisions set forth below. Effective January 1, 1998, body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system. Note: The use of a body belt in a positioning device system is acceptable and is regulated under paragraph (e) of this section.)   The attachment point of the body belt shall be located in the center of the wearer's back. The attachment point of the body harness shall be located in the center of the wearer's back near shoulder level, or above the wearer's head.    On or about May 21, 2020, located on the rooftop of a high-rise office building, an employee was climbing the step bolts of a 36 foot tall monopole antenna tower while using a work positioning belt as part of a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) in that the wearer's harness attachment point was the side D-ring on either side of the positioning belt while clipping into the monopole buck bolts. The employee was wearing an ANSI-compliant harness but was not using the dorsal D-ring as the attachment point in the center of the wearer's back near shoulder level. Potential fall heights were measured to be 27' above the roof surface.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Abate by

Sep 22, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,205 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.503(b)(1): (Certification of training.) The employer shall verify compliance with paragraph (a) of this section by preparing a written certification record. The written certification record shall contain the name or other identity of the employee trained, the date(s) of the training, and the signature of the person who conducted the training or the signature of the employer. If the employer relies on training conducted by another employer or completed prior to the effective date of this section, the certification record shall indicate the date the employer determined the prior training was adequate rather than the date of actual training.    The employer did not have written certification of fall protection training for employees dismantling a 36 foot tall antenna tower on the rooftop of a high rise office building while not utilizing an effective fall protection system and exposed to potential fall heights of 418' above ground level.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Penalty

Initial $8,675 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): Basic Requirement. Within twenty-four (24) hours after the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee's amputation or an employee's loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident, you must report the in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA.    On or about May 21, 2020, an employee sustained an amputation injury while performing demolition work on the rooftop of a high-rise office building in Cincinnati, OH. The employer failed to report the amputation within 24 hours as the report was received via referral on June 11, 2020.

Issued

Aug 26, 2020

Penalty

Initial $1,735 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.40(a): Basic requirement. When an authorized government representative asks for the records you keep under Part 1904, you must provide copies of the records within four (4) business hours.    On June 17, 2020, recordkeeping forms were requested from the employer. The employer did not provide any OSHA recordkeeping forms until July 14, 2020.