OSHA Inspection: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, INC.

Issued

Feb 23, 2021

Abate by

Mar 19, 2021

Penalty

Initial $1,931 · Current $1,255 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2):  The employer did not initiate and maintain an accident prevention program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of jobsites, materials, and equipment to be made by a competent person (i.e., a person 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):  (a) Heavy Construction at 1400 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57106: On or about and at times prior to December 17, 2020, 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 exposed to fall hazards of approximately 20 - 30 feet while installing wood trusses and purlins with inadequate fall protection systems.  The condition exposed employees to a fall hazard greater than 20 feet.  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

Feb 23, 2021

Abate by

Mar 19, 2021

Penalty

Initial $4,505 · Current $2,928 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.502(a)(2):The employer did not provide and install all fall protection systems required by this subpart for employees and did not comply with all other pertinent requirements of this subpart before employees began the work that necessitates the fall protection:  (a)Heavy Construction, Inc. at  1400 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57106: On or about and at times prior to December 17, 2020, the exposing employer did not ensure employees were protected from fall hazards while using SafeWaze vertical lifelines while installing roof trusses and purlins on a wooden pole-to-truss commercial building under construction.  Employees were taking the snap-hook of vertical lifelines and looping it around the top chord of the truss and connecting it back onto the lifeline rope. The vertical lifeline was not designed for this anchorage application.  This condition exposed an employee to a fall hazard of approximately 30 feet.

Issued

Feb 23, 2021

Abate by

Mar 19, 2021

Penalty

Initial $4,505 · Current $2,928 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.502(d)(16)(iii):Personal fall arrest systems, when stopping a fall, were not rigged such that an employee could not free fall more than 6 feet (1.8 m) nor contact any lower level:  (a)Heavy Construction, Inc. at  1400 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57106: On or about and at times prior to December 17, 2020, the exposing employer did not ensure that employees were utilizing fall protection systems correctly in that an employee used a 50-foot SafeWaze vertical lifeline that was tied to a roof truss for anchorage on one end and the other end connected to the employees dorsal D-ring of their full body harness.  As a result, an employee fell through a roof purlin that was being installed to the ground below and was hospitalized.  This condition exposed employees to fall hazards of over 20 feet.

Issued

Feb 23, 2021

Abate by

Mar 19, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.502(d)(16)(ii):Personal fall arrest systems, when stopping a fall, did not limit maximum arresting force on an employee to 1800 pounds(8kn) when used with a body harness:  (a)Heavy Construction, Inc. at  1400 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57106: On or about and at times prior to December 17, 2020, the exposing employer did not ensure that employees installing trusses and purlins on a wood framed commercial property  were using full body harnesses with deceleration devices to limit the arresting force to less than 1800 pounds.  This condition exposed employees to physical injuries related to rapid deceleration s.

Issued

Feb 23, 2021

Abate by

Mar 19, 2021

Penalty

Initial $16,092 · Current $10,456 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.501(b)(1):Each employee on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge which was 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level was not protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems:  (a) Heavy Construction, Inc. at 1400 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57106:  On or about and at times prior to December 17, 2020, the exposing employer did not ensure employees were protected from fall hazards above six feet while conducting framing operations on a commercial property.  Employees were having to disconnect fall protection equipment to relocate to other areas of the structure without the use of a fall protection system. This condition exposed employees to fall hazards greater than 20 feet.  Heavy Construction, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1443278, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on March 13, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 500 West Brian Street, Tea, SD 57064.  Heavy Construction, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1319023, citation number 1, item number 2a and was affirmed as a final order on August 21, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 800 Dynamic Avenue, Harrisburg, SD 57032.