Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CRUSHING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: 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: On or about March 27, 1990, at the egg processing facility of Wenk's Produce, located at 12L SE Second Street, Madison, South Dakota, employees were exposed to the hazards of being crushed on the basement floor area of falling three stories sustaining severe injuries due to the following conditions: a) Where a hoistway gate was not provided on the west side of the third floor landing. b) Where a hoistway gate was not provided on the east side of the basement landing. c) Where the microswitch provided was disconnected allowing operation of the elevator without a hoistway gate at the basement landing. d) Where the present hoistway gates in place were improperly constructed in that were openings in the wooden slat gate in which a 2-inch ball could pass. e) Where the hoistway gates presently in place were less than six feet in height. f) Where the cargo elevator had not been inspected since 1951. Acceptable methods of abatement, among others, would be: 1) Provide car door/gates that guard the full width of the entrance to a height of six feet. 2) Ensure that microswitches perform in concert with gates. 3) Construct car door/gates to negate the passage through them of a 2-inch ball. 4) Routinely inspect elevators and operational practices to ensure compliance with the American National Standard Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators, and Moving Walks, ANSI A17.1- 1971.