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: On or about March 3, 1987, while cleaning built-up sand off the sides and corners of the interior walls of the Herman line sand silo, employees were exposed to the hazards of asphyxiation, severe crushing, multiple internal injuries and/or death due to lack of oxygen, build-up of dangerous quantities of toxic gases and/or being buried by sand from slides, cave-ins, or wall breakaways. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method is to provide engineering controls that would eliminate the hazard by allowing sand to be removed from the sides and corners of interior walls of the sand silo without the need for employees to enter. Examples of such controls would include the following: a) Installing mechanical vibrators to loosen sand from the sides and corners or the interior walls. b) Use of air lances to blow sand from the sides and corners of the interior walls by employees standing outside the silo. c) Use of powered rotating whips to loosen sand from the sides and corners of the interior walls by employees standing outside the silo. If or when it becomes necessary for employees to physically enter the sand silo, administrative controls for the cleaning and maintenance must be established which contain the following elements for a confined space entry program: a) Written procedures covering a permit system, ventilation, atmospheric testing, rescue procedures and employee training. b) The completion and posting of a confined space entry permit which requires authorization and approval in writing that specifies the location and type of work to be done and certifies that all existing and potential hazards have been evaluated by a qualified person and necessary protective measures have been taken to assure the safety of each worker. c) Mechanical ventilation of the confined space prior to entry and continued ventilation to provide a safe atmosphere when determined necessary as described in (b) above. d) Testing the atmosphere of the confined space prior to entry and on a regular basis for presence of sufficient oxygen (19.5%) and absence of hazardous levels of toxic or combustible gases or vapors when determined necessary as described in (b) above. e) Emergency rescue procedures with a requirement that trained personnel are available and are stationed outside the confined space with proper equipment to provide for rescue of persons entering the space as determined necessary as described in (b) above. Such equipment must include safety harnesses and lifelines with provisions for hositing employees from the confined space. If entry is required for rescue, the rescuing employee(s) must be equipped with a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or other equivalent respiratory protection plus other appropriate personal protective equipment. f) Training of any and all employees required to enter the confined space. This training shall include procedures required prior to entry and the hazards associated with work in confined spaces. This would include the wearing of a body harness and tended lifeline attached to a hoist or jib; work practices for cleaning the silo starting from the top and working down while tied off or otherwise suspended and locking out of any moving agitators, belt or screw conveyors before work is allowed to begin.