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

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occuptional 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 of likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: (a) On or about 5/20/93, employees of Civic Stages Chicago working within the Civic Opera House, 20 North Wacker Drive, were exposed to the hazards associated with falling into an open elevator shaft dur to unsafe work practices. It is common practice for employees to open elevator dorrs from the outside of the landing by inserting a tool (scrapers or screw driver) between the doors and forceing the handle on the inside to release and then open the doors in this manner by passing the elevator door locks. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to develope a safe work practice policy which states if the elevator car is not at the landing with the doors open you must use the stairs. Under no circumstance open the door with a tool from the outside. This policy must be in writing and all employees trained in it.