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

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 fall injuries. a)IN THE WORKPLACE, on or about 09-25-97: At the cabbage storage tanks, employees spreading cabbage from the conveyor system were exposed to falls into the adjacent tanks, a distance of 15 feet. Employees are required to enter the storage tanks as the cabbage is being transferred into the tank, to spread the product, ensuring the cabbage does not back up into the conveyor system. Employees utilize pitch forks with their backs to the openings, at the edge of the tanks while performing the work, without any fall protection devices. Among other methods, two feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are to: 1.Provide a guardrail system along all open sides of the tank to prevent employees from falling into the adjacent empty tanks. 2.Provide a fall arrest system with lanyard and body harness, attached to an overhead point to prevent a fall of no more than six feet.