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 crushing hazard from earthmoving equipment: (a) On or about February 20, 1992, employees working at the tipping deck and landfill area were exposed to serious injury or death from being crushed by the Komatsu D155, equipment #5112, Caterpillar D8L, equipment #5116, and the Rex 370 com- pactor, equipment #5062, that had an obstructed view to the rear while operating in reverse, such equipment was not provided with an alarm signal distinguishable from the surrounding noise level, nor was an assistant available that could signal if it was safe to operate such equipment in the reverse direction. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method, but not limited to, to correct this hazard is: (1) Designate a person to be responsible to signal operator of equipment if it was safe to back up. (2) Provide such equipment with an alarm that would operate while equipment is operating in the reverse direction.