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

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 recognzied hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to inadvertent downward motion of the platen of baling machine while baler platen is in the raised position and employees are tightening the platen back screw. Feasible andacceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are as follows: a) ADEQUATE SUPERVISION TO ENSURE CORRECT OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE UNDERSTOOD AND FOLLOWED INCLUDING THE USE OF A BLOCKING DEVICE TO RESTRAIN INADEQUATE DOWNWARD MOTION OF THE PLATEN WHENEVER A PERSON IS IN THE BALE CHAMBER. b) ADDITIONAL SAFETY BACKUP FEATURES TO BE ADDED TO THE BALER WHICH CONSIST OF A SAFETY CROSS PIN ANCHORING THE PLATEN TO THE ROD AND A COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE PLATEN BOTH OF WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE PLATEN IF THE PLATEN LOCK SCREW FAILS. c) A JOB SAFETY ANALYSIS TO BE CONDUCTED ON THE FAILURE OF THE PLATEN LOCK SCREW AND INADVERTENT DOWNWARD MOTION OF THE PLATEN TO BE USED IN FUTURE OPERATING PROCEDURES TRAINING.