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 the hazard of falling: On or about 11/6/99, the employer failed to prevent employees from having access to six glass skylight panels which formed a platform approximately 5 ft wide and 30 ft long in the 7th floor storeroom overlooking the building lobby and atrium. Employees were using the platform to store boxes, and other items, and some employees walked on the platform, not knowing that it was made of glass due to the opaque paper covering. Feasible means to correct this hazard may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Remove the paper covering that had concealed the glass surface of the platform. 2. Train employees and provide work rules regarding this hazard. 3. Post warning signage. 4. Take other effective action as necessary to prevent employees from having access to these glass panels such as increasing the height of the guardrail and adding a midrail or constructing a wall to prevent access as intended by the existing New York City administrative Code chapter 27-338, subchapter d.1. which requires a guardrail to prevent access of employees to glass skylights made of 1/4 inch thick wire glass.