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

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 a fall from an elevation: (a) On or about April 23, 1992, an employee working on a tower erection site located 1 mile south and 2 miles east of Spencer, South Dakota, was riding a tower section being raised by cable and winch to a point approximately 120 feet above the ground, exposing that employee to a potential fall hazard in the event of a failure of the lifting system and the tower section falling to the ground. Feasible and acceptable methods of abatement to correct the hazard would include: 1. Lifting employees on a crane line, in an approved personnel basket with approved safety equipment, i.e., safety belts and lanyards and anti-two blocking on the crane line. No employee will be allowed to ride a tower section up. 2. Physically ascending and descending the tower with the aid of a ladder climbing device or attaching a cable system or independent safety lines, used in conjunction with safety belts or full body harnesses and safety lanyards, to the tower sections before they are raised to provide the employee an attachment point for a rope grab or other fall prevention device and provide 100fall protection.