Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

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: a.In the production facility, employees performing setup, casting, cleanup, stripping, maintenance, quality assurance, and other jobs on and around rolling beds #1 and 2 were exposed to struck-by, caught-in, and fall hazards. The rolling beds #1 and 2 which were approximately 900 feet and 830 feet long, respectively, were unsafe to work on and around due to the following unsafe conditions: operators were not able to visibly see the entire bed or all employees who were in the area while the rolling beds were moving; the operators were not always at the controls to stop the beds in the event of an emergency; there were no emergency stops for the beds other than at the pendant controls; there were caught-in and pinch point hazards along the path of the rolling beds; the undercarriage/wheels and ends of the rolling beds were not guarded; the alarm for signaling the movement of bed #1 was not operational; the operators routinely circumvented the alarms on the rolling beds; the lighting was lacking in the areas of bed travel; safe access to and egress from the rolling beds was not adequate; employees were entering and exiting the beds while they were moving and were permitted to walk on the stress frame (side frame) of the rolling beds. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct these hazards include, but are not limited to, the following: *Since rolling beds #1 and 2 are approximately 900 feet long and 830 feet long, respectively, relocate the pendant controls or utilize remote controls to reduce the distance of the line of sight for safe operation. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Ensure that the rolling bed operator is at the operational controls at all times in the event that an emergency stop is required. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Provide spotters that are in direct communication visually or by radio with the operator. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Provide other means for employees to stop the rolling beds in the event of an emergency situation such as light curtains, pressure plates, and/or trip wires. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Remove all caught-in hazards and pinch points along the path of the rolling beds such as columns, equipment, and other obstructions. This method addresses caught-in hazards. *Paint obstructions that could create a caught-in hazard or pinch point along the path of the rolling beds yellow or some other bright color. This method addresses caught-in hazards. *Provide guarding for the undercarriage/wheels and ends of the rolling beds such as barrier guards, light curtains, pressure plates, and/or trip wires. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Repair the inoperative alarm for bed #1 with a unique sound to distinguish it readily from bed #2. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Design the operational controls so that an alarm sounds for a certain period of time prior to bed movement and eliminates the possibility of the operator circumventing the alarm as in the current configuration. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Install a visual indicator which is unique to each bed such as a flashing light or strobe light to indicate when each bed is moving. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Install new or additional lighting in all areas of bed travel. This method addresses struck-by, caught-in, and fall hazards. *Provide and enforce employees working on and around the rolling beds to wear brightly colored reflective vests and/or clothing, such as orange or lime green, so that operators can easily spot them. This method addresses struck-by and caught-in hazards. *Improve methods and install new means of safe access to and egress from the rolling beds. This method addresses struck-by, caught-in, and fall hazards. *Ensure and enforce that the rolling beds have completely stopped before employees are permitted to enter or exit the beds. This method addresses struck-by, caught-in, and fall hazards. *Enforce that employees do not walk on the stress frame (side frame) of the rolling beds unless the fall hazard has been eliminated by installing an adjacent guarded platform at the same height along the sides of the beds. This method addresses fall hazards.s