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: Employees working at the construction of Wingate Inn, in Tyler, TX, were exposed to the recognized hazard of being "struck by" or "crushed by" precast concrete panels as the panels were being installed overhead by crane and nylon sling rigging equipment. The employer did not ensure that proper rigging equipment was used, in that: When lifting precast concrete panels with nylon slings equipped with plastic corner protectors the slings and corner protectors were not suitable equipment for the precast concrete panels being lifted. The slings were not cut resistant or supplemented with appropriate corner protection devices to minimize and eliminate damage created by the sharp edges and corners of the panels. The potential for being "struck by" or crushed by" was demonstrated by the following instance: On or about August 11, 1999 a panel being lifted into place fell striking other panels, already in place, causing them to collapse. Among other methods, recognized and feasible means of abatement to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to: Using slings specifically designed for use with materials having sharp edges and corners or supplementing the slings with edge and corner devices of sufficient design and strength to prevent damage such as cutting or tearing, as required by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard B30.9 (Slings), section 9-5.9 (Operating Practices) paragraph (g).