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

29 CFR OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 due to struck-by hazards to employees working on and around unattended, moving equipment consisting of mill box car #1 hooked to a Chlorate tanker car. (a) On or about 08/17/2020 employees of Pixelle Specialty Solutions were exposed to unattended, moving equipment consisting of mill box car #1 and a Chlorate covered hopper or tanker car located over a sidetrack whose grade was 0.14 %. The cars rolled back and collided with a locomotive engine moving East on the main track located in close proximity to the sidetrack. The mill box car had three (3) out of eight (8) wheels with missing brake pads. The only brake that was applied on the unattended equipment was a handbrake located on the mill box car #1. The mill box car #1 was empty and in front while the tanker car was fully loaded with Chlorate and standing behind the mill box car. No chocks were used to ensure that the unattended equipment would not roll back. The air brake system was not used on the standing equipment: mill box car #1 and the tanker car, and the only means to hold both cars was the handbrake applied. (b) On or about 08/17/2020, no brake inspections, brake repairs, or brake testing had been conducted on mill box car #1 located on the sidetrack within Pixelle's rail yard to ensure that all brake pads were present and in good working condition or changed prior to usage.