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

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees are exposed to hazards. The employer is failing to protect employees from the hazard of asphyxiation by strangulation associated with loose fitting clothing, loose hair, and jewelry in the near proximity of moving parts of machinery that could result in death, amputation or other serious physical harm. An employee was fatally injured when the scarf he was wearing got caught in the drive roller of the hide belt in the facility pulling the employee into the belt and strangling him. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are: 1) Ensure that all employees are trained, on an on-going basis, regarding the hazards of loose fitting clothing, loose hair, and jewelry in the near proximity of moving parts of machinery. 2) Develop and implement an inspection/evaluation protocol to ensure that employees are not wearing loose fitting clothing or jewelry prior to the start of work, whenever in the near proximity of moving parts of machinery, and prior to returning to work in the facility. 3) Ensure that employees wear cold weather clothing, where appropriate, that has been reviewed for applicability for the environment (hazards in the area). This would include a review of the clothing for entanglement or entrapment issues.