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

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 the hazard of being pulled into and crushed by the rotating parts of a pipe threading machine: a)Machine Shop, boiler room, on or about 01/28/99: Employee(s) operate a Oster 545 Pipe Threading Machine, which was activated by a manually operated "on/off" switch that would not automatically shut the machine off if its operator was inadvertently caught up in its rotating parts. b)Bridge Shop, on or about 02/04/99: Employee(s) operate a Oster 545 Pipe Threading Machine, which was activated by a manually operated "on/off" switch that would not automatically shut the machine off if its operator was inadvertently caught up in its rotating parts. Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is to establish and enforce adequate safe operating procedures, such as those stipulated in American National Standards for Portable Pipe Threading Machines (ANSI B208.1-1982). Elements essential to an acceptable safe operating procedure include at a minimum: 1) Installation of a momentary contact device (deadman foot switch) to control power input to the machine. This device would automatically stop the machine and the rotating parts if the operator's foot was removed from the foot switch for any reason. 2) Provide training and education to the machine operators concerning all the appropriate procedures for the safe operation and use of this type of machinery.