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

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: On or before 3/4/00, employee(s) were exposed to the hazards associated with the falling of the vertical preheat ladle cover in The Melt Shop in that the combined weight of the ladle, personnel working on the ladle cover and the mast arm was greater than the load bearing capability of the bolts in use to secure the lid to the strutural beam via a mast arm. The company did not insure, through specific maintenance protocol, that maintenance work performed on the cover in the form of its reinstallation was done properly, i.e., that the securing bolts were installed in sufficient numbers and/or grade to support the weight imposed on them to include the weight of the cover, the mast arm and employees working on top of the cover doing utility installation. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means to ensure structural integrity of the platform (ladle cover) and correct the hazardous conditions include: a. Insuring that the design drawings contain the necessary specific information pertaining to the type, size and grade of hardware to be used for securement of the mast and cover. b. Insuring that a maintenance protocol be established for the cover and that it includes the use of prints as guidance for selecting the proper hardware (e.g. size and grade of securing bolts) to be used for securement of the mast and cover and that, as stated in subparagraph a above, that such prints contain the information needed. c. Insuring that reinstallation of the cover due to damage or redesign be inspected for proper securement.