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 decapitation/amputation by being struck by a moving elevator car due to a lack of adequate hoistway doors; and/or exposed to amputation/crushing by being caught in the shear point between the elevator car and the hoistway due to a lack of elevator car gates; and/or falling down an elevator shaft due to a lack of electrical interlocks on the hoistway doors to prevent them from being opened when the elevator car is not in the landing zone; and/or lack of see through panels through which one can tell whether or not the elevator is in the landing zone; and/or amputation/crushing due to a lack of parking devices to ensure the elevator cars will stop only at floor level; and/or inability to get help if needed in an emergency due to lack of an emergency signaling device; and/or the increased potential of injury due to an elevator having only one available light, should that light go out or break; and/or riding/using unsafe elevators that had not been approved for operation due to not being subjected to inspections a minimum of every six months: a)Maintenance Elevator - Cohoes Iron Works elevator used to carry employees and equipment: - Elevator car was not equipped with interlocked car gates in accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard A17.3, paragraph 3.4.2. - Hoistway doors on first and second floors were not equipped with hoistway door unlocking devices/hoistway access switches (interlocks) to prevent the opening of the doors when the elevator car is not in the landing zone, in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.7.3. - Hoistway doors did not have vision panels not less than 25 square inches and not more than 80 square inches, in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.6.3. - Elevator was not equipped with a parking device to prevent the doors from opening unless the elevator is in line with the landing zone, in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.7.2. - Elevator was not equipped with an emergency signaling device (alarm) in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 3.11.1. - Elevator was not equipped with a minimum of two lamps in accordance with ANSI A17.3, paragraph 3.4.5. - Elevator had never been inspected, as required, a minimum of every six months in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.1, Section 1001.1 b) Machine Room #3 - Craig Ridgway elevator used for lifting freight only: - First floor front and rear hoistway doors, which were 48 3/4" high, did not meet the minimum 6' requirement in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.6.1(b). - Second floor hoistway door which was 48 3/4" high did not meet the minimum 6' height requirement in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.6.1(b). - Hoistway doors were not equipped with hoistway door unlocking devices/hoistway access switches (interlocks) to prevent the opening of the doors when the elevator car is not in the landing zone, in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.3, paragraph 2.6.3. - Elevator had never been inspected, as required, a minimum of every six months in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.1, Section 1001.1. c. Old Converting Plant - Otis elevator used for lifting freight only: - Hoistway doors did not have vision panels not less than 25 square inches and not more than 80 square inches in accordance with ANSI Standard 2.6.3. - Elevator had never been inspected, as required, a minimum of every six months in accordance with ANSI Standard A17.1, Section 1001.1. One feasible method of abatement is to install adequate hoistway doors, install elevator car gates, install hoistway door and elevator gate unlocking devices/access switches, install vision panels, install parking devices, install an emergency signaling system, install a second lamp, and have elevators inspected a minimum of every six months. ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED