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 likley to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employee(s) were exposed to the hazard of falling into a 42 foot deep tunnel shaft while standing atop a shaft "half-cover" which was being moved into position by sling rigging to a powered industrial truck. The cover was not lifted vertically until it was clear of the shaft opening, but rather, was dragged horizontally, displacing the other "half-cover" upon which the employee stood. The displaced cover tipped, dumping the employee into the 42 foot deep shaft opening. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to establish and enforce load handling procedures for powered industrial trucks such as those stipulated by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B56.1-1993, Safety Requirements for High-Lift and Low-Lift Powered Industrial Trucks, Section 5.4.5. Such a program shall provide that loads are only lifted vertically and are never dragged horizontally. No additional abatement information is required for this item.