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 struck by a falling concrete delivery chute: a) Located in the concrete batch plant, the electric motor hoist was not equipped with a limit switch to prevent "overstressing" of the wire rope which holds the concrete discharge chute in an upright position. The wire rope has broke at least twice before allowing the concrete discharge chute to fall. b) Located in the concrete batch plant, the wire rope holding the concrete discharge chute in an upright position was not equipped with a "thimble" to prevent it from being crushed. This wire rope has broke at least twice before allowing the concrete discharge chute to fall. c) Located in the concrete batch plant, the wire rope holding the concrete discharge chute in an upright position was not properly configured with wire rope clips in that one of the two clips was installed backwards. This wire rope has broke at least twice before allowing the concrete discharge chute to fall. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard is to: 1) Install a limit switch on the electric hoist to prevent "over stressing" of the wire rope. 2) Install a wire rope "thimble" in the loop eye to prevent kinking/crushing 3) Install all wire rope clips with the base of the clip bearing against the live end of the rope, while the "U" of the bolt presses against the dead end. 4) Install a "safety chain" between the chute and it's supporting structure to ensure that if the wire rope breaks, the safety chain will prevent the chute from falling. Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter").-Certification