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 and crushed by the forward and backwards rolling of large diameter steel pipes: a)Northwest Pipe Company at 6030 North Washington Street, Denver, CO: On or about October 23, 2001 an employee sustained fatal injuries when he was struck and crushed by a steel pipe. The large diameter (73 inch) pipe rolled backwards out of the east hydrotest machine and crushed the employee against a pipe skid. No mechanism was in place to prevent the large diameter pipes from rolling out of the machine. b)Northwest Pipe Company at 6030 North Washington Street, Denver, CO: On or about October 24, 2001 employees who were working in the east hydrotest area were exposed to the hazard of being struck and crushed by rolling and back rolling steel pipe. Employees were exposed while performing pipe control operations. Employees were potentially exposed to being struck when they had to place their bodies in the hazard area while placing wood blocks on the back rolling side of the pipe. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO CONTRACT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND INSTALLATION OF AN ENGINEERED PIPE MOVEMENT AND PIPE SECURING SYSTEM. ONCE THIS SYSTEM IS INSTALLED, A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM WILL NEED TO BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE PROHIBITED AND PREVENTED FROM BYPASSING THE ENGINEERING CONTROL SYSTEM. Abatement Note: Abatement documentation and certification are required for this item (see enclosed "Sample Abatement Certification Letter").tion