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 employmnent 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 a fall/trip hazard entering and exiting the audit area of the warehouse: a)In "The Loop" area of the warehouse, auditors who scan outgoing bins of stock for quality assurance, work in an area completely surrounded by a conveyor system. In order to enter or exit the area, employees are required to cross the roller conveyor by climbing up three steps of a ladder then stepping across free turning rollers and down the other side of the ladder. This is the only way for auditors and other employees to access this area. Employees are exposed to a hazard of falling or getting their foot or shoe caught in the free turning rollers. Employee was injured while crossing the conveyor on 7/17/01. ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM ANSI B20.1-1987 paragraph 6.11.b which is incorporated by reference, states that personnel shall not be allowed to walk or step on free turning rollers or wheels. Feasible means of abatement might be to: 1.install a walking surface up and over the conveyor that would not interfere with the stock being carried on the conveyor; 2.install walking plate(s) to lay across the conveyor where needed that are interlocked with the emergency stop so as to shut down the conveyor before crossing it; or 3.reconfigure a crossing point in another area of the conveyor system that might be more favorable to employee traffic.