Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

Section 88.4 - Code of Iowa (2001) 88.4: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was 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)Fayette County Twin Bridges Park - On or about August 21, 2002 an employee of the Fayette County Conservation Board was operating a Toro 325D Traction Unit equipped with a Toro 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit designed to meet the safety specifications of American National Standard ANSI/OPEI B71.4-1990 for Commercial Turf Care Equipment. The operating employee had his left foot mutilated by contact with a rotating mower blade. Interlock switches, designed to protect operators from injury from such hazards as, but not limited to, contact with operating moving mower blades and from being struck by the moving machine, had been rendered inoperable. One feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to replace inoperable switches and restore system wiring to allow the interlock switches to perform to design function and check interlock switches daily for proper operation as specified on page 23 of Toro Form No. 3318-688 Rev.D (Operators Manual). (b)Fayette County Twin Bridges Park - On or about August 21, 2002 an employee of the Fayette County Conservation Board was operating a Toro 325D Traction Unit equipped with a Toro 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit designed to meet the safety specifications of American National Standard ANSI/OPEI B71.4-1990 for Commercial Turf Care Equipment. The operating employee had his left foot mutilated by contact with a rotating mower blade. The Toro 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit was not equipped with a Discharge Deflector, designed to drive objects into the ground and to meet the foot probe test of ANSI/OPEI B71.4. One feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to install and use in the lowest operating position Toro Part number 51-1470 Deflector with functional hardware and Part Number 43-8480 Decal-Danger (Signage). (c)Fayette County Twin Bridges Park - On or about August 21, 2002 an employee of the Fayette County Conservation Board was operating a Toro 325D Traction Unit equipped with a Toro 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit designed to meet the safety specifications of American National Standard ANSI/OPEI B71.4-1990 for Commercial Turf Care Equipment. The operating employee had his left foot mutilated by contact with a rotating mower blade. The operators seat was not secured and maintained to remain attached to the Toro Traction Unit while the machine was being operated. This condition exposed the operator to falls and movement from the operator's position while the unit was in motion. One feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to replace the seat mounting and suspension hardware and maintain the assembly in a safe functional condition. (d) Fayette County Twin Bridges Park - On or about August 21, 2002 an employee of the Fayette County Conservation Board was operating a Toro 325D Traction Unit equipped with a Toro 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit designed to meet the safety specifications of American National Standard ANSI/OPEI B71.4-1990 for Commercial Turf Care Equipment. The operating employee had his left foot mutilated by contact with a rotating mower blade. The assembly did not have supplemental weights called for on the front page of Toro Form No. 3318-688 Rev. D (Operator's Manual) installed to the rear of the traction unit. Failure to utilize the called for weights reduces the stability of the unit when operated on sloping and rough turf. One feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to install and maintain the weight kits to bring the 325-D Toro Unit equipped with a 72 inch side discharge Cutting Unit into conformance with ANSI/OPEI B71.4 Safety Standard as called for in the Toro Operator's Manual.