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 are exposed to a crushing and/or drowning hazard due to potential roll-over when operating ride-on mowers on an embankment which has wet grass, and a slope ranging from 15 degrees to 21 degrees, in close proximity to the edge of a large body of water, on or about 3/10/03. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would be to develop and implement an effective written operator training program for the mower operators which incorporates, at a minimum, that supervisors and operators be thoroughly trained in the safe operating practices for the mowers, and in the recognition of potentially hazardous conditions, such as those stated in the "Training and Operation sections" of the American National Standard for Commercial Turf Care Equipment, ANSI B71.4-1999, and in the "Site Preparation/Circumstances and Mowing Slopes sections" of the manufacturers Operation and Safety Manual for the Bob-Cat ZT 200 EFI Series Ride-On Mowers.