Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: LIFTING

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment 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)being crushed by the 1000 to 1400 pound, approximately 6 foot tall by 10 foot wide pieces of granite or marble when they were required to lean the piece (slab) forward (straight up) to allow for a block to hold the piece up so that the clamp on the ABACO Model 56 lift attachment on the Cat, TCM, Model FHG 36N8 fork lift could clamp onto the piece and lift it for transport to one of the cutting machines for processing on and before February 23, 2004. An employee was crushed and injured on February 23, 2004 when a piece over balanced and fell onto him sending him to the Hospital and causing him to loose time from work due to the injuries. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would be to install stop bars to the boom of the lift attachment that reached down in two directions and would prevent the pieces (slabs) of granite from falling back toward employees who were holding them up for the clamp mechanism to clamp onto them for lifting and transport.