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

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 being struck or crushed by a heavy falling load not securely attached and/or controlled by the compact excavator machine used to lift it: (a) Commercial property (Station Plaza) under new construction & 215 North Ave in Dunellen, NJ: In the course of installing a new sewer line, 8 ft span(s) of concrete pipe was lifted and lowered into a shallow trench using a wire rope sling that was hitched to the bucket in a manner that didn't ensure control of the load. The end loop was merely placed over a tooth of the bucket, leaving the load susceptible to jumping/sliding off whenever the bucket bottom approached horizontal. Among the feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct the hazard is to follow the equipment manufacturers' recommended safe-lifting practices for compact excavators, such as the use of a bucket with welded lifting hook and safety latch or other positive point of sling/chain attachment designed for the purpose. Condition noted on or about 6/30/2005.