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 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 a potential fall hazard when working from a defective step ladder. (a)Acid Tower - Employees were required and/or permitted to use an eight (8) foot portable reinforced plastic step ladder to work on the carbon block and maintain a unit heater. The third stair from the bottom was found with a quarter (1/4) inch dip in the step and the first step had a two (2) inch crack in it, observed on or about March 15, 2005. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would include, following ANSI A14.5-2000, "American National Standard for Ladders - Portable Reinforced Plastic - Safety Requirements", including but not limited to: performing periodic inspections, preferably before each use. Where structural damage or other hazardous defect is found, ladders shall be marked and taken out of service until they are repaired by a competent mechanic or destroyed in such a manner as to render them useless. THE EMPLOYER WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OR SIMILAR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN ITEM NUMBER 1 OF THE CITATION NUMBER 1 ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2004, (OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 305840605)