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

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 the hazard of being struck by moving motorized vehicles: This hazard existed on or about November 27, 2006, and times prior thereto, at the chicken processing plant located in Center, TX, in that the employer did not ensure adequate separation was maintained between various motorized vehicles operating on the premises, as well as separation between vehicles and pedestrians, where employees performing work related tasks or walking between plant areas were in the same travel space utilized by industrial vehicles. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to: (1) Perform job hazard analysis for tasks performed in areas where vehicular traffic is also permitted. Such analysis would include assessments of the tasks performed (including their purpose and timing), the vehicles (including their purposes and timing) and the environment (configuration, suitability of physical barriers to isolate pedestrians, illumination or noise interferences). (2) Perform traffic control studies at the site, integrating principles of motor vehicle safety with principles of process efficiency, with the goal of minimizing intersections of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. (3) Once pedestrian and vehicle traffic zones are determined: a. Mark the respective travel lanes with both signage and roadway/walkway striping paint; b. Mark all designated "parking" and "no parking" areas with appropriate signage; c. Provide and require the use of high-visibility vests to those pedestrians who must walk contiguous to roadways; and d. Inform all pedestrians and vehicle operators (including visitors to the site) of the steps they must follow to comply with the traffic control plan. (4) Perform an illumination survey in all plant locations where pedestrians and employees are in close proximity or have the potential to be in close proximity to vehicular traffic.