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 an employee was exposed to the hazard of falling from a tree that was being cut down: Location: 960 Green Meadow Lane On or about 5/31/07, a) An employee fell from a birch tree while cutting it down. He was not provided with a climbing line and one other means of being secured while working aloft. The employer did not take appropriate actions to ensure a safe removal operation. The tree snapped and the employee was catapulted from the tree as the employee was cutting it with a reciprocating saw due to the pull line being attached and pulled by a Bobcat skid steer machine. "Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to follow section 8 of ANSI Z133.1-2006 Safety Requirements for Arboricultural Operations." NOTE: Because abatement of this violation is already documented in the inspection case file, the employer need not submit certification or documentation of abatement for this violation as normally required by 29 CFR 1903.19.