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 the employer did not provide a method for ensuring safe boarding/deboarding of larry cars and eliminating blind spots thereby exposing employees to being struck by and/or run over by larry cars: (a) Mon Valley Works-Clairton Plant, B Battery, Coal Bunker, Larry Car #2: On or about September 15, 2006, an employee, who had deboarded the larry car, was struck by the moving car due to the inability of the larry car operator to see employees. This occurred due to a blind spot that existed for the #2 Larry Car operator which extended approximately 8 feet in front of the northwest (down river, town side) wheel truck of the larry car. In addition, this wheel truck assembly was missing a rail sweep. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement is to implement a safe job procedure for larry car operator boarding/deboarding which ensures a clear path of travel for employees; verifies that operators are clear of the larry car's path of travel; and verifies by visual contact with the larry car operator that employees are in the clear and not in any blind spots prior to moving the equipment.