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

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 crushing injuries while standing/working in the loading dock area directing motor vehicles such as, but not limited to, tractor trailers operating/traveling in reverse gear: a) On or about 9/7/07, employees were exposed to being crushed between dock wall and the rear end of the trailer. Employee was acting has the "helper" assisting the driver in backing up his 53 foot trailer into the dock bay. The employee's head was pinned between the dock wall and rear end of the trailer, resulting in fractures to his skull and hearing loss. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are to: 1) Follow NY State Commercial Driving manual (Pages 11 & 12 section 2.2.4) under backing safety; 2) use of high visibility vest; 3) use a system for notifying drivers when it safe to enter dock area; 4) prohibit employees from standing in dock bay when a truck/trailer is revering/moving or has the potential to move; 5) develop and implement procedures for employees serving as spotter/helper for drivers, to include where they will stand and how they will communicate with drivers (e.g., verbal, hand signals, flags, etc.) ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED