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 fall hazard from catwalks while working at fertilizer storage and manufacturing areas: a.At the Old Mill storage areas, and at the Old Mill Weigh Floor areas, illumination levels were measured and found to be 0.4 to 1.5 foot candles at the storage areas and 0.3 to 2.5 foot candles at the operator's station at the Weigh floor which does not meet the requirements found on Table 1 of ANSI A11.1 titled Industrial Lighting RP-7 a publication of the American National Standards Institute and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The employees are exposed to the hazard of falling from the catwalks due to the lack of adequate illumination. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to increase lighting at all work areas as addressed on Table 1 of ANSI A11.1, Industrial Lighting RP-7. b.At the Old Mill area, employees were exposed to fall hazards from catwalks throughout the area, including, but not limited to, the catwalks next to the inbound conveyor systems at the 50 side and Clermont side, the catwalk flooring at the Weigh floor, pipe floor, shaker screen floor and top of the elevator floor. The catwalks were rusted to the point that employees were exposed to falling through the grating. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are: 1.Replace deteriorated sections of catwalks. 2.Follow the American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.'s Manual of Steel Construction Allowable Stress Design and: ensure that structural components are designed to tolerate corrosion, or are protected against corrosion that impairs the strength or serviceability of the structure; and, ensure that where beams are exposed, they are sealed against corrosion of interior surfaces or they are spaced sufficiently apart to permit cleaning and painting. 3.Develop and implement an ongoing mechanical integrity program for corrosion prevention including inspections and the maintenance of a record that the inspections were conducted. 4.Ensure that recommendations resulting from inspections are completed and maintain a record to facilitate the evaluation of the corrosion prevention program.