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

Nevada Revised Statute 618.375(1): Duties of employers. The employer failed to furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees: The employer did not ensure that a winch was not used to lift items vertically per the manufacturer's recommendations, as follows: a.At the Cosmopolitan Condo Hotel, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd., South, Las Vegas, NV 89109, 5th floor balcony on the north side, window installation activities, Employee #1 was exposed to overhead hazards while operating a winch as a hoist that had been attached on the underside of a custom design support structure for lifting glass panels that weighed up to 700 pounds secured by a vacuum power grip that weighed 122 pounds. The employer did not follow the manufacturer's warnings and precautions as noted in the Assembly and Operating Instructions manual. Reference: Chicago Electric Power Tools, 5,500 LB. Winch With Roller Fairlead, Model 91780, Assembly and Operating Instructions, Specific Winch Warnings and Precautions. Page 3, Item 6: Do not lift items vertically. The winch was designed for horizontal pulling use only. Page 4, Item 9: ...this Winch should not be used for lifting whatsoever. One feasible means of abatement would be to remove the winch from the support structure and replace it with a hoist approved for material lifting.