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

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to frostbite and exposure hazards: (a)Aspen Skiing Company at Snowmass Ski Area, Aspen, CO 81611: On or before 12/05/08, the employer did not develop and implement procedures to ensure that snowmaker employees were accounted for and working safely. The employer permitted snowmaker employees to operate snowmobiles and work at night without adequate communication and safeguards. A snowmaker employee was operating a snowmobile, and was involved in a collision with a tree around midnight on December 4, 2008. The employee was immobilized, and was not found until daybreak on the morning of December 5, 2008. Conditions exposed snowmaker employees to frostbite and circulatory injuries. Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter"). Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable methods of abatement include: 1)Establish sign-in and sign-out procedures that account for employees prior to exposure to on-mountain night time hazards, and which allow management to easily understand who is working and who is not, and ensure the use of such logs; 2)Establish consistent pick up and drop off routes for the shift, because the locations varied depending upon where the snow was; 3)Initiate periodic radio accountability checks during each shift; 4)Establish a map showing the assigned physical locations of employees; 5)Develop a system to ensure that employees are accounted for at the end of each shift; 6)Ensure the supervisors handoff responsibilities for employees working through the shift change; 7)Establish snowmobile sign-in and sign-out logs, and ensure the use of such logs; and 8)Ensure the use of these safety procedures by including appropriate rules, training, on- site inspections, and if necessary, disciplinary actions and/or incentive programs.