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 does not furnish employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees are exposed to struck-by hazards from unbraced cement masonry unit (CMU) walls: The employer does not appoint a responsible person to monitor the wind conditions in close proximity to the masonry walls under construction, and does not evacuate the restricted zone when wind speeds exceeded 25 miles per hour as specified in Table A2.3 "Intermediate Period Maximum Unbraced Heights for 25 mph Evacuation Wind Speed (30 mph Design Wind Speed)", as per the "Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction" July 2001. This practice led to the collapse of unbraced masonry walls 9'8" in height on or about June 19, 2008. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct the hazardous conditions that were present on June 19, 2008, would include the following: a.Appoint a Responsible Person to perform wind speed monitoring during the initial and intermediate periods of masonry construction; b.Monitor wind conditions during the initial and intermediate periods in close proximity to the masonry walls under construction and evacuate the restricted zone when wind speed limitations of the standard are met; c.When visual methods are used instead of instrumental methods of monitoring wind speed, the limiting wind speed must be the observed wind speed plus 5 miles per hour, as described and defined in the Standard Practice; d.When determining maximum wall height and bracing locations, consider rebar-reinforced walls to be unreinforced walls until grout has been in place for more than 12 hours, as required in "Standard Practice for Masonry Walls Under Construction", footnote 8, Tables A2.1 through A2.5. Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, within ten calendar days of the date of this citation, the employer must submit documentation showing that it is in compliance with this standard, including documentation showing that the deficiencies have been corrected. DISCLAIMER: 1) You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above. 2) The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all cases. 3) The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an appropriate method.