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: The employer failed to protect employees, as follows: (a)At the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Reservations, Hidden Valley, Blythe, CA., on 7/01/2009 at approximately 1430 hours, an employee was operating a riding lawnmower, John Deere F-395, ID # MOF935X171182, on an embankment without the Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS) installed and not using the seatbelt in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, the employee was found incapacitated under the equipment with the riding lawnmower laying on top of his body. 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 operating sit-down, ride-on, lawn mowers on slopes greater than specified by the manufacturer, near drop-offs, or near water were exposed to the hazard of falls leading to crushing, entrapment/pinned, being thrown, and drowning: ABATEMENT NOTES: (a)A feasible and useful method to correct this hazard among others is to train employees on the proper use of safety equipment including, but not limited to, the use of Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS) and seat belts in accordance with manufacturer's instructions in the John Deere, Model F-935, ID # MOF935X171182 Operator's Manual and enforce their usage. (b)Another feasible and useful method to correct this hazard among others ensure that employees follow the safe operating practices of the equipment in accordance with manufacturer's instructions in the John Deere, F-935 Operator's Manual and enforce those practices such as, but not limited to, using equipment designed for the work such as, but not limited to, slope mowers for slopes in excess of 15 degrees and walk behind mowers and/or a hand trimmers near drop-offs, steep banks, or water. Slope mowers for cutting slopes up to 40 degrees are available from manufacturers such as, but not limited to, Kut Kwick Corporation (http://www.kutkwick.com/superslopemaster.htm); Slope Care (http:www.slopecare.com/spiderslopemower); Power-Trac (http://www.power trac.com/tsmclass.htm); and http://manuals.deere.com/cceomview/OMM124509_A9/Output/OMM124509_A93.html.