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 these employees were exposed to the hazards of being struck by, run over, and crushed by the wheels of refuse trucks. This occured because employees including, but not limited to, Laborers are allowed to ride on the incorrect section of front-loading refuse trucks when they are travelling during refuse collection activities. When this occurs the employees ride on a section of the vehicle that was not designed, nor built, for this activity. On at least two different occasions employees were allowed to stand on this unapproved section of the front-loading refuse truck as the truck was moving and incurred injuries: 1) On 04/04/11 employees were allowed to ride on the cab portion of a front-loading refuse collector during collection activities. One employee was holding onto the vehicle's rear-view mirror while standing with one foot on the platform that accesses the vehicle cab and the other on the vehicle bumper while the vehicle was in motion. During this activity the access step and platform broke apart and collapsed, causing the employee to fall to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, the Driver saw the employee disappear and immediately stopped the vehicle. By the Driver's account the rear wheels were 18 to 24 inches away from running over the employee's legs. The employee suffered arm and shoulder injuries due to the fall to the pavement. 2) On 09/16/11 employees were allowed to ride on the cab portion of a front-loading refuse truck during collection activities. An employee was holding onto the rear-view mirror with a foot on the access platform and the other foot on the vehicle's bumper while it was in motion. The employee fell off of the platform to the ground. The Driver did not see him fall and ran over his left foot and ankle, causing severe crushing injuries. Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable means of abatement include, but are not limited to: 1) As per ANSI Z245.1 entitled Mobile Wastes and Recyclable Materials Collection, Transportation, and Compaction Equipment-Safety Requirements, implement a Safety Program which includes a hazard assessment, an evaluation of the means and methods of controlling those hazards, a written program to include operation/inspection/maintenance procedures, prohibited practices, recordkeeping, training requirements, and reference to utilized documents; a schedule for the implementation of the written program and periodic reviews/revisions to ensure the effectiveness of the program; 2) To utilize (and enforce utilization of) pre-trip and post-trip inspections and to require the immediate removal of faulty equipment; 3) To establish a written rule that outlines the employer's instructions regarding driving and riding positions. These include, but are not limited to, the provisions outlined in ANSI Z245.1 - 2008, 6.2.3.2 a) through j), Driving and Riding positions; 4) Training to ensure that all employees, including supervisors, Drivers, and Laborers are properly trained for their assigned jobs, tasks, and use of related equipment. This training must be provided at least upon initial assignment to a job or task, with periodic refresher training as necessary to maintain the required level of competence. Additional retraining also shall be provided whenever a periodic inspection reveals, or whenever the employer has reason tobelieve, that there are employee deviations from procedures or inadequacies in the employee's knowledge of procedures; 5) Training records, at a minimum, maintained in accordance with ANSI Z245.1-2008, Section 9.3.2; 6) Training requirements, at a minimum, shall include those provisions outlined in ANSI Z245.1-2008, Section 9.3.4. Abatement certification required within 10 days after the abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed.atives