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

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 hazard of being caught between the Low Cost Universal Sorter, Transport Belt and the conveyor housing, housing supports, or pulleys: (a) On or about January 12, 2011, in the mail processing area near column K4, U.S. Postal Service policies and procedures were not followed when mechanics were allowed to wear gloves when within arm's length of an operating Low Cost Universal Sorter, Transport Belt. Maintenance employees were exposed to the hazard of being caught between the conveyor's transport belt and the conveyor housing, housing supports, or pulleys. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to follow the policies and procedures in U.S. Postal Service handbooks: (1.) EL-803 Maintenance Employee's Guide to Safety, December 2009, SECTION XVI - Machine Work, A. Work Practices, 1. Personal, "When you are within an arm's length of a machine, do not wear loose clothing, neckties, gloves, sweaters, rings, watches, bracelets, or anything than could become entangled in the machinery or present an electrical contact hazard." (2.)EL 801 Supervisor's Safety Handbook, June 2008, Section 4-5 Safety Principles for Wearing Glove, c, "Where risk of injury is increased because of machinery, wearing of gloves is prohibited. Gloves must not be worn when and where they can get caught in powered machinery. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: (1.) feeder, induction, stacker, and transport conveyor paths of the mail processing machines; (2.) conveyors with pinch and/or nip points; and (3.) drills, chain drives, and rotating shafts with catch points."