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

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 fall hazards from elevator hoistway openings: Throughout the workplace: This violation most recently occurred at the Taft Grain & Elevator Company, 702 1/2 N. Hwy 181, Taft TX 78390 on or about February 14, 2011, where employees were exposed to fall hazards by the following hoistway enclosure openings that were not guarded: a.Auger platform floor, head house, Taft warehouse, northwest wall, workplace north area: fall hazard of 40 feet to the next lower level, b.Top floor platform, head house, Taft warehouse, northwest wall, workplace north area: fall hazard of 20 feet to the next lower level (roof surface of the stowed elevator cab). Among other feasible methods to correct the identified hazard, one method would be to install and maintain at each hoist way enclosure opening an access door per ASME 17.1-2010/CSA 844-10 Safety Code for Elevators Section 2.1.1.1.3 Construction of Hoistways and Hoistway Enclosures. Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19 within ten (10) calendar days of the date of this citation, the employer must submit documents describing the actions it is taking to ensure that access doors or an equivalent means of guarding is provided for the elevator hoistway enclosure openings.