Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001A Hazard: STRUCK BY

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act: 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 physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: Ref. 10 OSH 1926.16(a) ... In no case shall the prime contractor be relieved of overall responsibility for the compliance with the requirements of this part for all work to be performed under the contract. Ref. Multy-employer Policy Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico: El patrono no proveyo empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten causando o que puedan causar muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados estaban expuestos a: Ref. 10 OSH 1926.16(a) ... En ningun caso se relevara al contratista general de la responsabilidad general de cumplir con los requisitos de esta Parte para todos los trabajos que se realizaran bajo el contrato. Ref. Politica de Multy-employer Bird Construction Corporation was the prime contractor at Ocean View and HEMCO Electrical and Mechanical Associates, S.E. worked under contract for them at this establishment. Bird Construction as General Contractor failed to excercise his authority in order to enforce their safety and heal program on the entire project. As a result of the lack of enforcement, subcontractors did not keep employees clear of loads lifted and of suspended loads under the following circumstances in one instance. On March 16, 2007 at the construction of the Ocean View building located at Isla Verde Avenue Carolina Puerto Rico, employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck. It was observed a bucket containing concrete was transported continuously over employees by a crane from a truck, located on the street, to the top of northern side of the building. This bucket was being moved over HEMCO ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ASSOC S.E. employees working on southern side of the tenth floor of the building under construction (this is the side of the building next to the street), and onto the northern side of the tenth floor of the building (the side next to the beach). These employees worked installing electrical connections beneath the path used to move the previously described suspended load. Buckets containing cement used in construction tend to accumulate cement on its outer surface that dry and fall during its transportation. In addition, this situation presents the hazard of cement accumulations falling from the bucket on employees working beneath. These employees worked and walked on top of a mat of structural steel rods as well as lines of post-tension wires laid on a mold. Walking and working over a surface that makes it impossible to move freely augments the possibility of an accident. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are: 1. Removing the employees before moving the loads 2. Moving the loads on paths where no employees work or walk below. Bird Construction Corporation era el contratista General en la construccion de Ocean View y HEMCO ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATES, S.E., trabajaba para ellos en este establecimiento bajo un contrato. Bird Construction Corporation como contratista general fallo en ejercer su autoridad de forma que se asegurase del cumplimiento de su programa de seguridad y salud en el proyecto completo. Como resultado de la falta de esta aplicacion los subcontratistas no mantuvieron a los empleados libres de las cargas que se levantaron o de cargas suspendidas en una instancia bajo las siguientes circumstancias: El 16 de marzo de 2007 en la construccion del edificio Ocean View, localizada en la Avenida Isla Verde Carolina Puerto Rico, los empleados estuvieron expuestos a ser golpeados. Se observo a una grua transportar continuamente sobre empleados un canasto con cemento desde un camion, localizado en la carretera, hasta la parte superior del norte del edificio. Este canasto era movido sobre empleados de HEMCO ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ASSOC S.E. que trabajaban en el decimo piso de la parte sur del edificio (esto es el lado del edificio que daba hacia la carretera), y hacia el decimo piso de la parte norte del edificio (el lado al lado de la playa). Estos empleados trabajaban instalando conexiones electricas debajo del paso utilizado para mover la carga suspendida previamente descrita. Los canastos de cemento utilizados en la construccio tienden a acumular cemento en su superficie exterior que seca y cae durante su transportacion. En adicion, esta situacion presenta el riesgo de que la acumulacion de cemento caiga desde el canasto sobre empleados que se encuentren debajo. Estos empleados trabajaban y caminaban sobre una malla de varillas de construccion y lineas de cable post-tensado que descansaban sobre un molde. Caminar y trabajar sobre una superficie que hace imposible moverse libremente aumenta la posibilidad de un accidente. Entre otros metodos, metodos accesibles y aceptables para corregir este riesgo lo son: 1. Remover los empleados antes de comenzar a mover las cargas. 2. Mover las cargas por una ruta donde los empleados no trabajen ni caminen.