Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001B Hazard: CRUSHING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employmnent 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 crushed by the hydraulic arm of the compactor: Location: Establishment a) Employer did not establish and follow a program of periodic and regular inspections of all stationary compactors to ensure that all parts, component equipment, and safeguards are in safe operating condition. This inspection program did not include records of inspections which would have resulted in observing compactors operating with the doors opened, no constant pressure on switch and no guard, on or about 01/07/08. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO FOLLOW THE ANSI Z245.2-2004, WHICH STATES THAT THE OWNER/EMPLOYER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR: "ESTABLISHING AND FOLLOWING A PROGRAM OF PERIODIC AND REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF ALL STATIONARY COMPACTORS TO ENSURE THAT ALL PARTS, COMPONENT EQUIPMENT, AND SAFEGUARDS ARE IN SAFE OPERATING CONDITION, AND ADJUSTED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S PROCEDURES. THIS SHALL INCLUDE KEEPING ALL MALFUNCTION REPORTS AND RECORDS OF INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE WORK PERFORMED". "ENSURING THAT ALL REQUIRED SAFETY FEATURES ARE OPERATIONAL AND FUNCTIONING, AND REPAIRING, PRIOR TO PLACING INTO SERVICE, ANY REPORTED MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT THAT AFFECTS THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE STATIONARY COMPACTOR". NOTE: Because abatement of this violation is already documented in the inspection case file, the employer need not submit certification or documentation of abatement for this violation as normally required by 29 CFR 1903.19.