Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 in that employees were exposed to the hazard of being crushed by large dies and manufactured parts in the event that the unrated and defective structures used to support them failed while supporting these heavy load: A) LOCATION: DIE GRIND AREA DIES WEIGHING UP TO 80 TONS, WERE PLACED ON STEEL FABRICATED "HORSES" THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DESIGNED, TESTED, AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED TO ENSURE THEIR LOADING CAPACITIES. MANY OF THESE "HORSES" HAD SIGNS OF FATIGUE WITH BREAKS AND BENDS IN MANY OF THE COMPONENTS AND THERE WAS NO RATINGS ON THESE SUPPORTS AND NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO SHOW WHAT WEIGHTS THEY WERE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT. B) LOCATION: PROCESS GRIND AREA, BOOTH #'S 1,2,10, & 15 STEEL FABRICATED TABLES USED TO HOLD PIECES WEIGHING UP TO 13500 LBS, WERE NOT RATED AND WERE IN POOR CONDITION WITH BROKEN WELDS AND BENT AND CRACKED BRACES MAKING THEIR MAXIMUM SAFE WORKING CAPACITIES UNKNOWN. ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO ABATE THESE HAZARDS IS TO CONSTRUCT NEW SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND RATED TO ACCEPT ALL LOADS IMPOSED ON THEM AND INSPECT AND MAINTAIN THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN SAFELY SUPPORT THE LOADS.