Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: LIFTING

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 falls into the caustic stripping tanks as they crawled out on the spreader bar to remove the hoist hook from the lifting device: a.American Metal Cleaning, Inc. located in Toledo, Ohio: On or about July 28, 2008, the employer did not ensure employees were prohibited from crawling out onto the spreader bars to remove the hoist hook from the lifting device. When unhooking the hoist hook the employees were exposed to falls into the caustic stripping tanks which contained a sodium hydroxide mixture with a pH of 13.95. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to enforce the employer work rule that requires employees to stand on the floor adjacent to the tank and use the three foot long bar to unhook the crane hook from the spreader bar. In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.