Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: STRUCK BY

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 a struck-by hazard: At this location, employees involved in a trash collection operation were exposed to a struck-by hazard from stored potential energy in the event their truck became entangled in low hanging cables, wires, lines and/or tree limbs. The employer did not ensure employees were provided the means and methods to safely remove an entangled object from the vehicle. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement to correct this hazard would be to develop a written procedure requiring employee notification of identified hazards on their route, and how to avoid the hazard, and provided equipment and/or procedures for the safe removal of low hanging objects which become entangled on the truck or trash receptacle.