Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 004 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 struck by hazards created when the employer failed to positively secure the cuonterweight for a lifting device: Staging Area - A make shift hoisting device located on the roof of a building was used to lower containers of construction debris from the building's upper floors. To compenstae for the weight of the loads anticipated to be lifted, a 126-pound steel angle was set, but not secured, on the frame supporting the lifting arm. The counterweight was catipulted through the air when the lifting device failed and fell off the building fatally striking an employee. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable mean of abatement would be for the employer to securely attach the counterweight to the frame of the lifting device.