UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

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

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 from crushing injuries as a result of a rollover of a rollover of a grass mower. a) 5525 Locust Valley Road, Coopersburg, PA, 18036- Locust Valley Golf Course, 9th Tee Box: On or about September 3, 2019, an employee operated a Toro Greensmaster 3100 riding greens mower during hours of darkness, in wet conditions, in the vicinity of a drop off or embankment with a downward slope of between 5 to 30 degrees Abatement Note: Among other feasible means of abatement, the employer must operate this type of mower in accordance with the equipment operators manual and ANSI/OPEI B71.1-2012, Consumer Turf Care Equipment - Pedestrian-Controlled Mowers and Ride-On Mowers - Safety Specifications, states: Section I, General Operation: 13. Operate machine only in daylight or good artificial light. Section II, Slope Operation:: 1. Mow up and down slopes, not across. 2. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden objects. Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall grass can hide obstacles. 4. Do not mow on wet grass. Tires may lose traction. 6. Avoid starting, stopping, or turning on a slope. If the tires lose traction, disengage the blade(s) and proceed slowly straight down the slope. 7. Keep all movement on slopes slow and gradual. Do not make sudden changes in speed or direction, which could cause the machine to roll over. 10. Do not mow near drop offs, ditches or embankments. The machine could suddenly roll over if a wheel goes over the edge or if the edge caves in. Additionally, the Operator's Manual from the Manufacturer states in the Operation section: 2. Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light. 4. Do not use on slopes of more than: " Never mow side hills over 5° " Never mow uphill over 10° " Never mow downhill over 15° 5. Remember there is no such thing as a "safe" slope. Travel on grass slopes requires particular care. To guard against overturning: " Never mow across the face of the slope, unless the lawn mower is designed for this purpose. Alternatively, the employer can choose to utilize mower equipment designed for use in areas with gradients exceeding near level and during periods of sufficient lighting. Safe operations guidance for use near slopes is found in Figure 8, Section II of ANSI/OPEI B71.1-2012.