Text For Citation: 03 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 to employees in that employees were exposed to crushing and amputation hazards by foot petal/treadle mechanism(s) on machinery that were not protected or were inadequately protected to prevent unintended operations from falling or moving objects or by accidental stepping onto the pedals/treadles: a. Utilities, Shops, and Services 1) Central Maintenance Shop - The two foot pedals (independent) on the Thomas double head ironworking angle shear, serial number A151 located in the department were not guarded, observed August 15, 1989. 2) Fabrication Shop - Employees use a Steelweld press brake (serial number M4995) to form metal. The foot pedal control is unguarded thus exposing employees to injury, observed August 11, 1989. 3) Fabrication Shop - Employees bend sheet/plate metal on a Verson press brake (serial number 96911). The machine operating foot treadle is unguarded thus exposing employees to injury if the machine were inadvertently actuated, observed August 11, 1989. 4) Fabrication Shop - Employees shear corrugated sheet metal on a Peck, Stow, and Wilcox shear (serial number K9072). The machine operating foot treadle is unguarded thus exposing employees to injury if the machine were inadvertently actuated, observed August 11, 1989. Among other feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard would be to provide guard for foot treadle.