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

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish to each of his employees 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 the hazard of becoming caught in a conveyor system: (a) Plum Creek MDF, Columbia Falls, MT; The employer did not ensure that the #2 Fire Dump conveyor would not start until personnel in the area were alerted by a signal, alarm, or a designated person. (b) Plum Creek MDF, Columbia Falls, MT; The employer did not ensure that emergency stop buttons or pull cords were located along the conveyor in the vicinity of the tail end of the #2 Fire Dump. (c) Plum Creek MDF, Columbia Falls, MT; The employer did not ensure that the emergency stop button located at the head end of the #2 Fire Dump was easily identifiable. (d) Plum Creek MDF, Columbia Falls, MT; The employer did not ensure that the Material Storage conveyor system would not start until personnel in the area were alerted by a signal, alarm, or a designated person. (e) Plum Creek MDF, Columbia Falls, MT; In the areas that were not protected by guards, the employer did not ensure that emergency stop buttons or pull cords were located along the walkways next to the Material Storage conveyor(s). Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would be to follow Section 5, General Safety Standards of the ASME B20.1-1996 Safety Standard for Conveyors and Related Equipment.