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

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized struck-by and crushing hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees: The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by and crushing hazards associated with moving stone slabs throughout the facility. This was most recently documented on or about July 17, 2023, when employees engaged in stone slab movement with an overhead crane at the Universal Granite and Marble facility located at 9988 F St, Omaha, Nebraska were exposed to struck-by and crushing hazards in that they entered the fall shadow of the stone slabs while loading them onto a delivery truck. The slabs were on the truck bed, but the crane attachment was still connected, and it caused the slabs to tip over onto the crane operator resulting in fatal injuries. FEASIBLE METHODS OF ABATEMENT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: i. Use and enforce the company's current Crane & Hoist Safety Program and Crane SOP, as well as the Natural Stone Institutes' "Safety in the Stone Business" as guides. Develop, implement, train staff, and enforce a written work procedure addressing crane use to lift stone slaps, move the stone slabs, and setting the stone slabs onto the truck A-Frames. ii. Develop, implement, train staff, and enforce a written work rule forbidding employees from entering the fall shadow of a lifted slab. iii. Retrain operators on the use of the handheld crane controller, placing emphasis on maintaining sight of the crane chook when it is being moved, and never move the crane laterally until the attachment is disconnected and clear of the stone slab. iv. Follow guidelines established in the "Safety in the Stone Business" training guide by the Natural Stone Institute with additional emphasis placed on: - Section VI.A. Number of Slabs to be moved at One Time - "Many clamp manufacturers specify moving one slab and one slab only at a time." - Section VI.A. The Fall Shadow - "No body parts, including hands and feet, should be inside this shadow area. The higher the slab is lifted by the crane or forklift, the larger the shadow becomes. Stay outside the shadow to reduce your risk of being crushed or hit by stone shrapnel." - Section VI.C. Handling a Single Slab with a Clamp - "Never lift more than one slab at a time, no matter what size the clamp is or how small the slabs are." - Section VI.C Handling a Single Slab with a Clamp - "The clamp can be released when the slab is fully lowered, and the weight is off the clamp." Section VI.G Loading a Flatbed Truck with A-Frame Support - "When loading a flatbed truck with an A-Frame, there should be a spotter on the ground and on the truck."