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

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: 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 hazard(s): a)on or about 9 Oct 2002, near US Highway 74 and Interstate 85 interchange, employee was exposed to struck by hazard(s) due to improper use of equipment. Air was released into air bag suspension components for the purpose of elevating the trailer height to perform trailer repair. Air bags were not restricted by an assembled suspension system or other adequate support structure. b)on or about 9 Oct 2002, near US Highway 74 and Interstate 85 interchange, appropriate equipment such as trailer jack(s) and jack stand(s) of adequate capacity and lifting range (i.e. loading height) were not used for road side trailer repair of trailer suspension. Among other feasible means, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct these hazards are: 1) The use of heavy hydraulic or pneumatic jack(s), crane or tow truck of adequate capacity; 2) The placement of jack stands underneath the trailer, once the trailer is elevated a sufficient height for the repair work to be performed safely; 3) Make mandatory job safety practices that require that air bag assemblies not be used for purposes not intended by the manufacture such as elevating trailers, trucks or other vehicles unless the air bag assembly for trailer or vehicle repair/maintenance purposes; 4) Document and enforce the implemented procedures; and 5) Train mechanics/service department personnel in procedures/work rules forbidding the use of air bags assemblies to elevate trailers, trucks or other vehicles for the purpose trailer or truck repair. Air bag assemblies must be inflated only when restricted by completely assembled suspension systems including the attachment of shock absorbers at their mounting brackets. Or in the alternative 29 CFR 1910.244(a)(1)(i): The operator did not make sure that the jack used had a rating sufficient to lift and sustain the load: a)jobsite, bottle jacks used by mechanics and provided by the employer did not have an adequate capacity and/or lifting range (i.e. loading height) to elevate the trailer for the required repairs. Or in the alternative 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program for control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) which consisted of control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment, procedures would isolate the machine and render it inoperative, preventing the unexpected start up, energization, or release of energy: a)jobsite, the employer had not developed procedures forbidding the use of air bag assemblies to elevate vehicles unless the air bag assembly is restricted by a completely assembled suspension system and had not trained employees of the hazards of air pressure associated with inflated, unrestricted air bag assemblies.d