RAILCARFALLPROTECTION:
EricJ.ConnHeadoftheOSHAPracticeGroupatEpsteinBecker&Green,P.C.
[email protected](202)861‐5335
WHATOSHAREQUIRESFROM GRAINELEVATOROPERATORS
December3,2013
ERICJ.CONN
istheHeadoftheOSHAPracticeGroupatEpsteinBecker&Green,wherehefocusesonallaspectsofoccupationalsafety&healthlaw:
– Representsemployersininspections,investigations&enforcementactionsinvolvingOSHA,CSB,MSHA,&EPA
– Respondstoandmanagesinvestigationsofcatastrophicindustrial,construction,andmanufacturingworkplaceaccidents,includingexplosionsandchemicalreleases
– HandlesallaspectsofOSHAlitigation,includingcriminalmatters,appealsofcitations,andnegotiationofsettlementstominimizeeffectofenforcementoncivilactionsandfutureoperations
– Conductssafetytraining&compliancecounseling
EricJ.Conn [email protected]/(202)861.5335
• Employeesmusttie‐offorbeprotectedbyguardrailswhenworkingatheightsabove4feet
• FallprotectionforworkontopofRollingStockisNOTaddressedin:– Walking‐workingsurfacesgeneralindustrystandard(SubpartD);or
– ThePPEStandard(29CFR§ 1910.132(d))
FallProtection
• NGFArequestedclarificationofOSHA’senforcementpolicyre:fallhazardsfromworkatoprailcars– IndustryconcernedthatOSHAwaswronglycitinggrainhandlers
• OSHAandindustryleadersmettofindapracticalsolution
• OSHAissuedaninternalenforcementmemotoitsRegionalAdministrators
The1996“MilesMemo”
• Casedidnotinvolvethegrainindustry• Employeeseriouslyinjuredafterhefell10’
offatanker
truckduetowindgusts• OSHAissuedaGeneralDutyClausecitation– “expos[ed]employeestofallhazardswhentheywereworkingontopoffueltankertrucks”
• TheALJaffirmedthecitationissuedbyOSHA
EricksonAir‐Crane–
ALJDecision
EricksonAir‐CraneCaseSecretaryofLabor’sPosition:
• MilesMemoreferencetorollingstockpositionedinsideorcontiguoustobuildingwhereinstallationoffallprotectionisfeasibleputemployeronnoticethatithadtoprovidefallprotection
– Thetankerhadbracketstoholdahelicopterbladeboxinplace,whichcouldalsosecurefallprotectionequipment
• Employershouldhaverealizedthat,soequipped,itstankerwasessentiallylocatedinsideoforcontiguoustoastructurethatcouldsupportfallprotectionequipment
Employer’sPosition:
• BasedonguidancefromMilesMemo,itlackednoticethatfallprotectionwasrequired;and
• ItcannotbeheldinviolationoftheOSHActifitfailedtoreceivepriornoticeoftheconductrequiredofit
• OSHRCfoundthattheMilesMemodid putemployersonnoticeofadutytousefallprotecti
onorproviderelatedtraining
• But,theCommissionemphasized2elementsfromtheMilesMemo:– BroadexemptionofallrollingstockfromOSHA’sfallprotectionrequirements(exceptforrollingstocklocatedinsideofornexttoabuilding);and
– UndertheGDC,OSHAonlyrequiresadministrativecontrolstoreducefallhazards,whicharedistinct
from
thefallprotectionequipmentsoughtbytheSecretary
EricksonAir‐Crane‐
OSHRCDecision
EricksonAir‐CraneDecision
“[T]hepolicydescribedinthe[MilesMemo]regardingtheenforcementofsubpartD,thePPEstandard,andthegeneraldutyclauseasappliedtotankertrucks[or
railcars]thatarenotadjacenttoabuildingorstructureisconsistent–
theuseoffall
protectionequipmentisnotconsideredfeasibleandthus,arenotrequiredunder
anyoneoftheseprovisions.”
“[T]hepolicydescribedinthe[MilesMemo]regardingtheenforcementofsubpartD,thePPEstandard,andthegeneraldutyclauseasappliedtotankertrucks[or
railcars]thatarenotadjacenttoabuildingorstructureisconsistent–
theuseoffall
protectionequipmentisnotconsideredfeasibleandthus,arenotrequiredunder
anyoneoftheseprovisions.”
• TheEricksonAir‐CanedecisionreinforcedthattheMilesMemo:– RemainsOSHA’sbindingandofficialinterpretationofthelawasitrelatestofallprotectionontopofrollingstock;and
– Appliestocircumstancesbeyondjustgraininspectorswhohavetoinspectrailcarsdowntrack
• ThefactthatsomeOSHAAreaOfficescontinueissuingcitationscontrarytotheMilesMemodoesNOTchangethelaw
EricksonAir‐CraneDecision
• DespiteErickson
,someOSHAAreaOfficesstillissuecitationscontrarytotheMilesMemo– AdherencetotheMilesMemovariesbetweeneachareaoffice,region,andadministration
• Someonlyissuecitationsinsideloadingareascontiguoustotheelevator
• Othersissuecitationsoutsidetheloadingzone
OSHA’sEnforcementAgenda
• July2011:OSHAcitedUSDA’sFGISforlackoffallprotectionontopofrailcar– FGISperforminggraininspectionservicesatgrainfacilityinTexas
– FGISemployeesallegedlydidnot:• Conductproper“hazardassessments”beforeworkingontopofrailcars;and
• ReceiveadequatetraininginhowtousePPEwhileoncar
– Citationbasedonemployeeinterview
FGISCitation
• OSHAwithdrawrollingstockfallprotectioncitationbutkeptPPEtrainingcitations
• FGIShasagreedto:– Reviewandmodifyitsrollingstockfailprotectiontrainingprograms;
– Develop“scenarios”
thatincludedifferenttypesoffacilities,equipment,andoperationstodetermineiffallprotectionisfeasible;and
– Revisedemployeedirectiveduetobecompletedbytheendofthisyear(2013)
OSHA– FGISSettlement
• May24,2010:OSHApublishedNPRMtorevisetheWalkingWorkingSurfacesStandard
• NPRM:TheMilesMemo“didnotresultincleardirectiontothepublicortoOSHA”
• NotincludedonDOL's2013FallRegulatoryAgenda(i.e.,itisnotcomingsoon)
• OSHAalsoindicateditwouldproposeseparaterollingstockfallprotectionrule
NPRMWalking‐WorkingSurfaces
1. Inyourestablishmentorindustry,howmanyorwhatpercentageofemployeesworkingontopofrollingstockareexposedtofallhazards?
2. Howaretheseemployeesprotectedfromfallhazardswhileworkingonsuchequipment?
3. Ifemployeetrainingontherecognitionoffallhazardsisprovided inyourworkplace,describethenatureandfrequencyofthetraining.
4.
Iffallprotectionequipmentisused,pleaseprovidedetailedinformationonthetypesandcostsofthefallprotectionusedonrollingstockandpleaseexplainhowitisused.
5. Iffallprotectionequipmentisnotused,pleaseexplainwhattechnologicaland/oreconomicobstaclestosuchusemaybeinvolved.
6. Aretherealternativemeanstoprotectemployeesfromfallhazardswhileworkingonrollingstock?Pleaseexplain.
7. Whatisyoursafetyexperiencew/fallhazardson/fromrollingstock?8. ShouldOSHAexcluderollingstockfromcoverageundersubpartD?
NPRMQuestionsre:RollingStockFallProtection
Performallrailcarworkunderfallprotectioniffeasible
Ifnotfeasible,providefallprotectionforworkonrailcarslocatednexttotheelevator
Forworkonrailcarsawayfromtheelevator,implementasetofadministrativecontrols,suchas:
– Blue‐flag/isolatetrackstoensurecarsarenotmovedwithworkersontop
– Employeesareprohibitedfromworkingontopofrailcarsininclementweather(snow/ice/highwinds)
– Trainemployeesonproperwaystoclimbontocars(i.e.,three‐pointsofcontactwithoutcarryinganything)
– Requireallworktobedonefromtherailcar’scatwalk
RecommendedPractices
PhotocourtesyofFallProtectionSystems,Inc.
Ifyoucannotperformallworkunderafallprotection system,document
aPPEHazardAssessmentthat:
• Recognizesthefallhazardforworkontopofrailcars;• Explainsthefacility’srailcarfallprotectionpolicy&administrativecontrolstoaddressthefallhazard
• Explainswhere/why/whenitisnotfeasibletousefallprotection
Considerhavingafeasibilityanalysisperformedundertheprotectionoftheattorney‐clientprivilege
Trainandenforcebydiscipline
Bepreparedtochallengecitations
RecommendedPractices