Allstate Steel Corp. of New Hampshire has been cited by OSHA for numerous safety and health violations at two school construction sites in Malden, Mass. OSHA is proposing a total of $91,400 in penalties.OSHA was called on two consecutive days to two school construction sites where Allstate Steel was using cranes to erect steel. The cranes were in desperate need of repair.
Employees on these construction sites were being exposed to extremely hazardous situations since neither of those cranes should have been in service. This company was previously cited for defects on at least one of these cranes last year and agreed to correct the problems, but failed to do so.
Allstate Steel Corp. is being cited for the following alleged crane violations:
- Failing to ensure that deficient or defective parts noted on a Grove 80 ton were repaired or replaced before continued use;
- Failing to furnish the crane with an operator's manual at the worksite prior to operating the crane;
- Failing to ensure that defective crane rigging equipment was removed from service;
- Failing to ensure clear visibility from all windows in the cab of the crane;
- Failing to obtain the manufactures written approval before making modifications to the crane; and
- Failing to ensure that anti-two-blocking safety device was operational on the crane.
The use of unsafe cranes on construction sites is extremely dangerous because of the possibility that, during a lift, a heavy load of steel or other material could come crashing down at any moment due to the unexpected failure of the crane or one of its components.
