OSHA has cited Hawthorne Pacific Corp. in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, for 13 alleged serious violations and two other-than-serious violations of safety standards. OSHA investigated the dealership/rental company after an October 2012 incident in which one of the company’s cranes fatally crushed a worker.
“Hawthorne Pacific Corp. failed in its responsibility to ensure that workers followed the manufacturer’s requirements for the safe operation and maintenance of equipment,” said Galen Lemke, director of OSHA’s Honolulu area office. “This tragic accident could have easily been prevented had the employer addressed these issues.”
Inspectors said that outriggers designed to stabilize the truck-mounted crane were not extended, allowing it to tip, and that the company failed to properly inspect and maintain records of critical items on the crane, which had been out of service for more than six months but had not undergone a complete inspection before being used. The company also failed to properly tag keys for the truck crane as “do not use” because a warning indication was not functioning, according to OSHA.
The proposed fines total $70,000, OSHA said.
