H. B. Zachry Company v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

638 F.2d 812, 59 A.L.R. Fed. 377, 9 OSHC (BNA) 1417, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 19744
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedMarch 2, 1981
Docket80-1357
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 638 F.2d 812 (H. B. Zachry Company v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
H. B. Zachry Company v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, 638 F.2d 812, 59 A.L.R. Fed. 377, 9 OSHC (BNA) 1417, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 19744 (5th Cir. 1981).

Opinion

JOHN R. BROWN, Circuit Judge:

This appeal is brought by H. B. Zachry Company pursuant to a petition for review of a decision of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) in favor of the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). The Occupational Safety and Health citation alleged that Zachry had committed a serious violation of the Act by allowing its mobil crane to come within 10 feet of energized electrical transmission lines thus creating a hazard of electrical shock. An order of abatement and a $700 penalty was assessed against Zachry. Finding substantial evidence in the record to support the decision and order of the Administrative Law Judge and Commission, we affirm.

The Facts

The facts which gave rise to the penalty imposed by the Secretary and affirmed by the Commission are uncontroverted. Zachry is a general contractor engaged in world-wide construction with its principal place of business at San Antonio, Texas. Early in 1976, Zachry was engaged in construction at the Sooner Dam and Power Plant project near Pawnee, Oklahoma. 1 At approximately eight o’clock on the morning of February 11, 1976, one of Zachry’s crane operators, Raymond Kitchens, was ordered by his immediate supervisors to transport a load of pipe from a storage area to an excavation site — -a distance of several hundred feet. Located approximately 28 feet above this pathway were uninsulated energized electrical transmission lines carrying 7,000 to 7,200 watts of electricity.

The load was secured by steel cables attached to the end of the pipe, wrapped around, and then fastened to a hook on the boom of the crane. With this load attached, the boom rested at an angle of about 30° to 35° with a length including the jib of approximately 48 to 50 feet. Two employees, Tobias and Fragu were assigned *814 to assist Kitchens in this moving operation by holding the ends of the pipe to stabilize it. As the load was being transported across the work site, the jib of the mobil crane 2 came into contact with one of the transmission lines fatally electrocuting To-bias and seriously injuring Fragu.

The following morning, Roger Jackson, an OSHA compliance officer commenced an on-site investigation pursuant to 29 U.S.C.A. § 657(a). 3 Based on this investigation, the Secretary of Labor issued a citation 4 on February 27, 1976, which alleged that Zachry had committed a serious violation 5 of 29 C.F.R. 1926.550(a)(15)(i) 6 by failing to maintain a minimum clearance of ten feet between energized electrical transmission lines and the crane or its load, thus creating the hazard of electrical shock. The citation was accompanied by the Secretary’s recommendation of a $700 penalty and an order of immediate abatement of the hazard.

*815 Zachry timely contested the citation and proposed penalty pursuant to 29 U.S.C.A. § 659(c). 7 Both at the administrative hearing on July 20, 1976, and now before this Court, Zachry challenges the citation and penalty on three grounds. First, since the citation and complaint 8 allege an “inspection” rather than “investigation” of the work site, the Secretary should not have been allowed to amend the complaint and present evidence relating to the crane accident. Second, the cited standard (see note 6. supra) is not applicable to the operation which was being performed at the time of the accident. And, more importantly, the company should not be held liable for an employee’s unforeseeable negligence when it has adequately trained and supervised its employees in this particular area of safety.

The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) by decision and order of October 26, 1976, affirmed the Secretary’s citation and $700 penalty. The same results were reached by the Review Commission on January 31, 1980.

Our Review Standard

In considering Zachry’s request to set aside the Commission’s decision, we are mindful of the broad scope and remedial purpose of OSH A. Atlas Roofing Co. v. OSHA, 430 U.S. 442, 97 S.Ct. 1261, 51 L.Ed.2d 464 (1977), aff’g 518 F.2d 990 (5th Cir. 1975). We are also bound by that body’s findings on questions of fact and reasonable inferences drawn therefrom if they are supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole even if this Court could justifiably reach a different result de novo. See 29 U.S.C.A. § 660(a); 9 e. g., American Petroleum Insti *816 tute v. OSHA, 581 F.2d 493 (5th Cir. 1978); Horce Plumbing and Heating Co. v. OSHRC, 528 F.2d 564 (5th Cir. 1976); Brennan v. Butler Lime and Cement Co., 520 F.2d 1011 (7th Cir. 1975); Accu-Namics, Inc. v. OSHRC, 515 F.2d 828 (5th Cir. 1975), cert. denied 425 U.S. 903, 96 S.Ct. 1492, 47 L.Ed.2d 752 (1976); Brennan v. OSHRC, 419 F.2d 1340 (2d Cir. 1974).

*815 (c) If an employer notifies the Secretary that he intends to contest a citation issued under section 658(a) of this title or notification issued under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, or if, within fifteen working days of the issuance of a citation under section 658(a) of this title, any employee or representative of employees files a notice with the Secretary alleging that the period of time fixed in the citation for the abatement of the violation is unreasonable, the Secretary shall immediately advise the Commission of such notification, and the Commission shall afford an opportunity for a hearing (in accordance with section 554 of Title 5 but without regard to subsection (a)(3) of such section).

*816

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638 F.2d 812, 59 A.L.R. Fed. 377, 9 OSHC (BNA) 1417, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 19744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/h-b-zachry-company-v-occupational-safety-and-health-review-commission-ca5-1981.