OSHA has cited Enterprize Management Inc. and Schlitterbahn Beach Resort Management LLC, both doing business as Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark and Resort in South Padre Island, Texas, for six safety violations regarding hazardous energy sources that fatally crushed a 20-year-old lifeguard and severely injured a maintenance supervisor.
The accident occurred when the lifeguard and maintenance supervisor entered a wave generation machine and it was inadvertently activated, causing the two workers to be pinned between the gate and the wall of the wave machine.
A willful violation was cited for failing to develop, document and utilize procedures to control potentially hazardous energy for equipment such as, but not limited to, the wave generation machine. This condition exposed workers to being crushed by equipment inadvertently energized and to electrical or struck-by hazards.
The five serious violations cited involve failing to provide standard railings on the open sides of all exposed stairways and stair platforms; conduct inspections of the energy control procedures; train workers to recognize hazardous energy sources and procedures; guard water pumps with rotating shafts and firmly secure an electrical junction box to the wall.
The willful penalty totaled $70,000 while the serious penalties totaled $26,000. Schlitterbahn has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's Corpus Christi area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
