Opinion ID: 165001
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The General Duty Clause Violation

Text: 17 The ALJ concluded that the use of a forty-pound tank with an ordinary grill was a violation of the general duty clause. To show a violation of the general duty clause, the Secretary must prove (1) that the employer failed to render its workplace free of an obvious and recognized hazard, (2) the hazard was causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm, and (3) there was a feasible method by which the employer could have abated the hazard. Baroid Division of NL Indus., Inc., 660 F.2d at 444. 18 As the ALJ noted, the forty-pound tank itself included warnings against using such a tank with a grill designed for twenty-pound tanks. In addition, the instructions supplied with the grill indicate that the propane tank should be installed underneath the frame of the grill so that the bottom ring [of the tank] rests in notches in the tank support strap. A Safeway supervisor authorized both the purchase of the tank and the purchase of the grill. Safeway supervisors were aware that the tank was too large to fit underneath the grill. Moreover, Safeway supervisors were aware that the tank could not be attached to the grill without a special adapter. Accordingly, there was substantial evidence to support the ALJ's finding that the use of the forty-pound tank was a recognized hazard and that Safeway was aware of the hazard. 4 19 Likewise, there is substantial evidence supporting the ALJ's conclusion that using the forty-pound tank was likely to cause serious injury. The forty-pound tank was difficult to connect to the grill. Because of the size of the tank, it had to be tipped against the frame of the grill to facilitate connection to the grill. In addition, a number of relevant safety standards recognize that failing to properly secure a tank creates a danger. Finally, it is clear that Safeway could have eliminated the hazard of using a forty-pound tank with the grill by simply using a twenty-pound tank. Accordingly, we conclude that the ALJ's decision was not arbitrary or capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with the law. 5