Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119532554 - Harford County Public Schools

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

AN EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING WITH A 208-VOLT, THREE-PHASE, 9.93-AMPERE HOBART DISHWASHER (MODEL NO. FR-36 U; SERIAL NO. 276401) IN A DISHWASHING ROOM. THE DISHWASHER HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR ONLY 3 DAYS FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT ON MAY 18, 1992, WHEN THIS EMPLOYEE HAD RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK. FOLLOWING THAT INCIDENT, THE MACHINE HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REPAIRED, AND IT WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE AFTER ANOTHER INSPECTION. THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOW USING THIS MACHINE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT HAD BEEN PUT BACK INTO SERVICE, AND SHE WORKED THE DISHWASHER THROUGH THE FIRST TWO LUNCH PERIODS. AFTER THE SECOND LUNCH PERIOD, SHE OPENED THE DOORS TO ALLOW IT TO COOL OFF WHILE SHE WAS TAKING HER LUNCH BREAK. WHEN SHE RETURNED FROM LUNCH, SHE HAD ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OPEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE DISHWASHER. THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR THE HOT WATER BOOSTER AND FOR THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL REMAINED CLOSED, HOWEVER. THE EMPLOYEE WORKING WITH THE DISHWASHER HAD TAKEN OUT ALL OF ITS STRAINERS AND HAD DUMPED THE FOOD SCRAPS INTO THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL AREA. AS SHE REACHED TO PULL OUT THE LAST STRAINER SHE FELT AN ELECTRIC SHOCK GO THROUGH HER RIGHT ARM. SHE COULD NOT FREE HER GRIP BEFORE SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. SHE WAS FOUND COMPLETELY BLUE AND JERKING, WITH HER RIGHT ARM UP TO THE ELBOW INSIDE THE MACHINE, BUT THE EMPLOYEES WHO FREED HER FROM THE MACHINE FELT NO ELECTRIC SHOCK. THE INJURED EMPLOYEE WAS GIVEN CARDIO-PULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL, WHERE SHE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED. COUNTY OFFICIALS, TWO STATE OSHA COMPLIANCE STAFF MEMBERS, AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING CONSULTANT, AND A TECHNICIAN FROM HOBART EXAMINED THE MACHINE. NONE OF THE INSPECTIONS OR TESTS THEY PERFORMED FOUND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE MACHINE OR THE SURROUNDING WORK AREA.

Keywords: ELECTRICAL, CPR, E GI VII, LOCKOUT, GROUND FAULT, EQUIPMENT GROUNDING, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELEC EQUIPMENT--MISC