Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: LOCKOUT

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazards of electrical shock and/or burns from exposure to 480 Volts AC. Bare energized electrical parts. Safety training instructions and procedures were not adequate to assure that power to circuits was disconnected at proper times during the process of using extension cords equipped with bare quick-disconnect clamps (alligator clips) on one end to temporarily connect power to and diconnect it from bare terminal points on newly manufactured cranes for the purpose fo functionally testing the cranes prior to shipment of the cranes to customers. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is the incorporation of a disconnect lock-out procedure wherein only a well trained and competent person has control of turning on the electric power. Essential elements of the lockout procedure would include: 1) Open and lock out the main power disconnect for the machine and bleed off any residual energy; 2) Provide each potentially exposed employee working in the area with separate lock and key to be placed on the lockout means; 3) Establish a written lockout policy, including procedures to be followed and training for all affected employees, both maintenance and operational crews; 4) Periodically evaluate the program and strickly enforce all of its provisions.